Page 44 of Honey Bee Library
A defeated expression passed over Cole’s face as he nodded. “You’re right, I’m Leonard,” he whispered.
Jasper started wiggling next to me, so I slipped my phone out of my purse and put on a cartoon for him to watch. He snatched my phone from my hand and hurried over to the armchair in the corner. With him now preoccupied, I moved to lean against the wall while Cole talked to his grandmother.
She was muttering and struggling to keep her thoughts together. I could tell that she knew she loved the man who was sitting on the edge of the bed, but she was struggling to remember what kind of love that was.
Cole was amazing with her. He didn’t try to keep her on topic, he allowed the conversation to ebb and flow as she spoke. No wonder Cole was so good with Jasper. He had experience so close to home.
I straightened and shifted my weight, and that movement seemed to garner his grandmother’s attention. Her gaze slipped from Cole to me, and a light of recognition passed through her gaze.
“Bethany?” she whispered, emotions permeating her words.
I blinked, not sure what to do. I pushed off the wall and looked at Cole, who was now watching me.
“That’s not Bethany, Gran. That’s my…friend. Willow.”
Georgianna’s eyes were wide as she glanced over at Cole. I could see her attempt to process what he’d just said. “That’s Bethany,” she repeated as she lifted her small, frail hand to point at me.
“That’s Willow, my friend.”
Not wanting to upset his grandmother, I crossed the space between us, and wrapped her hand between mine. From the few interactions I’d had with Harold’s grandmother, I knew it was best to just go along with them instead of trying to correct.
“Hi, Georgianna,” I said, keeping my voice low and smooth. “It’s been so long.” I offered her a soft smile.
Her gaze was trained on me as I waited for her to respond. Then, slowly, her panicked expression softened as she sunk back into her pillows. “Why haven’t you come to see me?” A tear escaped her eye and rolled down her cheek.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered. I didn’t know who Bethany was, but she wasn’t a good person if she was abandoning Georgianna like that. “I’m here now,” I said.
She studied me, her hand squeezing mine every few seconds.
“How’s my grandson?” she asked as she stared straight ahead.
“Cole?” Was that who she was talking about?
“Cole,” she whispered.
I glanced over my shoulder to see that Cole had his hands shoved into the front pockets of his pants. His jaw was tight and his eyebrows were drawn together as he stared at his grandmother. She didn’t know who he was. My heart ached for him.
“Cole is good,” I said, turning my gaze back to her. “He loves you and wishes he could be here.” I squeezed her hand.
She closed her eyes. “He’s such a good boy. I miss him so much.”
I glanced back at Cole once more, knowing that the next few words were probably the truest words I had spoken to date. “He misses you, too.”
Georgianna didn’t open her eyes again. After a few minutes of just sitting there in silence, her heavy breaths filled the air and I knew she was done for now. I slowly slipped my hand out of hers and stood, not sure what to say or where to look.
Cole was staring at his grandmother as I approached him. I wanted to show my support but wasn’t sure how, so I settled on resting my fingers on his forearm.
“It’s probably best if we leave her to sleep,” I whispered.
Cole snapped his gaze over to me. It took a moment for him to register that I’d spoken.
“We should probably let her sleep,” I repeated now that I had his full attention.
“Okay,” he whispered.
I dropped my hand and walked over to Jasper. He started to complain, but I told him he could keep watching if he stayed quiet, and that seemed acceptable enough. He twisted his body so his feet could drop to the floor and then stood and made his way out to the hall.
As I passed by Cole, who was still standing at the foot of his grandmother’s bed, he grabbed my hand in his. His long fingers wrapped around mine and he squeezed.
