The Heart Mender by Andy Andrews

Author:Andy Andrews
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: ebook, book
Publisher: Thomas Nelson Inc.
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

“HEY? ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?”

Startled, Helen looked up with a jerk. “I’m sorry, Wan.

What did you say?”

The deputy pushed away from the café counter and stood up, shaking his head. “Never mind.” He reached in his pocket for his wallet. “It’s almost six. Billy and them’ll be here soon. Ain’t like you need any company ’til then.”

“Wan, please. Don’t be mad. I’m really sorry.”

He put his money on the counter. “Helen, is something wrong? I mean, no offense—you’re never really nice to me— but the past couple of days . . .” He made a futile gesture with his hands. “I mean . . . I only want to be your friend. Geez.”

“I’m sorry,” Helen said cautiously. “No, nothing’s wrong.”

The deputy shook his head sadly. “I’m glad, I guess.”

Now Helen was confused. “You guess?”

“Yeah. You know . . . it doesn’t make me feel great. Nothing’s wrong? So you just treat me badly for no reason?” Wan turned to go, then stopped and turned back. “Look, I don’t want to make you feel worse. I’m okay. We’re friends. You didn’t mean to hurt my feelings, did you?”

“No, Wan. Really I . . .”

“Then we’re fine,” Wan assured her. “Like I said, we’re friends. If you ever do need me . . . to talk or anything . . . well, you know . . .”

Helen watched Wan leave through the back door. Wan was her friend and she would not have hurt him for the world, but he was also an officer of the law. And a smart one at that. Helen was terrified.

It had been two days now since the German sailor— Josef—got so sick. He was still on her couch, burning up with fever, sleeping mostly, but talking too. And crying sometimes and shouting. He opened his eyes, but she knew he never saw her. The man was delirious, and she didn’t have any idea what to do.

She couldn’t call the doctor. And now, she feared she couldn’t tell anyone else, either. Sometime yesterday afternoon, Helen realized that she had waited too long to turn the man in. The questions from authorities, she knew, would now be pointed in her direction. She was hiding an enemy of her country.

The first customers came in a few minutes before the Gilberts, and Helen had already taken care of them. Coffee and toast only. “Where’s Wan?” was the second thing out of Billy’s mouth after “good morning.”

“Come and gone already,” Helen answered as she entered the kitchen. “I’m afraid he was somewhat aggravated with me.”

Danny and Margaret were curious about her statement, but it was Billy who smiled and asked, “Was Wan aggravated at Helen, the waitress? Or at Helen, his friend?”

Helen appreciated Billy’s tactful question and answered it with the first smile she’d managed all morning. “Billy, you know he wasn’t put out with ‘Helen, the waitress.’ She’s the best one you’ve got.”

“She’s the only one I got,” Billy said, and they all laughed. He looked out into the dining area.

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