“Hobie?”

“Hello, Steve. Good to see you.”

“Uh, yes...same here. Are you a member of the family?” “No, I’m here with...” Hobie paused. There was that same

predicament again. Who was Baylor Warren to Hobie? “I’m with my...friend,” she said at last.

If Hobie’s words made any impact on BJ, she gave no indication. “That would be me.” BJ felt like waving her fingers in front of the man’s face. “How is my grandmother and what the hell happened to her?”

“The short version is that she developed pneumonia,” Dr. Trenton said. “Mycoplasma pneumonia, to be specific.”

“But I just saw her yesterday. She was fine.”

“That’s the thing with old folks. They’re so used to being stoic and ignoring aches and pains that when you need them to tell you what’s going on, they don’t.”

“I still don’t see how—”

“Pneumonia can creep up on older patients quickly, especially hospitalized patients,” he said. “The staff first thought infection, which is common. Post-op patients like Mrs. Warren receive spirometry care to combat the effects of being prone for long periods of time, but sometimes there’s nothing you can do to stop it.”

“What are you doing for her now?”

“She’s on intravenous medication, and we’re working to keep her fever down. We’ve gotten her back to a more normal temp. She should do just fine from here on in, but I think we may want to rethink her leaving the hospital. There are a great many things that can go wrong with elderly patients. I doubt Medicare or her insurance will approve it, but if you can afford it, I think the hospital here on Ana Lia is a much safer way to go.”

“Money isn’t a problem,” BJ said. “I just want my grandmother to get the best care possible.”

“I understand.”

“Is there a set course of treatment? Will she heal fully from it?”

“Yes, it’s pretty standard. There’s good and bad to pneumonias. Chances of a fast recovery are greatest under certain conditions. In Mrs. Warren’s case, she has a few strikes against her, but that doesn’t mean she won’t have a one hundred percent recovery. We caught it before it had a chance to get to the coughing stage, which is about as good as it gets.”

“Will antibiotics help?”

“Absolutely. She needs a proper diet and access to O2 to increase oxygen in the blood. She may need medication to ease chest pain and to provide relief from a violent cough if that becomes an issue, which I doubt. Those are the most important reasons to see that she has around-the-clock care.”

“Enough said. Can I see her?”

“Yes, of course. She’s feeling a bit social right now, but that’s because she feels better. Not too long, though. Rest is the best thing for her.”

“I understand. Oh, thanks, Doctor,” she added as an afterthought.

She walked down the short hall to her grandmother’s room. “Tanti.” BJ smiled at the eyes that met her as soon as she walked into the room.

“Baylor,” Evelyn rasped. She looked tired but in relatively fair condition. The rosy tinge to her cheeks was more from the fever than robust health. “I hope I’m not ruining your plans, dear heart.”

“Tanti, don’t be ridiculous. I’m always here for anything you need, you know that.”

“But I know you wanted to go back to your own home and—” “Don’t give that a second thought, okay? Besides, you’re my family. Wherever you are is home. You just concentrate all your strength on getting well. I don’t have that much on my plate that I

can’t spend the summer on Ana Lia.” “Are you sure?”

“I can write here just as well as I can in Chicago.” “Thank you, dear heart. What would I do without you?”

“I guess I’m not gonna let you find that out.” BJ patted her grandmother’s hand. “I’m just really glad you’re going to be okay, Tanti. I was pretty worried for a while there.”

“I’m sorry, dear. I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

There was a timid knock on the door and Hobie’s head popped into view.

“Hello, dear. Come right in,” Evelyn said.

“I don’t want to intrude, but I wanted to make sure you were doing all right, Evelyn.”

The nurse walked into the room right after Hobie. “I’m sorry, Ms. Warren, but I wonder if I could get you to sign some paperwork for your grandmother’s stay.”

“Sure. Tanti, will you be all right?” “Oh, yes, go, go.”

“I’ll just be out at the desk.”

“Hobie Lynn will stay with me, won’t you, dear?” “Of course,” Hobie said.

“I want to thank you, dear, for looking after Baylor,” Evelyn said once her granddaughter had left the room.

“I’m the last person in the world you should be thanking right about now. I feel responsible for all of this.”

“What? Oh, that. Don’t give it another thought. I’m concerned that Baylor may be very down tonight. She spends so much time alone. She doesn’t think I know, but I do. Her life consists of her writing, drinking, and carousing.”

Hobie tried not to smile, but she was sure she failed. Evelyn’s portrayal of her granddaughter was uncannily accurate. “I’m sure there’s more to it than that. She seems to have a very full life.”

“She thinks that going out to a party every night of the week and sleeping with a dozen women a month is socializing. It’s not, and you know it. The kind of people she spends her time with in Chicago—well, she might as well be alone. I worry about her, Hobie Lynn.”

“I know, Evelyn, I know. I tell you what, why don’t I ask her to come back to Mother’s house and we’ll all have dinner together? Do you think she’d be okay with that?”

“Oh, thank you, dear. Knowing that you’re keeping an eye on Baylor eases my mind a great deal.”

“Don’t get too excited. I’m not sure she’ll agree. I don’t know if you’ve been keeping up on current events around town, but Baylor and I don’t exactly get along one hundred percent of the time.”

“I know that Baylor can be...difficult.”

“Saying Baylor is difficult is to give a whole new meaning to the word.” Hobie chuckled. “I just don’t think she cares to have me around much.”

“Why, don’t be silly, dear. My granddaughter is completely enamored with you.”

Hobie laughed. Then seeing that Evelyn was serious, she froze. “We’re talking about Baylor Warren, right? I mean, you don’t have any other granddaughters, do you?”

“No.” Evelyn smiled kindly at Hobie’s dazed expression. “Just one, and Baylor is it. She may seem full of piss and vinegar right now, but she doesn’t know what life is all about yet. She doesn’t know what the key is.” Evelyn whispered this last part and Hobie smiled.

“So what are you girls talking about?” BJ teased as she came through the door. Hobie and Evelyn wore guilty expressions. Hobie blushed and turned redder upon BJ’s examination. “Oh, please, Tanti, you’re not telling embarrassing stories of when I was a baby, are you?”

“Now, Baylor, would I do such a thing?” “In a heartbeat” came BJ’s dry response.

“All right, ladies, I hate to interrupt, but this patient needs her rest,” Dr. Trenton said as he strode into the room.

“Tanti, you have them call me for anything you want or need, you understand? Anything.”

“I understand and I will, dear heart. Now where will you eat dinner?”

BJ laughed. “What in the world does that have to do with the price of tea in China?”

“If I know you’re not eating properly, I’ll just sit here and worry. I’m sure that can’t be good for my health. I think you should eat dinner with Hobie Lynn.”

“Tanti!”

“Um, actually,” Hobie touched her fingers to BJ’s elbow, “I did tell her I might ask you anyway. I mean, just so you wouldn’t have to be alone tonight,” she stammered. “My mom’s cooking dinner for me and Mack anyway.”

“Oh, I appreciate it, but I really—”

“If I have to worry about you, Baylor Joan, I’ll be awake all night,” Evelyn interrupted.

BJ raised an eyebrow. The comment sounded more like a threat than an old woman’s worried rambling. She had a fleeting thought that perhaps her grandmother was up to something, but the sincere expression on her face convinced her otherwise.

“Sure. Sure, that would be great.” BJ offered Hobie a lopsided smile. “I have to stop by and feed Arturo first, though.”

“No problem,” Hobie said.

“Uh, Hobie, I wonder if I could ask you a question.” Dr. Trenton sidled up to Hobie. He was trying to be inconspicuous, but he wasn’t subtle enough for BJ.

He tried to move in between the two women, but Hobie stood her ground beside BJ. “Yes, what is it, Steve?”

“Well, I...” He looked up at BJ’s somewhat intimidating presence. “I thought, actually wondered if maybe you wanted to...”

His eyes once again met with BJ’s cold gaze. Her lips had pulled back into a sneer. The message was loud and clear to the would-be suitor. “Um...never mind. Nice to see you again.”

“You too, Steve,” Hobie said distractedly.

They left the hospital with Mack, who had surprised BJ by sitting in the waiting room the whole time. They piled into the patrol car once more and Noah scooted over to BJ.

She smiled at the youngster. “She’s not all better yet, but she will be soon.”

“Good, I’m glad.” He nodded emphatically to punctuate the remark.

“Thanks, Bubba.”

The boy surprised BJ by moving into her lap and looking out the window as they drove along.

“Here, let me...” Hobie reached for the boy, but BJ’s hand stopped her.

“Nah, he’s okay.”

They rode that way in silence until BJ spoke. “Do you and Noah...uh, live alone?” She knew of no other way to ask the inevitable question.

Hobie seemed to miss the question’s intent. “We live with my mom. Actually, it’s a pretty big place. Noah and I live in a guesthouse on her property. It has its ups and downs. There’s always a baby-sitter for Noah, and I get home-cooked meals when I’m too tired to make them.”