feeling at the moment, I really appreciated it.
“I am so glad to meet you,” she said in a clear and kind voice. “Min has told me so much about you that I feel like I’ve known you my whole life.” She pulled back and smiled pleasantly.
“Don’t believe him. He likes to elaborate and lie,” I said, making Amalia laugh. “Please, guys, have a seat. Let me get you something to drink. Coffee, tea, lemonade or a water or…”
“I’d love a tea,” Amalia said. “I just got off work and don’t want anything too strong to keep me up. I’ll need a nap for sure.”
“I’ll get them,” Min offered. “You ladies can talk behind my back for a few minutes.”
I looked awkwardly at Amalia, who didn’t seem to be uncomfortable or nervous at all.
“It must have been a full moon or something last night because several of the residents had me running my tail from the minute I got there to when I checked out this morning.” Amalia rolled her eyes. “First, Mr. Lessing said he heard scratching on the walls. The residents are allowed to have small pets, and Mr. Lucio’s cat got out of his room and was finally cornered in the recreational center after knocking over half a dozen potted plants. Mrs. Toon said there was a person outside digging at the corner of the building. The best one was Mr. Cavanaugh who said he needed a sponge bath because Marilyn Monroe was planning on paying him a visit.”
I smiled, and a little laugh rattled out of my chest.
“If Mr. Cavanaugh had his way, he’d have a sponge bath every hour.”
I felt my heart get a little lighter. “That’s funny.”
“Don’t get me wrong. I love working at the Home. The job can be hard at times, but I love the stories around all the residents. Sometimes, one or two of them just decide they want to cause a little drama. It’s like high school.”
She was charming. I hated to admit it, but I felt a possible friendship tugging at my thoughts. The corners of my mouth would not stay down. I smiled, and it felt good.
“I’m sorry I’m so talky.” She patted my hand quickly. “I get this way when I’m tired.”
“Would you like a chamomile tea? My cousin adds a little lavender-infused honey, and even though I’m not a tea drinker, I have to say it’s really soothing.”
Amalia stared at me with her mouth open. “That sounds like heaven. Yes. Yes, I would like that. Thank you. Please.”
I laughed again and waved for Bea to make her special tea for Amalia. We chatted a little more until Min sat down with us. Then I really got an earful.
“So the man who made those delicious toffees passed away? Min was telling me about it.” Amelia wrapped her hands around the sides of her warm mug of tea. I was glad she wasn’t hanging on Min. They sat close to each other, but they weren’t all touchy-feely like new couples sometimes were.
“Yeah. It was a heart attack, we heard,” I said.
“That was Marvin Clegg, right?” Amalia asked, squinting her eyes a little.
“Yeah, it was,” I said.
“That’s really bizarre because just a few weeks ago, I’d say maybe two weeks ago, his daughter, Brit Clegg, had come in inquiring about a place for him at the home.”
My heart leapt. “Really. Gosh, that’s weird. Was she nice?”
Amalia took a sip of her tea and rolled her eyes. “Oh my gosh. This is soothing. Holy moly. Yes, she was very nice. But now that you mention it…”
I held my breath and leaned in.
“She was a little vague about some of the questions we routinely ask, and then she had some strange questions for us.” She took another sip. “I remember wondering what kind of daughter asks if female visitors other than her can come to her father’s room and stay overnight?”
“That is weird,” I said. “What else did she say?”
“Well, she asked if there were cameras, and she asked if her father could burn candles and incense in his room.”
“Well, maybe she was just concerned with security, and maybe her dad liked
“I am so glad to meet you,” she said in a clear and kind voice. “Min has told me so much about you that I feel like I’ve known you my whole life.” She pulled back and smiled pleasantly.
“Don’t believe him. He likes to elaborate and lie,” I said, making Amalia laugh. “Please, guys, have a seat. Let me get you something to drink. Coffee, tea, lemonade or a water or…”
“I’d love a tea,” Amalia said. “I just got off work and don’t want anything too strong to keep me up. I’ll need a nap for sure.”
“I’ll get them,” Min offered. “You ladies can talk behind my back for a few minutes.”
I looked awkwardly at Amalia, who didn’t seem to be uncomfortable or nervous at all.
“It must have been a full moon or something last night because several of the residents had me running my tail from the minute I got there to when I checked out this morning.” Amalia rolled her eyes. “First, Mr. Lessing said he heard scratching on the walls. The residents are allowed to have small pets, and Mr. Lucio’s cat got out of his room and was finally cornered in the recreational center after knocking over half a dozen potted plants. Mrs. Toon said there was a person outside digging at the corner of the building. The best one was Mr. Cavanaugh who said he needed a sponge bath because Marilyn Monroe was planning on paying him a visit.”
I smiled, and a little laugh rattled out of my chest.
“If Mr. Cavanaugh had his way, he’d have a sponge bath every hour.”
I felt my heart get a little lighter. “That’s funny.”
“Don’t get me wrong. I love working at the Home. The job can be hard at times, but I love the stories around all the residents. Sometimes, one or two of them just decide they want to cause a little drama. It’s like high school.”
She was charming. I hated to admit it, but I felt a possible friendship tugging at my thoughts. The corners of my mouth would not stay down. I smiled, and it felt good.
“I’m sorry I’m so talky.” She patted my hand quickly. “I get this way when I’m tired.”
“Would you like a chamomile tea? My cousin adds a little lavender-infused honey, and even though I’m not a tea drinker, I have to say it’s really soothing.”
Amalia stared at me with her mouth open. “That sounds like heaven. Yes. Yes, I would like that. Thank you. Please.”
I laughed again and waved for Bea to make her special tea for Amalia. We chatted a little more until Min sat down with us. Then I really got an earful.
“So the man who made those delicious toffees passed away? Min was telling me about it.” Amelia wrapped her hands around the sides of her warm mug of tea. I was glad she wasn’t hanging on Min. They sat close to each other, but they weren’t all touchy-feely like new couples sometimes were.
“Yeah. It was a heart attack, we heard,” I said.
“That was Marvin Clegg, right?” Amalia asked, squinting her eyes a little.
“Yeah, it was,” I said.
“That’s really bizarre because just a few weeks ago, I’d say maybe two weeks ago, his daughter, Brit Clegg, had come in inquiring about a place for him at the home.”
My heart leapt. “Really. Gosh, that’s weird. Was she nice?”
Amalia took a sip of her tea and rolled her eyes. “Oh my gosh. This is soothing. Holy moly. Yes, she was very nice. But now that you mention it…”
I held my breath and leaned in.
“She was a little vague about some of the questions we routinely ask, and then she had some strange questions for us.” She took another sip. “I remember wondering what kind of daughter asks if female visitors other than her can come to her father’s room and stay overnight?”
“That is weird,” I said. “What else did she say?”
“Well, she asked if there were cameras, and she asked if her father could burn candles and incense in his room.”
“Well, maybe she was just concerned with security, and maybe her dad liked
Similar Books
