Someone Like You by Bretton Barbara

Author:Bretton, Barbara [Bretton, Barbara]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: PENGUIN group
Published: 2010-09-01T22:00:00+00:00

“YOU WERE GREAT in there,” Cat said as they waited for the elevator. “I was a heartbeat away from a meltdown, but you stepped in there and saved the day.”

“Officious bitch,” Joely said, glaring in the general direction of Social Services. “She should mind her own business.”

“She was,” Cat reminded her. “Patient welfare is her business.”

“She had no business putting you on the defensive.”

“I wasn’t on the defensive.”

“Yes, you were. She was trying to make you feel guilty.”

The elevator doors glided open, and they stepped inside.

“She didn’t have to try to make me feel guilty,” Cat said as the doors slid shut. “I do a pretty good job of that myself.”

Joely made a dismissive gesture and pressed L for Lobby. “You have nothing to feel guilty about.”

“If Mimi hadn’t been alone yesterday morning, none of this would have happened.”

“Come on, Cat. You can’t believe that. That stroke would have happened when it did even if Mimi had had a houseful of company with her.”

“I know that, but somehow it doesn’t seem to matter.”

“So why don’t I feel guilty?” Joely challenged her. “She aimed a few of her arrows in my direction, too.”

“That’s a good question,” Cat said as the elevator shimmied to a stop. “Not that I think you should, but why don’t you feel guilty?”

“I don’t know,” Joely said as the doors opened. “Just lucky?”

Every now and then God handed a woman exactly the right thing to say at the right moment. The haunted expression in Cat’s eyes vanished, and the two of them started to laugh.

“Now, I’m the last one to object to laughter, but are you girls in or out?” Roxanne from Radiology was holding the door open.

“Out,” said Joely.

“In,” said Cat.

“Make up your mind, ladies. I have a hot left shoulder waiting for me upstairs.”

“I need to check for messages,” Joely said, “and make sure Annabelle’s okay.” She also wanted to see if William had phoned again with new contact information. They had never gone so long without speaking, and it made her feel disoriented and unsettled.

“I’m going upstairs to see Mimi.”

“I’ll meet you in ten,” Joely said as the door slid shut behind her.

How did Cat do it? Didn’t she ever feel like saying to hell with everything and walking away from Idle Point and the endless cycle of responsibility? All Joely could think about was how quickly she could get from the elevator to the exit. She felt like a prisoner on a jailbreak, tunneling her way to freedom.

She didn’t want to make pleasant conversation with the receptionists or chat with the aging candy stripers who knew her way back when. Ten more steps . . . seven . . . three . . . freedom!

God, the air smelled wonderful. All fresh and scrubbed clean with pine and sea salt. Last night’s walk on the beach had reminded her of all the things she had loved about the town where she grew up. She sank down onto the stone bench to the left of the door and let it all wash over her in blissful solitude and silence.

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