“Go away.”

“Sorry. I’m here and you are going to sit up and drink the juice or the water or both.”

“Now you sound like MJ.” Ginny rolled on to her back.

Roxie grabbed the pillow off the other bed and stuffed it behind her friend. “There. Now, here.” She held out the glass.

“In answer to your question, I opened and closed the chicken house door, I fed the pony and donkey, and the dog and the cat.”

“Did you pick the eggs?”

“No, I—I can’t go—” She shook her head and gave in to the tears.

“I wouldn’t be able to either.” Roxie reached for her and Ginny leaned into her arms to sob against her shoulder. Roxie let her cry it out, her own tears running down her face. As the sobs and shaking abated, Roxie mopped her eyes. “So much for waterproof makeup.”

Ginny sat back against the pillows. “You look beautiful even with raccoon eyes.”

“Thanks.” Roxie handed the glass of juice back. “Ginny, my love, you have to drink or you’ll be in the hospital with dehydration, all loony, and need an IV, at least. We really can’t let that happen. Crying can dehydrate you, you know.”

“I do not want to go to the hospital.”

“I know. So drink. I started the coffeepot. Would you like a cup of coffee?”

“Maybe later.”

“Fine, now, how long since you had anything to eat?”

“I don’t know.”

“We probably need to go through your refrigerator and decide what food is still good. But in the meantime, how about I fix you eggs and toast?”

“I—I can’t.”

“Okay, do you have any applesauce?”

“In the pantry.”

“Good. I will make you toast and a dish of applesauce; both are easy on the stomach. Now, while I am doing that, how about you coming upstairs to eat with me?”

“What will you have?”

“Something. I’ll see what is up there.”

Ginny heaved a sigh. “All right.”

As Roxie climbed the stairs, she kept a hand on Spook’s head as he followed her up. Thank you, Lord. A step in the right direction—I hope.

Chapter Eleven

Nate is going to deliver the rug tonight,” Roxie announced on the phone.

“So?” was Loren’s response.

Roxie glared at her phone. “So, I thought perhaps we could invite him to stay for a cup of coffee, or iced tea.” You know, so we, meaning you, could get to know him better. Her daughter could be so obtuse.

“If you want. Perhaps you should ask him to move the furniture too.”

“Oh, good idea.”

“Mother, I was being sarcastic.”

Roxie smiled to herself. She knew that. “Oh. Look, he offered.”

“Sorry. I’ll see you shortly after five. Just working on another design.”

“Okay. I’m on my way home from Ginny’s.”

“How is she?”

“Tell you when I see you. Oh, and the house I looked at, it’s a go. They have some work to do but nothing major, that we know of. They’ve not had an inspection yet.”