the mirror on the door. Not too bad, considering. Maybe Mrs. Nelson would enjoy a visit. Holly pulled the door open and stepped into the wide hallway. Good, no one was around. She double-timed it to the end room, rapped on the door and entered.
The older woman sat upright with the TV remote in her hand. “I hope you’re not here to poke me with another needle.”
Holly chuckled. “No, Mrs. Nelson.” She pulled a chair around to face the television. “I’m off the clock, and thought I’d stop in for a visit. What are we watching?”
Mrs. Nelson narrowed her eyes and studied Holly for a moment. “Haven’t decided.”
Holly lifted her chin and faced the screen. “I know it’s not Thanksgiving yet, but the Hallmark Channel has Christmas movies.”
“I love a good romance.” She changed to the station and turned up the volume. “This is the first time you’ve stopped by for a social call.”
Holly pursed her lips and nodded. She should’ve known Mrs. Nelson would question her actions. “You’ll be leaving us in the morning. Figured it was about time I stopped in for a visit.”
“Mmm-hmm.”
Holly hadn’t fooled her patient. “Truth is, I had some upsetting news, and I don’t want to be alone.” She glanced at the older woman.
Mrs. Nelson’s face softened. “Ah, now that wasn’t so hard, was it? You’re welcome to sit here as long as you’d like. I understand not wanting to be alone with one’s thoughts. The good Lord knows what a rampage my mind can go on when left to wander. Being cooped up in the hospital all week has been mighty tough.” She patted the large black Bible on the bed beside her. “Were it not for this, I’d be cuckoo.”
Holly gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Thanks.” Somehow she knew the woman would understand. She sat back and focused on the TV.
Thirty minutes into the movie, Holly realized hiding out wasn’t the answer. She needed to call Jessica now. Guilt at not returning her mother’s calls nipped at her, but regardless of her harsh words, Holly wanted to be there for her sister even if she was five days late.
“Mrs. Nelson, I need to get going. If I don’t see you before you leave, take care of yourself.”
“You, too, dear. I hope whatever is bothering you works itself out.”
“Thanks. Bye.” Holly stepped into the hall and meandered toward the exit.
“Holly?”
She turned toward the voice and stopped. A soft smile played on her lips.
* * *
Matthew stood near the entrance of the hospital holding his niece in his arms. His heart jumped at the pleasure he’d read on her face when she spotted him. Something about her posture concerned him, though. Trying to play it cool and not show his concern, he sauntered in her direction.
Holly looked past him toward the exit. “What are you doing here?”
He glanced over his shoulder, then back at her after spotting no one. “April had a follow-up visit for her arm. We missed you Monday. I hope you had a restful evening. Ava and I had a blast sledding. Didn’t we?” He tickled his niece’s belly.
She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck, then whispered into his ear, “Down?”
He set her on the floor, but grasped her hand. When he looked back at Holly he saw a shadow of sadness in her eyes. “You okay?”
She shrugged. “I’ve been better.” Her voice caught.
He took a step closer and rested a hand on her forearm. “What’s wrong? I’d like to help.”
She shook her head and opened her mouth, but no sound came out.
He spotted April at the end of the hall. “Don’t leave. I’ll be right back.” He scooped up his niece and strode to his sister. “I’d like to talk with Holly for a bit. Maybe you and Ava could walk over to The Gingerbread House since it’s so close.”
April eyed Holly. “Of course. Take your time. I’d like to do a little shopping, too, if there’s time.”
“I’ll call you when I’m ready. I’m not sure how long I’ll be.”
“No problem.” She
The older woman sat upright with the TV remote in her hand. “I hope you’re not here to poke me with another needle.”
Holly chuckled. “No, Mrs. Nelson.” She pulled a chair around to face the television. “I’m off the clock, and thought I’d stop in for a visit. What are we watching?”
Mrs. Nelson narrowed her eyes and studied Holly for a moment. “Haven’t decided.”
Holly lifted her chin and faced the screen. “I know it’s not Thanksgiving yet, but the Hallmark Channel has Christmas movies.”
“I love a good romance.” She changed to the station and turned up the volume. “This is the first time you’ve stopped by for a social call.”
Holly pursed her lips and nodded. She should’ve known Mrs. Nelson would question her actions. “You’ll be leaving us in the morning. Figured it was about time I stopped in for a visit.”
“Mmm-hmm.”
Holly hadn’t fooled her patient. “Truth is, I had some upsetting news, and I don’t want to be alone.” She glanced at the older woman.
Mrs. Nelson’s face softened. “Ah, now that wasn’t so hard, was it? You’re welcome to sit here as long as you’d like. I understand not wanting to be alone with one’s thoughts. The good Lord knows what a rampage my mind can go on when left to wander. Being cooped up in the hospital all week has been mighty tough.” She patted the large black Bible on the bed beside her. “Were it not for this, I’d be cuckoo.”
Holly gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “Thanks.” Somehow she knew the woman would understand. She sat back and focused on the TV.
Thirty minutes into the movie, Holly realized hiding out wasn’t the answer. She needed to call Jessica now. Guilt at not returning her mother’s calls nipped at her, but regardless of her harsh words, Holly wanted to be there for her sister even if she was five days late.
“Mrs. Nelson, I need to get going. If I don’t see you before you leave, take care of yourself.”
“You, too, dear. I hope whatever is bothering you works itself out.”
“Thanks. Bye.” Holly stepped into the hall and meandered toward the exit.
“Holly?”
She turned toward the voice and stopped. A soft smile played on her lips.
* * *
Matthew stood near the entrance of the hospital holding his niece in his arms. His heart jumped at the pleasure he’d read on her face when she spotted him. Something about her posture concerned him, though. Trying to play it cool and not show his concern, he sauntered in her direction.
Holly looked past him toward the exit. “What are you doing here?”
He glanced over his shoulder, then back at her after spotting no one. “April had a follow-up visit for her arm. We missed you Monday. I hope you had a restful evening. Ava and I had a blast sledding. Didn’t we?” He tickled his niece’s belly.
She giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck, then whispered into his ear, “Down?”
He set her on the floor, but grasped her hand. When he looked back at Holly he saw a shadow of sadness in her eyes. “You okay?”
She shrugged. “I’ve been better.” Her voice caught.
He took a step closer and rested a hand on her forearm. “What’s wrong? I’d like to help.”
She shook her head and opened her mouth, but no sound came out.
He spotted April at the end of the hall. “Don’t leave. I’ll be right back.” He scooped up his niece and strode to his sister. “I’d like to talk with Holly for a bit. Maybe you and Ava could walk over to The Gingerbread House since it’s so close.”
April eyed Holly. “Of course. Take your time. I’d like to do a little shopping, too, if there’s time.”
“I’ll call you when I’m ready. I’m not sure how long I’ll be.”
“No problem.” She
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