Mercy & Mayhem: A Mercy Mares Cozy Mystery by Ava Mallory Read Free Book Online Page B

events, didn't allow for a full tour of the facility, so I took the opportunity to become familiar with the area and learn my way around.
     
    "Thank you." Betty said, tears in her eyes. "You really are a sweet woman." She squeezed my arm. "You wouldn't believe this, but I used to be chubby too."
     
    I gasped. Did she just call me fat?
     
    She continued on. "When I was expecting each  of my boys, I must have put on thirty pounds or more. Oh, sometimes, it was so hard to move with all that weight on me and, then, when I had another son, I would have to carry him and tend to him, while I was expecting. You know, back then, there was no nap time really. We had the farm and household chores and the boys and Rowdy's mother lived with us for a spell. Oh, that woman. Even after that, we ended up with a bigger brood to care for."
     
    I was happy to hear her talk about the good times, even if it was to show me what it was like for her when she weighed twenty five pounds less than me. It never ceased to amaze me. They say, out of the mouths of babes, but I'll tell you what, seniors are pretty darn honest too. They just tell it like it is.
     
    We found a seating area. Betty walked right in and found a pair of chairs for us to sit in and she kept talking like we were old girlfriends.
     
    I let her talk. I got the feeling that's all she wanted to do. I didn't make mention of what had gotten her so upset and just let her dictate the conversation.
     
    After learning that she and Rowdy had three boys and that he'd inherited a large plot of land from his family, she told me all about what their lives together were like. That's what she needed to do. She needed to have someone sit and listen to her talk about Rowdy. It broke my heart that she had to get that from me, a virtual stranger.
     
    Finally, after several minutes of her telling me all that she could, she said, "Rowdy's dead."
     
    My heart welled with pain for her. Death was hard. I waited for her to continue, but she didn't instead she put her head down and looked at her hands. On her ring finger sat a simple gold band and an antique diamond. Nothing fancy. It wasn't a large stone, just big enough to see if you were seated close.
     
    Her shoulders started to shake, right before I saw a tear hit her hand,. I grabbed her and held her and let her cry on my shoulder. That's what she needed. I felt so sorry for her. I didn't know what to say, so I said nothing and let her cry. She needed it.
     
    Within a few minutes, I heard heavy footsteps rushing down the hall toward us. I didn't move until Betty was ready for me to move. Then, Kathy's loud voice, caused both of us to jump.
     
    "What is going on here? We need to get her back on the unit. Her family will be here." Then, she looked at Betty, probably to scold her, but stopped herself, when she noticed the tear stained face.
     
    I wanted to say something to her about her rude approach, but I bit my tongue, not anxious to get into another heated debate about my place in this facility and who was in charge.
     
    Kathy took a deep breath and changed her tone, "What's wrong, honey?"
     
    I cleared my throat. Kathy gave a sideways glance.
     
    Betty didn't answer her. She addressed me. "Can you take me home now?"
     
    I paused to see, unsure of whether or not she was oriented to now or another time, another place, then, she rephrased it.
     
    "Can you take me back to my room, Mercy?"
     
    I nodded. "Yes, I'd be delighted." I lifted her suitcase in one hand and took her hand with the other and we walked back to the unit. Slowly, but that was okay. If that's what Betty needed, then, that's what I was going to do for her. It was the least I could do.
     
    Kathy on the other hand was in a heated rush to get back to the unit and she rudely rushed right passed us, huffing and puffing and left us in the hallway.
     
    *
                  "Here's how today is going to work." Kathy started as soon as I got Betty settled in and went