in front of her.
“She probably won’t remember you.” Myrna patted Laura’s arm. “I guess you know that.”
Laura nodded, tears filling her eyes as she stared at a woman she remembered from childhood, a woman who had been from Dawson but lived in Tulsa at the time. They would visit on weekends and Aunt Sally would make cookies and show Laura how to crochet granny squares out of multicolored yarn.
She approached her aunt, taking the empty seat next to her. Myrna stood behind Sally, a hand on her shoulder. Sally looked up at Myrna smiling and then offered Laura a vacant smile.
“Hi, Aunt Sally. I’ve come to visit you. I know it’s been a long time.”
“I can’t talk long. I have to go to work.” Aunt Sally held a puzzle piece in her hand.
“That piece goes here.” Laura showed her the spot.
Aunt Sally shook her head. “I don’t see it.”
“Here.” Laura pointed.
Aunt Sally placed the piece in the spot in the puzzle and looked up at Laura. “Are you taking me home? They have my car and they won’t give it to me.”
“No, I’m sorry, I can’t take you home. I’m your niece, Laura White.”
“I thought you were Abby. She married my nephew. You look like her.”
“I’m Abby’s daughter, Laura.”
“I haven’t seen her in years.” Sally picked up another puzzle piece. “I remember them.”
“I’m glad you do, Aunt Sally.”
“So when are we leaving? I want to get out of here. They steal my clothes. Sometimes they put me in a dark closet and leave me there for days.”
“We can’t leave right now.” Laura helped her aunt place another piece down. “But I’m going to live close by so I can see you more often.”
Aunt Sally looked around. “Live here? Do they have apartments for rent?”
“No, I have a job in town. I’m going to live in a house nearby.”
“I’ll have to pack my bags.”
A nurse walked in, smiling at Laura as she rounded up the women who were still working on the puzzle. “Time for snacks, ladies.”
“Will you have a snack with me?” Aunt Sally reached for her hand.
“I would, but I have to go now. But I’ll be back soon. I love you, Aunt Sally.” She kissed her aunt’s cheek. “And I’m sorry it took me so long to get here.”
“They do like punctual workers.”
“I know. I’ll be on time from now on.”
Aunt Sally stood, wobbling a little as she reached for a walker. “See that you are. And make sure you feed the cat.”
Her aunt left with the other women. After a few minutes Laura got up and left the room. She had no idea where Myrna had gone. Rather than wait in the empty activity room, Laura walked down the hall. She passed a room where someone cried out, the words unintelligible. A familiar voice with a comforting tone and comforting words followed the cry.
Laura turned back to the room and peeked in. Myrna sat on the edge of a bed, holding the hand of the woman in the bed. Laura started to walk away, but Myrna saw her.
“You can come in.”
Laura stepped into the dimly lit room, very aware of every scent, the heaviness of the air, the shades pulled over the window. Myrna stood, but she still held the hand of the woman in the bed.
“This is Gayla.”
Gayla didn’t move but she smiled just a little. Laura couldn’t guess her age. Maybe twenty. Maybe thirty. Her blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail, her body curled in the fetal position.
“Hello, Gayla.” Laura touched the hand that curled in. “I’m Laura.”
Myrna smiled and leaned to brush back the blond hair of the woman in the bed. “We have to leave, but Jesse will be here tomorrow.”
Gayla no longer smiled. Her eyes watered with unshed tears.
Myrna shook her head and reached for Laura’s arm. They walked out of the room together. Questions formed but Laura didn’t want to ask. Who was Gayla? Family? A friend? Someone special to the Coopers?
Or to Jesse?
“She’s a local girl.” Myrna led Laura down the hall. “She’s been here for years. Her mother had to move to Tulsa and there’s no other family. We visit her when we can.”
“What happened to her?”
“Car accident.” Myrna pushed a code into the front door. It buzzed and she pushed it open. Laura followed her through the door.
“That’s terrible.”
Myrna stopped on the sidewalk. Her light hazel eyes caught and held Laura’s. “It’s a tragedy that has touched several lives.”
Laura didn’t know what to take from that. Didn’t know what Myrna wanted to tell her. Rather than asking the questions, she got in the car and Myrna cranked the engine to life.
Their first stop after the nursing home was the garage where Laura’s car had been towed. The mechanic walked over to Myrna’s car and leaned in the driver’s-side window.
“It doesn’t look good, Myrna.” He wiped his face with a rag and slipped it back in his pocket.
Myrna shook her head. “Will, I thought you said you could fix anything.”
“I usually can, but sometimes fixing is more expensive than the car is worth.” He offered Laura an apologetic smile. “Sorry, ma’am.”
“Well, then, you see what you can find to replace it.”
Laura put a hand on Myrna’s arm. “No, Myrna, it’s okay. I can save up money and buy something pretty cheap.”
“Nonsense. Will, you see what you can find. Something decent and dependable, not a lot of miles.”
He saluted and backed away from the car. “You’re the boss, Myrna.”
“Don’t you forget it.” Myrna shifted into Reverse and backed out of the parking lot. “How about coffee and pie at the Mad Cow? It’s Wednesday. Vera has coconut cream on Wednesday.”
“That sounds good, but I should probably get back to work.”
“Nonsense. Jesse already said he wants you to take it easy for a few days. You need to listen to him.”
A few minutes later they pulled into the black-and-white-painted building with Mad Cow Café painted on the front in red letters. Laura hadn’t been in the restaurant but had eaten the meals that Jesse had had delivered.
“Here we are.” Myrna parked the car in an empty space at the side of the building. “You coming in?”
Laura nodded and unbuckled her seat belt. “Of course.”
Cowbells clanged to announce their arrival as they walked through the door of the restaurant. Although it was well past lunchtime, there were several full tables. A group of ladies took up the long center table. Two tables were taken by older men.
“Men gossip more than women ever thought of,” Myrna announced as she walked past the group of men. She touched the shoulder of one man and he smiled up at her. Myrna took off his ball cap and hung it on the back of his chair. “Take your hat off when you’re inside.”
“It’s the Mad Cow, Myrna,” he grumbled as he ran a big hand through thinning gray hair. “I tell you, women are a lot of trouble. Who’s your friend? Is she as ornery as you?”
“Of