her breathing tube out of her nose, picked up a fork, and poked at her food.
“You're from Woodberry Creek? I have family there,” Michelle said as she fluffed one of the pillows behind Cora's back.
“Oh, really?” Deborah asked weakly, wishing Michelle hadn't overheard their conversation.
“Yup. My three brothers live on the border of Woodberry Creek, close to Augusta.”
Cora bit into a roll. “Augusta? In Georgia?”
Michelle gave her a strange look. “Yes, ma'am. The only Woodberry Creek I know of is in the state of Georgia.”
Deborah shared a knowing look with her mother and finally relaxed her shoulders. “I've lived there for almost five years now. Woodberry Creek is a beautiful town.”
“Next time I go visit, I should look you up,” Michelle answered.
“That would be nice,” Deborah responded and spent the next few minutes asking Michelle about her family, making certain to agree with her about the Woodberry Creek in Georgia she had no desire to visit.
When Michelle finally left, Deborah waited until her mother finished her late lunch. Soon Cora's eyes began to drop.
“I love you, Mommy, so very much,” Deborah whispered against her mother's ear as she placed her head on the pillow next to her.
“And I love you, my favorite daughter,” Cora replied to her only daughter, blinking away tears.
Both mother and daughter stared at each other until the elder woman drifted off to sleep. Deborah wanted to leave something tangible behind that belonged to her but didn't want to take the chance.
After saying her final goodbyes to the sleeping woman who did her best in raising her, she kissed her on the cheek and walked away.
No one called out or stopped the young man wearing a blue baseball cap, T-shirt, and jeans, who called a taxi from the pay phone in the lobby. And when the man got into the taxi, he was forgotten; just like one of the many visitors walking in and out the doors of the retirement home for the dying.
Chapter Eight
Deborah sat outside the station waiting for her train to come. Spending the next seventy-two hours on a train wasn't her idea of fun, but then again, being punched in the face and having your mother's life threatened wasn't either.
Taking out the cell phone from her pocket, she flipped it open and thumbed the keyboard. Taking a deep breath, she punched in the number that had been embedded in her head and held the phone against her ear as it rang.
After the third rang, someone picked up. They didn't speak right away and wouldn't until Deborah did.
“Hello, Gilberto,” she said in greeting.
“Hello. How's the baby doing?”
Deborah released a shaky breath upon hearing Gilberto's voice. “The baby is okay. How's your sister's employer?”
“She's upset and won't leave her bed because she's lost someone very dear to her. Right now she's sleeping from the pills the doctor has given her.”
Deborah fisted her hand on her knee. They had decided to use Teresa as code for Genevieve's name to be safe. From what Gilberto told her, Genevieve had learned of her death.
“And when everything is settled, when will you and Teresa take your vacation?”
“As soon as possible. I take it your vacation will be a safe one?”
“Yes. It looks like it will be.” Deborah wanted to know more about Genevieve, but her time was limited since the train had entered the station and passengers were getting on.
“Be very careful, mi amiga querida ,” Gilberto warned gently.
Deborah closed her eyes. She'd miss Gilberto and Teresa, the only real friends she had for the past few years. “I will, my friend.” Deborah ended the call.
Getting up from the bench, she grabbed her suitcase and as she walked over to the train that would take her far away, she threw the phone into a nearby garbage can.
She walked onto the train toward her sleeping compartment. This was a start of a new life for her, one where she wouldn't jump at shadows or live in fear every time she might have done
“You're from Woodberry Creek? I have family there,” Michelle said as she fluffed one of the pillows behind Cora's back.
“Oh, really?” Deborah asked weakly, wishing Michelle hadn't overheard their conversation.
“Yup. My three brothers live on the border of Woodberry Creek, close to Augusta.”
Cora bit into a roll. “Augusta? In Georgia?”
Michelle gave her a strange look. “Yes, ma'am. The only Woodberry Creek I know of is in the state of Georgia.”
Deborah shared a knowing look with her mother and finally relaxed her shoulders. “I've lived there for almost five years now. Woodberry Creek is a beautiful town.”
“Next time I go visit, I should look you up,” Michelle answered.
“That would be nice,” Deborah responded and spent the next few minutes asking Michelle about her family, making certain to agree with her about the Woodberry Creek in Georgia she had no desire to visit.
When Michelle finally left, Deborah waited until her mother finished her late lunch. Soon Cora's eyes began to drop.
“I love you, Mommy, so very much,” Deborah whispered against her mother's ear as she placed her head on the pillow next to her.
“And I love you, my favorite daughter,” Cora replied to her only daughter, blinking away tears.
Both mother and daughter stared at each other until the elder woman drifted off to sleep. Deborah wanted to leave something tangible behind that belonged to her but didn't want to take the chance.
After saying her final goodbyes to the sleeping woman who did her best in raising her, she kissed her on the cheek and walked away.
No one called out or stopped the young man wearing a blue baseball cap, T-shirt, and jeans, who called a taxi from the pay phone in the lobby. And when the man got into the taxi, he was forgotten; just like one of the many visitors walking in and out the doors of the retirement home for the dying.
Chapter Eight
Deborah sat outside the station waiting for her train to come. Spending the next seventy-two hours on a train wasn't her idea of fun, but then again, being punched in the face and having your mother's life threatened wasn't either.
Taking out the cell phone from her pocket, she flipped it open and thumbed the keyboard. Taking a deep breath, she punched in the number that had been embedded in her head and held the phone against her ear as it rang.
After the third rang, someone picked up. They didn't speak right away and wouldn't until Deborah did.
“Hello, Gilberto,” she said in greeting.
“Hello. How's the baby doing?”
Deborah released a shaky breath upon hearing Gilberto's voice. “The baby is okay. How's your sister's employer?”
“She's upset and won't leave her bed because she's lost someone very dear to her. Right now she's sleeping from the pills the doctor has given her.”
Deborah fisted her hand on her knee. They had decided to use Teresa as code for Genevieve's name to be safe. From what Gilberto told her, Genevieve had learned of her death.
“And when everything is settled, when will you and Teresa take your vacation?”
“As soon as possible. I take it your vacation will be a safe one?”
“Yes. It looks like it will be.” Deborah wanted to know more about Genevieve, but her time was limited since the train had entered the station and passengers were getting on.
“Be very careful, mi amiga querida ,” Gilberto warned gently.
Deborah closed her eyes. She'd miss Gilberto and Teresa, the only real friends she had for the past few years. “I will, my friend.” Deborah ended the call.
Getting up from the bench, she grabbed her suitcase and as she walked over to the train that would take her far away, she threw the phone into a nearby garbage can.
She walked onto the train toward her sleeping compartment. This was a start of a new life for her, one where she wouldn't jump at shadows or live in fear every time she might have done
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