Free Blame It On The Mistletoe - A Novel of Bright's Pond by Joyce Magnin Page B

this."
    "Dabs? Really? I suppose. But do you really think he should be coming here with . . . with all the other stuff going on?"
    Agnes smiled. That was indeed her plan.
    "Sure," she said. "Maybe he can learn a few things about the others. The situation is getting worse. Just this morning Nurse Sally told me she found—"
    The sound of a bike bell interrupted her.
    "There goes Haddie," I said. "I see she's back to her rounds."
    "Yep. I hope Doc Silver gets to the bottom of it, but like I was beginning to say, this morning Nurse Sally found two more residents chasing each other down the hall and three others in the break room listening to that music the kids listen to. She said they were dancing the hootchy-kootchy or something she called disco. Matter of fact, one them requested Greenbrier install something called a disco ball."
    I laughed. "No kidding. That's pretty funny, Agnes. This whole place is going crazy."
    "But what's the cause?" Agnes said.
    I glanced out the window at the gorgeous fall colors. Faith and Clive were in the gazebo smooching. "Look at those two. I think what they have is the real thing and not some druginduced or hypnotic state. They love each other."
    "Maybe Clive and Faith are not related to what else is going on around here."
    "Agnes, can I tell you something?" I was going to tell her about Charlotte researching the Fountain of Youth and all but it could wait, especially just after the previous episode of the Greenbrier Soap Opera.
    "Sure, you know you can."
    "It's about Cliff Cardwell."
    Agnes slapped her knee. "I was wondering when you were gonna get around to this. It's about time you faced the truth."
    "He makes my stomach wobble whenever I see him. I think about him almost constantly—well, him and Matilda and—"
    "Oh, Griselda, my dear sister. I think you have fallen in love with Cliff Cardwell and you don't even know it."

7
     
     
    For the third time that week my knees turned to mush. Me? In love with Cliff Cardwell?
    "No, I don't think so. How can I be? I love Zeb."
    "Uh-huh," Agnes straightened her heavy knee, and I heard a loud pop.
    "What was that?"
    "Oh, it's been doing that sometimes. Doc says it's nothing to worry about. My bones are creaky, that's all."
    "Maybe I should take you for a walk around the nursing home. I can push a little while."
    "Oh, no, you don't. You can't weasel out of this conversation. I want to hear more about you and Cliff."
    I sat on Agnes's bed. "There's nothing to tell, really, except, oh, Agnes we went flying again and this time I flew over the mountain. The same mountain I've been looking at from our kitchen window all these years. It was spectacular. I've never seen anything like it. God's gorgeous creation from on high. It's . . . it's different and wonderful and . . . better. The world is better from way up there."
    "Is it creation or Cliff?" Agnes said. "You sure Cliff isn't making you feel so wonderful?"
    I couldn't answer her, not then, not directly. "And I told him to schedule my pilot's license test. That's all. That's all that happened."
    "You're avoiding my question. Then how come you feel the way you do?"
    I shook my head. "I'm not sure. I mean that. I'm really confused."
    A nurse carried Agnes's supper tray into the room. "One of these days, Agnes," she said, "you're gonna need to start going down to the day room with everyone else. Can't be eatin' every single meal alone."
    "I'm not alone," Agnes said. "My sister's here."
    "But not for every meal."
    The nurse set her food out and opened some containers.
    "Go on, eat," I said. "I think I might be getting back to town."
    "Not so fast. Tell me more."
    "There is no more. I just wish sometimes that Cliff never landed in Bright's Pond. Maybe all this would be easier."
    Agnes cut into her hamburger patty. "Maybe you need to go out with him once or twice. You know. Just to see. Otherwise you might spend the rest of your life wondering."
    "That would be awful. But what about Zeb?"
    "You're broken up