Read Online Long Memory by Christa Maurice - Free Book Online Page B

what turned her from good to bad and stop that from happening.
    * * * *
    Beth wandered around Nonie’s kitchen opening cupboards only half-listening to Laura Fuller ramble on about why she couldn’t come over this afternoon. Something about having to pick up someone who was coming in from out of town and after that Beth lost the rest of her words. She could still hear the voice going so she kept saying “yeah” and “really,” but the empty kitchen had her attention. James sat at the table monitoring Nonie’s lunch. He commanded a sliver of her attention, but not much. After lying awake half the night reminding herself that he was only visiting, she had a pretty good fix on his potential as companionship material.
    “Well, I should get going. I want to be there when the plane lands,” Laura said.
    “Of course,” Beth answered. She closed the cupboard and picked up the shopping list she’d made last night.
    “Sorry I can’t help out today, but with John in the hospital and the festival coming, everything has sort of gone crazy.”
    “No, I understand.” Beth opened the refrigerator. Nothing there either. Poor planning. She should have bought a little more last week, but last week she hadn’t known Nonie would have a guest who would eat her out of house and home. “I’ll figure something out. Be careful driving to the bus station.”
    “Airport.”
    “What?”
    “I’m going to the airport.”
    Beth pressed her hand to her forehead. Laura had had less of her attention than she’d thought. “Sorry, I misspoke. Be careful driving to the airport. Bye.” She closed her phone.
    “Something wrong?”
    “I’m supposed to go grocery shopping today.” Beth opened the cereal cupboard. James had just dumped out the last of one box. She picked up the remaining box and shook it. Less than half. Two days if they were lucky.
    “And?”
    She put the box down. “I’m supposed to go grocery shopping, and Laura can’t come sit with Nonie and Jean while I’m gone.”
    “So?”
    “So I can’t go and there’s no food in the house.”
    “Why can’t you go?” James handed Nonie her pills and watched her take them.
    “Because I can’t leave them alone for over an hour while I drive in, do the shopping and come back.”
    He raised an eyebrow at her.
    “I get it, you’re here, but what if there’s an emergency? What if one of them falls or Nonie does something unexpected or Jean has a problem with her sugar?”
    “I suppose I would deal with it.”
    “It takes me over an hour.”
    “You mentioned that.” James picked up Nonie’s cereal bowl and spoon and carried them to the sink. “I think I can handle it.”
    Beth sighed. James had dealt with Nonie and Jean pretty successfully so far. He’d also managed to evade Jean’s probing questions about what took them so long yesterday over her taxes.
    James put his hands on her shoulders. “I can handle two old ladies for an hour or two while you go get groceries.”
    Beth’s shoulders relaxed under the weight of his hands. He had been capable with them over the past couple of days. Nonie didn’t know who he was, but that didn’t seem to bother her. Jean could keep things together on her own, she just needed a reliable pair of eyes. If something really bad did happen, all he had to do was call 911. Everyone at the fire station knew who Nonie and Jean were. They could be here in five minutes. “Are you sure you know the address?”
    James leaned his forehead against hers, familiar and tender. He was not staying in town. He was a visitor. A transient. Someone she didn’t have the spare energy to get involved with. No matter how nice he was. “I know the address.”
    The front door opened. “Hello. Where is everyone?”
    Beth stepped away from James. He quirked an eyebrow at her. “She’s blind,” he said.
    “Not completely.”
    “There you are.” Jean shuffled into the kitchen. “When is Laura coming over? I’m out of crackers.”
    Beth made a