“I was not. I been the picture of a sweet little southern lady all day.” Nettie’s eyes twinkled.
“That true, Andy?” Emily asked.
“I plead the Fifth.” Andy smiled.
“So who’s going to make the tarts?” Nettie changed the subject.
“Neither of us. With only two of us to run the diner, we don’t have time. And besides, making them is too scary. What if they aren’t as good as what you make? We could lose customers.” Emily sat down on the edge of the bed and took Nettie’s hand in hers.
“So we’re going to make strawberry cupcakes instead,” Jancy said. “We found this amazing recipe online. We can use frozen strawberries and make a simple cream cheese frosting. It won’t be your famous tarts, but it will keep the strawberry theme going until you can get home.”
Emily shot a sly wink toward her mother. “When you feel up to it, you can make the tarts again. I bet the folks in Pick will line up all the way to Leonard’s place to get one after they’ve had to do without for a few days.”
Nettie shook her head slowly. “Never miss the water till the well runs dry. They’ll have to make do with the cupcakes until I get home. It won’t be but a week at the most. You’ll tell them all, especially Woody, that I’m real sorry, won’t you?”
“We will,” Jancy said. “He took his two home with him just today.”
“I should be going now,” Andy said. “Walk me to the elevator, Vicky?”
“No hanky-panky or I’ll get jealous.” Nettie grinned.
The heart attack had definitely affected Nettie’s ability to keep her mouth shut. She might as well put up a neon sign saying that Vicky was in bad need of a boyfriend, which she definitely was not. She had to straighten out her daughter about going to college for the final year. She did not have time for romance.
“Sorry about that,” Vicky said when they were in the hallway.
“She’s a hoot. I wish my dad had some of that humor. I wanted to make sure you have my number in your phone before I leave. If you need anything, no matter whether it’s the middle of the night or early morning, call me.” He took her phone from her hand and programmed his number into it.
“Thank you, but . . .”
“Friendship has no buts,” he said as he pushed the “Down” button. “I’ll check on you tomorrow afternoon.”
“I’ll look forward to it,” Vicky said.
The doors slid open, and he stepped inside. “Good night, and if you can’t sleep, call me.”
After the doors closed, she backed up against the wall and sat down on the floor, pulled her knees up against her chest, and wrapped her arms around them. The last couple of days had been totally surreal. First Emily saying she wasn’t going back to college and then this thing with Nettie. And finally the past three hours with Andy.
“Mama?” Emily whispered.
At first she thought she had imagined her daughter’s voice, but then she felt a presence next to her, and Emily tucked her hand into hers. “Are you all right?” Emily’s face had gone pale. “Do you know something that we don’t?”
“No, I’ve been honest with you,” Vicky said. “And I’m all right. A little tired and still worried about her, but I’m fine. Once the pacemaker is in place, I’ll feel much better.”
“I know what you are thinkin’,” Emily said. “Folks say if they have a second heart attack it’s pretty often fatal. But Nettie is strong, and she’s in the hospital, not at home.”
“Exactly. But that is why I’m still stayin’ with her. If she so much as groans, I’ll be there,” Vicky said.
“Want me to stay as your support system? You and I are hers,” Emily said.
“No, you and Jancy need to go home by bedtime and get some sleep. You are helping by keeping the diner open. Did you even get the recipe out for the tarts?”
“Busted!” Emily put her wrists together as if she was about to get cuffed. “Woody said that folks need to be needed and if we started making tarts Nettie would lose some of that. That got me to thinkin’ about Jancy. She hasn’t ever felt like folks needed her, but we do. How do we get that across to her?”
“By being there for her like she is for us right now.” Vicky stood up and pulled Emily up with her. “We’d better get back in there. She’s probably trying to talk Ryder and Shane into helping her escape.”
Emily slung an arm around Vicky’s shoulders. “I feel so much better since I’ve seen her and talked to you. You see why I have to be at home, Mama? What if this had happened during the school year?”