I waited impatiently on the street corner, my gut churning.
It was the unthinkable that my grandmother might be ill. She was a rock. A constant in Gossip and in my life, and the only stability I’d had in the years after my divorce from my murderous ex-husband. What would Lauren do? Or the cats? The inn?
Breathe, Charlotte. You don’t know what’s going on yet.
I stood on the corner, angry that I hadn’t spent enough time with her this week. It wasn’t just that I was kind of stuck with my case at the moment, it was that if she was ill…
The front door of the doctor’s practice opened, and my grandmother emerged with the doctor in tow. They made for the black BMW again, but this time, I didn’t hide. Instead, I set off across the road to intercept them.
“Georgina,” I called, as I crossed the street.
My grandmother halted, her eyes widening. A flicker of anger passed her features, but I doubted it had anything to do with me. If I knew Gamma, she was mad at herself for not having realized I was following her.
I stopped on the sidewalk beside her and the doctor.
“Hello,” I said to him. “Can I talk to you for a second?” That was directed at my grandmother.
“Of course, Charlotte.” She smiled at the doctor. “You’ll have to excuse me, Nathan. I need to attend to some important business. We’ll talk again soon.”
Gamma was on a first name basis with her doctor?
She accompanied me back across the road, nodding to the friendly residents we passed on the sidewalk. Finally, we were in the Mini-Cooper again, me in the driver’s seat.
I turned to my grandmother immediately. “Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked. “What was the point of hiding it from me? Lauren’s been worried sick about you, you know and—”
“Oh, Charlotte, please. Do you really think running me on a guilt trip about my personal life is going to work? I’m a grown woman.”
“Yeah, and we care about you. I’m your… you know.” I didn’t say granddaughter out loud because it might blow her cover or mine. “We’re practically family.” Literally family, but it slipped out easier. “You can’t ignore us. You owe us some kind of explanation.”
“I don’t owe anyone anything.” Gamma folded her arms, primly. “Goodness, but you’re being unreasonable. You’d think I had a terminal illness.”
I blinked. “Wait, what?”
“Just the way you’re acting about. It’s as if I have a terminal illness and I didn’t tell you.”
“Don’t you?”
“What?” It was Gamma’s turn to look completely puzzled.
“You… you’re at the doctor’s office,” I said. “You’ve been missing over the past few months. I assumed that there had to be something seriously wrong with your health when I saw you go in there. You’re not sick?”
“Sick?” Gamma crossed herself. “Goodness me, no. Thank goodness, I mean. I’m blessed in that I’m in good health.”
“Then why on earth were you…” I trailed off. “Oh.”
What kind of doctor would pick up one his patients at her home? And why on earth would he have opened the door for her? Gamma wore perfume, and a gorgeous dress, and she’d been styling her hair differently of late. She was always busy and definitely avoiding talking to us.
“You’re dating Doctor Puddles?”
“Shush.” But Gamma went rosy pink. “Now, don’t say that too loud. You know, we’ve been trying to be discreet. It’s difficult to hide anything in this town, as you well know, and we’re just not ready to discuss it with everyone else.”
“Oh.” Thank goodness it was just a romantic thing. “Oh wait, so you blew me off the other night to go out with the doctor.”
Gamma bowed her head. “Now, I felt terrible about that, but I just… he had an appointment on short notice during our previous date, so that was the only time we could see each other. It was unplanned. I’m sorry about that Charlotte.”
“No, that’s OK. I’m just glad I know what’s going on. You’re going to have to tell Lauren, though. She’s worried sick.”
“If I tell Lauren, she’ll tell everyone,” Gamma said.
“You’re that shy?”
“I don’t want Nathan to feel embarrassed.”
“His name is Doctor Puddles,” I replied. “He could have his own kids TV show. I’m pretty sure the embarrassment thing is not an issue for him.”
Gamma gave a giggle. An actual giggle. “I’m just not used to this type of thing, you know. I would much rather keep him a secret. What if he gets embroiled in my affairs?”
By affairs she meant her past as a spy.
“Oh, Charlotte, it’s been so long since I’ve done anything like this. Dating? It’s terrifying. I thought for sure that I was done with dating, but Nathan is so sweet. He buys me flowers and treats me like a lady. He’s interested in what I have to say, and he has a wicked sense of humor. I like him. A lot.”
“Then go for it,” I said. “Don’t be afraid. If you really want to, we can kidnap him, blindfold him, swear him to secrecy under threat of death, and then tell him about your past?”
“You’re too sweet.” Gamma patted my knee. “But I think I’ll do that in my own time, in the old fashioned way. Verbally. Without guns.”
“That is old fashioned.”
Gamma gave me broad grin. “I’ve been so neglectful. Can you forgive me, Charlotte?”
“There’s nothing to forgive,” I said. “I’m just happy that you’re OK. And that you’re happy.” I wriggled my lips from side-to-side. “Although, I could use your help.”
“The case?”
“Yeah. I’m stuck.”
“Tell me all about it,” Gamma said, sitting back in her chair and growing serious.