Andie woke with a start and scrambled for her phone. Her eyes opened in bare slits, the lids feeling like sandpaper after spending a fitful night worrying about Mary. She peered at the screen. There was a text from Shane. Mary was in surgery.
A few hours after the ambulance had taken her to the hospital last night, he had called to tell her Mary was stable and going through a battery of tests. There was no sense in her rushing down to visit. But now she was in surgery?
Shane’s brief text gave only a room number—one that could be temporary. He hadn’t said what type of surgery, and Andie’s thoughts were suddenly filled with visions of Mary lying still and lifeless on a table, while surgeons worked fitfully over her to correct her heart.
A feeling of dread descended, and she tossed the covers aside. She wasn’t sure if she’d be able to see Mary, but she would be there to support Shane and Jules.
After a quick shower, she dressed and then hurried to the hospital, her only stop one for coffees and doughnuts. If her memory served, hospital food wasn’t very appealing. She remembered how grateful she’d been when someone had brought her good coffee from the coffee shop while she’d been at her father’s bedside when he’d been hospitalized.
As she walked down the hall toward the room number Shane had texted, Andie had a terrifying thought. Her steps slowed. Had Mary even survived the operation? Tentatively, she pushed open the heavy door and peeked into the room then nearly dropped the coffees on the floor.
Mary was there, and she looked perfectly fine, sitting up in bed as chipper as a squirrel, talking to a woman Andie had never met. She smiled when she saw Andie.
“Oh, Andie, come in! I want to thank you for finding me and calling the ambulance.”
“I’m just glad I did.” Andie stepped farther into the room toward Mary’s bed, her gaze drifting from her friend to the woman at her bedside.
Mary smiled and patted the woman’s hand. “This is my daughter, Carolyn.”
To Carolyn, she said, “Andie lives across the street from the hair salon. She’s the one who found me last night and saved my life.”
Recognition dawned in the other woman’s eyes.
“So you’re the one who called me?” She looked at her mother then back at Andie, her eyes moist. “I can’t thank you enough. If you hadn’t called, I might not have come, and, well…”
Her voice cracked, and she drew in a breath. Her lips trembled, and her eyes closed for a second, but she quickly opened them again to look at her mother. She even managed a little smile. “I’ve wasted a lot of time over stupid grudges, so I appreciate your call, as I am grateful to have a chance to correct that.”
Andie nodded in understanding. “I’m just glad your mother left her phone behind and that I was able to reach you.”
Andie’s concerned gaze turned to Mary, who was beaming. “Are you okay? Shane said you were supposed to have surgery…”
Andie knew it took a lot longer to recover from heart surgery, and no one she knew of who’d had it came out laughing and chatting. Maybe it had been cancelled? Her heart dropped. “Was there a complication?”
Mary pointed to her right side. “No complication, and I’ve had it. Laparoscopic surgery on my gallbladder. All this time I thought I was having indigestion, it was gall stones!”
Her hand went to her side for a gentle rub. She shook her head. “Last night, the pain was so excruciating… I passed out, Andie, which is why I was on the floor when you found me.”
“Wow, that’s great, actually. I was terrified coming over because I thought it was your heart! I came in here half expecting to find an empty room.” Andie held up the bag of doughnuts. “I brought coffee and snacks. Are you hungry?”
Mary shook her head, but Carolyn said, “I’ll take one, thanks. I left so fast last night, and this morning, well…”
“She’s spent every moment with me. Poor girl hasn’t even gone for breakfast!”
Andie handed her a coffee and tilted the bag for her to choose a doughnut. Jules came into the room and took another one.
“Thanks,” she told Andie, her voice unusually subdued.
Andie’s gaze sought hers, but it was directed at the floor. Something was wrong. She looked depressed despite Mary’s good health after last night’s scare.
“Are you okay, dear?” Mary asked.
“I just collected Gram’s things.” Jules turned to Andie to explain. “She passed last night.”
“Oh, Jules, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not like it was a surprise, but still.” Jules looked at Mary, and her face brightened. “At least Mary is going to be okay. I’ll focus on that.”
“Did you see your cousins?” Mary asked, gently probing. “I’m sure they came to see your grandmother before…”
Jules shook her head. “No. I guess they came, but I missed them.”
Andie thought she looked relieved about that rather than regretful.
Mary’s eyes narrowed.
“Maybe now would be a good time to reconnect with them, Jules.” She held up Carolyn’s hand. “It worked for me.”
“It’s a very good time to reconnect.” Shane’s voice filled the room as he crossed to Andie and put his hand on her shoulder. “It’s never too late to let go of the past and have a second chance at rekindling a relationship with those you love.”
Andie looked up to find him gazing down at her. She put her hand atop his. She couldn’t agree more.