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“No, I… I can’t come in. I’m… busy.”
She’s hiding something. I can tell by the way she’s speaking, all hesitations and not the self-assuredness that always draws me to her.
I pace back and forth in front of the bar’s back door, phone pressed to my ear, trying to keep my frustration in check. "Busy with what, Violet? What’s going on?"
Another pause, then a sigh. I sense a resignation in her voice as she tells me what I sense immediately is the truth. "Something happened with my mom. I’m at Winchester Hospital with her. She had an accident, and I’ll be here until at least tomorrow. They said she might leave then if her vitals all stay strong, but even then...."
My frustration melts away, replaced by concern. "Is she okay?" Is this why Violet rushed out of the bar last night? Has she been stuck at the hospital since then?
"She fell and broke her leg. They’re running more tests because her kidneys aren’t functioning well either. I’m sorry, Jay, but I can’t leave her right now. I don’t want to lose my job, but… this is more important."
Of course she can’t leave her mom right now. Violet’s an only child, and from what I know, they don’t have any other family in the area. This is what she was trying to communicate last night. The overwhelming responsibilities on her shoulders… it’s a lot to carry even without me on her back.
"Don’t worry about work. Take care of your mom. I’ll handle things here." I feel suddenly ashamed for the way I practically accused her of being lazy and useless. Harold is right. I should communicate more clearly and not be so prideful. I can’t get hurt all the time.
"Thank you," she replies, and I can hear the relief in her voice.
As soon as we hang up, I grab my keys and head for the door. "Jerry, can you cover for me for a bit? I need to take care of something." I’m not really waiting for an answer, but Jerry nods anyway. I head out the door.
On the way to the hospital, I stop by a small deli to pick up some sandwiches, fruit, and bottled water. I know hospital food is notoriously bad, and Violet probably hasn’t eaten anything decent all day. I also grab a small bouquet of flowers, thinking they might brighten up her mom’s room. I don’t know anything about her mom, but I hope she’s not too picky about flowers.
When I arrive at Winchester, I navigate the maze of hallways until I find her mother’s room. It takes a while since I only know Violet’s last name and can only hope it’s the same as her mother’s. I knock gently on the door and wait for an answer before entering.
Violet looks up. I watch her eyes widen as she takes me in. "Jay, what are you doing here?"
I hold up the bag that has the sandwiches. "I thought you might need some real food, and maybe a little company."
Her eyes fill with tears, and she stands to hug me. "Thank you. I didn’t expect this. You’re… wow."
I hug her back, then turn to her mother. "Hi, Mrs. Haven. I’m Jay. It’s nice to meet you."
Mrs. Haven gives me a tired smile. "Hello, Jay. Thank you for bringing Violet some food. She’s been fussing over me and hasn’t eaten much herself."
“It’s not just for Violet. It’s for you too,” I say, holding the bag out to Violet’s mother first. Mrs. Haven takes a turkey sandwich and bites into it readily. Clearly, her appetite isn’t suffering.
I watch as Violet and her mom happily dig in. After only a bite or two, Mrs. Haven fixes her eyes back on me. “Now, I don’t remember seeing you before. Can you tell me how you know Vi?”
“He’s my boss at the bar, Mom. And Hannah’s brother.”
“Oh!” Mrs. Haven turns to face her daughter. “The one you had a crush on in high school?”
“Mother!” Violet’s skin flushes as red as her hair.
“Sorry,” Mrs. Haven shrugs, not looking the least bit sorry. “These painkillers are making me honest, I guess.”
I shove my hands in my pockets and look away, trying to fight the grin breaking across my face. Violet had a crush on me back then?
I can feel her mom’s eyes on me. I remember when I wore my hair long like this as a teen, women would look at me and my mom with disapproval. How could she let her boy have long hair like that? But now, I sense only approval in Mrs. Haven’s eyes. “Well, it’s nice to meet you. Not under these circumstances, but it’s nice to meet you all the same.”
We spend some time chatting, and I try to lighten the mood with a few jokes. Mrs. Haven seems to appreciate the distraction, and Violet’s tense shoulders begin to relax a bit. Finally, I’m starting to run out of things to say, and I really should get back to The Rusty Oak. Jerry asked if he could leave by ten, and I need to be back before then.
After saying goodbye to Mrs. Haven, I gesture for Violet to step into the hallway with me. "Let’s give your mom a little rest," I suggest, though that’s not the real reason I want to talk in the hallway. I want to have a private talk, and I don’t want Violet’s mom listening.
Violet nods and follows me out. "Thank you for coming, Jay. You didn’t have to do this. It was… so kind. I didn’t expect it."
"Does that mean you don’t expect me to be kind?” I joke. But the look on Violet’s face says that I may have hit the nail on the head.
“Well, it’s not like we’re anything more than friends with…” She looks around at the nurses hurrying up and down the hall and doesn’t finish what she’s saying.
