Chapter 65

Sarah walked slowly back to the room feeling sad and weary. She set the flowers on the bedside table and slipped off her shoes.

A knock at the door stopped her just as she threw back the covers. Glenda and her housekeeping cart were outside.

“I know you’re checking out today, but I’m here to see if you need anything,” Glenda said.

“Oh, my, thank you, no,” Sarah said.

“Dylan told me you were back,” Glenda leaned in conspiratorially. “I think he’s got a little crush on you.”

Sarah groaned inwardly. Of course. That’s why he was always watching her. He couldn’t be more than eighteen or nineteen. Sarah was twenty-eight. What was it Mr. Glenn said? Men could always hope?

“He don’t mean nothin’ by it. Don’t worry. He’s a good kid,” Glenda said, as if reading her mind.

Somehow that didn’t make Sarah feel any better.

“Nice you girls could come by yourself.”

All Sarah wanted was her bed. Glenda still stood in the door, so Sarah felt she had to keep making small talk.

“Yes, it’s been very peaceful,” she said.

“Where are the children?” Glenda asked.

Sarah explained about the birthday and how she and Helen were enjoying the relaxation. She looked pointedly at her bed, but Glenda was in a mood to talk.

“It is relaxing, isn’t it? I find it relaxing even with all the hubbub of the families. It saved my husband, you know.”

She must be referring to his heart attack. Maybe this resort, even with all its chaos, was less stressful than whatever he used to do.

“George’s heart stopped on Christmas Day four years ago. I thought that was the worst thing that could ever happen.”

The same Christmas Sarah’s boyfriend dumped her. Sarah thought at the time her own heart had stopped, but she realized this was ridiculous hyperbole once she started her clinical rotations and saw what the expression truly meant. It had happened to George.

“He pulled through, thank the Lord, but then the dark times really hit. George couldn’t work for a long time. And he didn’t want to go back to his old job. Dylan was having problems, and we were at our wit’s end. Dylan couldn’t get a job because he had a record for drug possession, and he didn’t want a job anyway, was barely sober. I was the only one working. George needed me, Dylan needed me, and we all needed health insurance. Lordy, Lordy, what a dark time. My brother said he’d take Dylan back, if he shaped up, and by God, I almost said yes.”

“That must have been very hard,” Sarah murmured. She shifted her tired legs, trying to be inconspicuous.

Glenda didn’t notice. “George had worked for Mr. Allen before, and when he wrote that the resort needed a Jack-of-all-trades like George, we jumped at the chance. Came out here as soon as George was up for it. George is a new man now, like he has a new life. We feel blessed.”

“That’s wonderful,” Sarah said.

“I’m so ashamed I even considered sending Dylan back. George is so good with him, loves him like his own son. Dylan looks up to him. They’ve done well by each other.”

Sarah stood shivering with the open door. “That’s wonderful,” she said again.

“Well, honey, you don’t want to hear all this. I’ll leave you to your relaxation.”

Sarah finally felt just that as she pulled the down comforter up under her chin.