The door opened. Charlie stood there, her face red, her long dark hair twisted in her hand. “I’m not going to give up his number to anybody,” she said. “He’s gone for a reason.”
Mrs. McKenzie sniffed. “It’s not right for a boy to turn his back on his family. Think of poor Hannah.”
I thought Charlie’s head was going to blow to bits, she got so red. “He thinks of her every day. You could stand to think of her a little too.”
Now Mrs. McKenzie was the one with red cheeks. “She’s my perfect little girl,” she said. “She never should have gone out there after her brother. She was innocent in every way.”
“Well, none of the rest of us are,” Charlie said. “Including you.”
Mrs. McKenzie closed her eyes like she was trying to maintain her patience.
Charlie sighed. “I have to get back to work. Go visit her. But don’t skip the hand-washing and the masks today. We have two patients with pneumonia right now.”
“Thank you for your advice, Charlotta,” Mrs. McKenzie said.
Charlie took off down the hall, her black shoes squeaking on the shiny waxed floor.
“Well,” Mrs. McKenzie said. “That girl needs a husband.” She turned to me. “Would you like to meet Chance’s sister?”
I felt lightheaded at the suggestion. Really? She was okay with me?
“Of course,” I said. “I’d love to see her.”
Mrs. McKenzie threaded her arm through mine. “I was once a wayward girl in love,” she said. “I understand these things.”
We continued down the corridor, the same direction as Charlie. Redmond followed behind.
“Chance was a wild young boy,” she said. “In trouble all the time. When his father left, he just went crazy. I had my hands full with baby Hannah. I didn’t look after him like I should have. The very devil got in his soul.”
We paused outside a door decorated with a grapevine wreath in the shape of a heart. Hanging inside it was a hand-painted sign that read “Hannah.” Mrs. McKenzie reached out and straightened it. Then she opened the door.
The room was dark and hushed. Monitors lit up both sides of the bed with a soft glow, emitting a quiet beep beep.
Mrs. McKenzie let go of my arm and headed to the sink. “There’s antibacterial soap here,” she said. She washed her hands and opened a drawer, removing two blue masks. “One for you.”
I followed her lead, washing my hands and tucking the strings on the mask behind my ears.
Redmond stayed back in the doorway.
Mrs. McKenzie moved toward the window. “She needs some sunshine,” she said.
As the curtains shifted, I could make out the girl on the bed. She had a tube taped to her mouth. Her chest rose and fell with the movements of a machine pushing air into her lungs.
Jesus.
Mrs. McKenzie took the girl’s hand between both of her own. “Hello, sweet Hannah. I brought you someone special to meet. This is Jenny, Chance’s girlfriend. She’s from California!”
I glanced back at Redmond. His lips were pursed tight.
“Come on over, Jenny. Don’t be shy,” Mrs. McKenzie said.
I took a couple tentative steps forward.
Hannah looked to be in her teens, thin and frail with wispy mocha-colored hair. Her skin was pale and waxy. She was a pretty girl.
“I can see her resemblance to Chance,” I said.
Mrs. McKenzie beamed. “They always did favor each other. Always sweet too. Chance was a protective big brother. There’s an eight-year gap between them. I struggled to have another after my boy.” Her eyes closed for a moment, her lips moving silently. I realized she was praying.
“Is she going to get better?” I asked, having a feeling I knew the answer based on the timeline and Charlie’s accusations.
“Of course she is,” Mrs. McKenzie said. “The Lord has his own timetable. We just have to be patient.”
Redmond spoke up from the doorframe. “You ready for me to take you back to your hotel, Jenny?” he asked.
“Nonsense,” Mrs. McKenzie said. “Jenny will come to the house. She can stay in Chance’s room. She’ll get a hoot out of his action-figure collection.”
“I wouldn’t want to put you out,” I said.
“I’m so delighted to get to know you,” she said. “You’re such a sweet and pretty girl. I’m glad Chance finally found one worth holding on to.” She reached out to tweak the edge of my sun hat. “Such a lovely dress and hat. A real old-fashioned girl.”
I couldn’t wait for her to spot my pink dreadlocks.
Chapter 37: Chance
I wanted a new path to California this time, so I headed deep south, toward Georgia. What I really needed was a damn airplane. The urgency to get back to LA was intense.
But that was a lot more money than I could get in tips on a typical night. Based on the gig in Portland at that vegan restaurant where I did so well, I knew I had to find the places catering to people with bucks.