Free Chance of a Lifetime by Jodi Thomas

straightened her white blouse and wrapped her own silk scarf around Paulette’s neck to add a touch of class.
    “Thank you, dear,” Paulette said. “You’re very kind. My son brought a few clothes, but I’m afraid he’s never heard of the word ‘accessory.’”
    They circled the grounds twice talking mostly of what should be done with the flower beds this time of year and how gray the day seemed. When they came back inside,Emily noticed a nice sitting area off the main entrance and asked if they could take tea in the empty room.
    One of the staff nodded. “I think Mrs. Parker might like that. I’ll fix it up for you.”
    By the time they were settled into the colorful room, tea on a tray was delivered. The cups and saucers might have been thick and white, but a colorful napkin covered the brown cafeteria tray. They had hot water in silver cream pitchers and several tea bags along with little cookies that resembled fat goldfish.
    Emily couldn’t stop smiling. From the time she’d been three or four, Mrs. Parker had kept a tea set just for her in the Parkers’ formal living room. While her mother and Paulette talked, Emily would have tea with her dolls. When she’d finished, she’d run off searching through the house for Tannon. He’d always offer to play a game with her or watch TV, but he never joined her for tea and it never occurred to her to ask why.
    “This is lovely,” Paulette said as she puffed up her scarf. “The tea and the visit are also lovely, dear. I hope you’ll come again.”
    “I’m always off on Monday afternoons. We could make it a regular date until you go home.”
    “That would be perfect. I’ll have Tannon pick up proper tea cookies. These will never do, but I don’t want to hurt the staff’s feelings. They try so hard to make me happy, you know.”
    Rain tapping on the window reminded Emily that it was getting late. “I’ll see you to your room before I go. I’d better be getting home.”
    The storm had gotten worse by the time Paulette settled back in her bed. She looked frightened when thunder rattled the windows. “I’ve always hated storms since the wreck. It was raining that night your parents died, you know. I remember looking up front and seeing that truck coming at us out of the storm like a devil running from hell straight toward us.”
    Emily sat on the side of the bed and held Paulette’s hand. Paulette’s big eyes were almost childlike in the growing shadows as she told Emily of that night. She spoke of how happy the four of them had been to be traveling together and how they’d laughed and talked all at once.
    “Are you all right, Mrs. Parker?” Emily whispered when Paulette finally fell silent.
    “Stay with me a little longer, will you, dear? Just till the storm passes.”
    “Of course.” Emily wasn’t sure if she was truly needed or just being manipulated. She remembered how Paulette always seemed to get her way. Once, her mother had said that if the end of the world came and Paulette Parker wasn’t ready, the Lord would just have to postpone his plans.
    Staff brought dinner, but Paulette didn’t eat more than a few bites. She took her pills without much protest and begged Emily to hold her hand until she fell asleep.
    Since it was already dark outside, Emily didn’t see that it mattered much. Though Emily liked to be in her apartment by dusk, this was an exception.
    After a few minutes, Paulette fell asleep. Emily tucked her in as if she were a child and tiptoed out of the room.
    Halfway down the hallway, she saw Tannon Parker storming toward her. In his rain slicker and boots, he looked like a giant.
    “What are you doing here?” he snapped when he was five feet away. “What’s wrong?”
    “Nothing.” She felt as if she’d been caught doing something wrong. She circled past Tannon and headed for the door.
    But he caught up to her. “How is she?” he asked more calmly.
    “She’s fine. She’s asleep.”
    He kept walking beside her