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Authors: Amy M Reade
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appearance.
“Brandt and Giselle sometimes come to visit me when Brandt isn’t working,” Alex explained. “He works for the Coast Guard, so his hours can be unpredictable. I never know when he’s going to show up, but he’s always welcome. And Pete just loves Brandt’s boat,” she added. “I’ll bet he’s down at the dock admiring it right now.” Alex looked at Brandt fondly and smiled.
“Would you excuse me, please?” Giselle asked. “I promised I’d stop in to see Aunt Vali and Uncle Leland.”
I was surprised to hear that this woman was related to Vali and Leland but said nothing. She smiled thinly at me as she walked by, then squeezed Brandt’s hand and said, “I’ll meet up with you soon, darling.” She kissed him quickly and disappeared.
Brandt looked at Alex with concern and asked, “So how have you been feeling? I’m sorry I haven’t been able to stop by in several days, but things have been very busy at work.”
“That’s fine, Brandt. You know I always appreciate it anytime you can visit. And I’ve been feeling fine, thank you. Macy has been a big help and we have even started some special exercises so that I can get back to normal.”
Brandt looked at me and chuckled. “It sounds like you’re a good influence on Alex, Macy. It’s not everyone who can get her to stop working and exercise!”
I liked Brandt right away. His was an easy laughter, and he seemed solicitous of Alex. For her part, she clearly had a great affection for him.
After some small talk about local events and the weather, Brandt excused himself, saying that he had to go find Giselle. He promised to return as often as he could and gave Alex a gentle hug as he left.
As he closed the door behind him, Alex said to me, “That Brandt is a dear. You know, he used to be married to my daughter. He was heartbroken when she died.” She sighed. “Giselle is not my favorite person, but Brandt loves her, plus she’s related to Vali and Leland, so I put up with her. She grew up in Cape Cartier, but this was kind of her second home. She was always here visiting Vali and Leland, and she and Diana became very close friends. She’s a morning news anchor for the local TV station. She doesn’t like to have Brandt out of her sight for a moment, but he doesn’t seem to mind. I think she’s too clingy.”
She put her hands on the sofa and rose slowly. “Shall we do those exercises now?” she asked.
We worked on exercises for an hour and then I suggested that she take a rest and a warm shower before lunch. She declined to rest again, as she had yesterday, but she did agree to a shower.
I ate lunch alone in the dining room. Alex had decided to work through lunch with Stephan and Will, so Vali took three trays to Alex’s office.
After lunch, I knocked on Alex’s door to see if she was ready to go for a walk. Stephan and Will were gone so she was by herself working again. She noted that Stephan and Will each had a “satellite office” in their rooms upstairs, and they had gone to confer and make some phone calls up there for a while. As she had done in the morning, she asked whether we could postpone a walk outdoors until later in the afternoon so that she could get some work done. “You know, Macy, I’ve been thinking,” Alex said. “You mentioned that you love to paint, and there are still some of my painting supplies in the turret above your room. How would you like to go up there and have a look around? You’re welcome to use any supplies that you find.”
My eyes must have lit up, because Alex laughed. “Here,” she said, taking a key from one of her desk drawers. “This will unlock the turret door from the balcony. You can’t get up there from inside your room because that door is locked from inside the turret stairway.”
“Why is that?”
“It’s really a very interesting story. Long ago, when many of these large homes were built in the Thousand Islands, their owners had listening and spying posts
“Brandt and Giselle sometimes come to visit me when Brandt isn’t working,” Alex explained. “He works for the Coast Guard, so his hours can be unpredictable. I never know when he’s going to show up, but he’s always welcome. And Pete just loves Brandt’s boat,” she added. “I’ll bet he’s down at the dock admiring it right now.” Alex looked at Brandt fondly and smiled.
“Would you excuse me, please?” Giselle asked. “I promised I’d stop in to see Aunt Vali and Uncle Leland.”
I was surprised to hear that this woman was related to Vali and Leland but said nothing. She smiled thinly at me as she walked by, then squeezed Brandt’s hand and said, “I’ll meet up with you soon, darling.” She kissed him quickly and disappeared.
Brandt looked at Alex with concern and asked, “So how have you been feeling? I’m sorry I haven’t been able to stop by in several days, but things have been very busy at work.”
“That’s fine, Brandt. You know I always appreciate it anytime you can visit. And I’ve been feeling fine, thank you. Macy has been a big help and we have even started some special exercises so that I can get back to normal.”
Brandt looked at me and chuckled. “It sounds like you’re a good influence on Alex, Macy. It’s not everyone who can get her to stop working and exercise!”
I liked Brandt right away. His was an easy laughter, and he seemed solicitous of Alex. For her part, she clearly had a great affection for him.
After some small talk about local events and the weather, Brandt excused himself, saying that he had to go find Giselle. He promised to return as often as he could and gave Alex a gentle hug as he left.
As he closed the door behind him, Alex said to me, “That Brandt is a dear. You know, he used to be married to my daughter. He was heartbroken when she died.” She sighed. “Giselle is not my favorite person, but Brandt loves her, plus she’s related to Vali and Leland, so I put up with her. She grew up in Cape Cartier, but this was kind of her second home. She was always here visiting Vali and Leland, and she and Diana became very close friends. She’s a morning news anchor for the local TV station. She doesn’t like to have Brandt out of her sight for a moment, but he doesn’t seem to mind. I think she’s too clingy.”
She put her hands on the sofa and rose slowly. “Shall we do those exercises now?” she asked.
We worked on exercises for an hour and then I suggested that she take a rest and a warm shower before lunch. She declined to rest again, as she had yesterday, but she did agree to a shower.
I ate lunch alone in the dining room. Alex had decided to work through lunch with Stephan and Will, so Vali took three trays to Alex’s office.
After lunch, I knocked on Alex’s door to see if she was ready to go for a walk. Stephan and Will were gone so she was by herself working again. She noted that Stephan and Will each had a “satellite office” in their rooms upstairs, and they had gone to confer and make some phone calls up there for a while. As she had done in the morning, she asked whether we could postpone a walk outdoors until later in the afternoon so that she could get some work done. “You know, Macy, I’ve been thinking,” Alex said. “You mentioned that you love to paint, and there are still some of my painting supplies in the turret above your room. How would you like to go up there and have a look around? You’re welcome to use any supplies that you find.”
My eyes must have lit up, because Alex laughed. “Here,” she said, taking a key from one of her desk drawers. “This will unlock the turret door from the balcony. You can’t get up there from inside your room because that door is locked from inside the turret stairway.”
“Why is that?”
“It’s really a very interesting story. Long ago, when many of these large homes were built in the Thousand Islands, their owners had listening and spying posts
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