Ruby walked her inside, afraid to let her go for fear she’d fall, but Melissa felt better just being here.

“I’m going to the bathroom,” Melissa said.

Ruby nodded, then pointed into the living room.

“Why don’t you take the recliner to sit and eat. It will be easy for you to hold a tray in your lap, and you’ll be more comfortable with your feet up,” Ruby said. “I’m going to your kitchen to make you some food.”

Melissa didn’t argue about any of it, and a short while later she was in the recliner, eating a sandwich Ruby made for her from the leftover ham, with a glass of milk on the table beside her.

“Drink some of the milk, sugar,” Ruby said.

Melissa took a few sips, then kept eating, alternating bites with sips of milk until she was too full to eat any more.

Ruby covered her with an afghan she took from the back of the sofa, then carried the tray back to the kitchen. By the time she came back, the pain pills had kicked in, and Melissa was asleep.

“Bless your heart,” Ruby said softly, and then sat down on the sofa, kicked off her shoes, and stretched out. It wasn’t long before her eyes grew heavy and she, too, fell asleep.

* * *

Granny’s Country Kitchen was particularly busy tonight. After the devastation of losing a beloved member of the community, and the rescue of another by a passing stranger, the conversations among the diners were more or less on the same subject.

Since Lovey had played a small part in providing shelter for Melissa and her rescuer, everyone wanted her take on what had happened. So far, she had been reassuring everyone who came in that her roof had escaped fire damage from falling debris, and that no, she didn’t know the stranger and hadn’t even caught his name. She’d been so wrapped up in finding out Melissa Dean had been one of the victims of the crash, and then with the anxiety of hearing the firemen warn her of the fire danger to her roof, the stranger had slipped out of Granny’s and was gone before she knew it.

Nearly everyone knew by now that it was Niles Holland who’d caused the wreck. The horrible irony was that he’d escaped with minor injuries only to be killed shortly thereafter by flying debris. His death brought a third victim into the picture—his grieving wife, Barbara. It was a sobering day in the little town of Blessings.

Then, to everyone’s delight, the hero of the day showed up for supper.

* * *

Lovey was at the front counter when the door opened. As usual, she looked up with a ready smile, recognizing the hero of the day. Then her eyes narrowed thoughtfully, trying to figure out why he looked familiar.

“Welcome back,” she said. “You look a whole lot different without the blood and smudges. Are you okay?”

“Yes, ma’am,” Sully said.