Page 10 of Letter for Two
Excitement twisted her stomach around. Her mind raced. No words would fully form on her lips.
“Grab the letter,” Ethan said. “We’re headed to Paradise Valley.”
“What’s in Paradise Valley?”
He set a hand on each of her arms just below the shoulders and looked excitedly into her eyes. “Eleanor.”
“She’s still alive?”
He nodded. “She’s living with her daughter, the one Mrs. Garcia’s daughter found. They’re expecting us tonight.”
“I can’t believe this. We found her in less than a week.”
“Grab the letter,” he repeated. His eyes danced with as much excitement as she felt.
In a matter of minutes, she had the letter, her phone and purse, and was sitting in the passenger seat of Ethan’s car heading north on Central. Would Eleanor be glad to see the letter? What if her memory was gone, and the letter meant nothing to her? What if it brought bad memories or sadness?
Her misgivings must have shown in her face. Ethan reached over and briefly squeezed her hand with his. “Whatever happens with Eleanor,” he said, “at least the letter will finally be delivered to the right person.”
“I’m dying to know what it says,” Sophia confessed. “I’ve been tempted to open it so many times. Do you think she’ll let us read it?”
“I don’t know.” He turned into the drive-through lane at Lenny’s Burger shop. “It’s not a gourmet meal, but—”
“Are you kidding? Lenny’s is the best. Besides, I could really go for a cheeseburger right now.”
“Bacon cheeseburger for me,” Ethan said. “And a chocolate milkshake.”
“So basically you’re going to die of heart disease right here in the car.”
“What a way to go, huh?” he said.
Ethan didn’t let her pay for her meal, insisting he was treating, since he didn’t cook her the dinner he’d promised. Sophia decided to let that mean it was a date. A person could do that,right? Decide something was a date without actually asking the other person?
“My mom would kill me if she knew I was eating in the car,” Ethan said as he turned the car off Central and on to Indian School Road.
“Because it’s unhealthy?” Sophia was digging in to her own meal, so she certainly wasn’t criticizing.
Ethan nodded. “And messy.”
Sophia would have addeddangerousto the list, except Ethan put his burger down whenever he was actually driving, only taking bites at red lights. Either Ethan was a very safe driver, or, as a hospital nurse, he’d seen too many people after car accidents.
“Would you do me a favor?” Ethan asked.
“Sure.” She’d happily do just about anything for him.
“Grab my phone and turn on the GPS. I know basically where we’re headed, but not exactly.”
She picked up his phone from the between-seat console and turned on the screen.
“You seriously need a phone upgrade.” She searched through his apps until she found the GPS.
“Tell me about it. My contract’s up in a couple months, and I’m definitely getting rid of that dinosaur.”
The GPS app already had a Paradise Valley address entered, so she tapped “Navigate.” The phone voice told them to get on the Piestewa Freeway, something Ethan was already doing.
“So, you wanna come with me?” he asked.
Her immediate answer was "yes,” but she traded that out for the less desperate, “Go with you where?”
