A Perfect Stranger by Danielle Steel

into his bed, staring across the room at the fire already burning behind the grate. She advanced toward him slowly, and he seemed not to hear her, until at last she sat down in a chair next to his bed and took his hand.
    “John Henry ….” After her fourteen years in San Francisco her accent was still evident when she said his name, but her English was perfect now, and had been for many years. “John Henry ….” He turned his eyes slowly toward her without moving his head, and then slowly he moved himself so that he could look ather, and the lined, tired face contorted into a half-smile.
    “Hello little one.” His speech was slurred but she could understand him and the agony of the smile now rendered crooked since the stroke always tore at her heart. “You look very pretty.” And then after another pause, “My mother had a hat like that a long time ago.”
    “I think on me it is very silly, but …” She shrugged suddenly looking very French as she smiled a hesitant little smile. But it was her mouth that smiled now. Her eyes seldom did. And his never did anymore, except on rare occasions when he looked at her.
    “You’re going today?” He looked worried, and again she wondered if she should cancel her trip.
    “Yes. But darling do you want me to stay?”
    He shook his head and smiled again. “No. Never. I wish you would go away more often. It does you good. You’re meeting …” He looked vague for a moment searching his memory for something obviously no longer there.
    “My mother, my aunt, and two of my cousins.”
    He nodded and closed his eyes. “Then I know you’ll be safe.”
    “I’m always safe.” He nodded again, as though he were very tired, and she stood up, bent to kiss his cheek and then ever so gently let go of his hand. She though for a moment that he was going to fall asleep, but suddenly he opened his eyes as she stood staring down at his face.
    “Be careful, Raphaella.”
    “I promise. And I’ll call you.”
    “You don’t have to. Why don’t you forget about all this and have some fun.” With whom? Her mother?Her aunt? A sigh fought its way through her, but she didn’t let it escape.
    “I’ll be back very soon, and everyone here knows where I’ll be if you need me.”
    “I don’t need you ….” He grinned for a moment. “Not like that. Not enough to spoil your fun.”
    “You never have.” She whispered the words to him and bent to kiss him again. “I’ll miss you.”
    This time he shook his head and turned away from her. “Don’t.”
    “Darling ….” She had to leave him to go to the airport but somehow she didn’t feel right leaving him like this. She never did. Was it right to leave him? Should she stay?
    “John Henry ….” She touched his hand and he turned to face her again. “I must go now.”
    “It’s all right, little one. It’s all right.” The look in his eyes absolved her, and this time he took her firm young hand in his gnarled, worn fingers that had once seemed so gentle and so young. “Have a good trip.” He tried to fill the words with every ounce of meaning he could give them, and he shook his head when he saw her eyes fill with tears. He knew what she was thinking.
    “Just go, I’ll be fine.”
    “You promise?” Her eyes were bright with tears, and his smile was very gentle as he kissed her hand.
    “I promise. Now be a good girl and go, and have a good time. Promise me you’ll buy yourself something outrageous and absolutely beautiful in New York.”
    “Like what?”
    “A fur coat or a wonderful piece of jewelry.” He looked wistful for a moment. “Something you wouldhave liked me to buy you.” And then he looked into her eyes and smiled.
    She shook her head as the tears rolled down her cheeks. It only made her look more beautiful, and the little black veil added further mystery to her eyes. “I’m never as generous as you are, John Henry.”
    “Then try harder.” He tried to bellow it at her, and this time they both