Read Tides of Truth [03] Greater Love for Free Online

weekend. I’m not sure there’s still a bus that connects Athens and Savannah. Ken and I could rent a car for you like we did when you came for your interview to see if you and Mother were compatible. But this time it would have to be something simple. I never told you, but I couldn’t believe he selected a convertible for someone who—”
    “Would next weekend be convenient for a visit?” I asked quickly. “I can make my own arrangements for transportation.”
    “Next weekend?”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    “Ken and I are going to be out of town in West Palm Beach. You know, south Florida is so overrated, especially for people from Savannah, but these friends of ours insist on going down for a few days when the weather gets chilly. It’s not like we live in Michigan or Ohio, trying to escape the snow and ice—”
    “I’m sorry I won’t get to see you,” I interrupted, “but I could spend time with your mother.”
    “Uh, let me ask her.”
    Mrs. Bartlett put her hand over the receiver. I could hear a muffled voice. There was silence then more muffled talking.
    “She’d love to have you,” Mrs. Bartlett said.
    I gave an estimated time of arrival on Friday.
    “Mother might be asleep. Or awake. You never can tell about her schedule. When my father was alive they lived like normal people, but this multi-infarct thing has messed up more than Mother’s mind. I’ve tried charts, reminder notes stuck all over the house, random phone calls to see what she’s doing; nothing seems to work. She has enough mental capacity to be stubborn—”
    “I still have my key in case I need to let myself in,” I said. “Thanks for letting me come. I hope you and Mr. Bartlett have a nice time in Florida.”
    After an earful of Mrs. Bartlett, the silence of my apartment was sweet. I waited a few minutes then phoned Zach. His excitement made me feel slightly giddy.
    T HE WEEK PASSED QUICKLY. W HILE I PACKED FOR THE TRIP TO Savannah, I reminded myself that the main reason I was leaving town for the weekend wasn’t to see Zach, but to figure out where I ought to work.
    I was peeking out the window when Zach arrived in his small white car. I quickly checked my appearance in the bathroom mirror and commanded my heart to slow down. It hadn’t pounded as fast at the end of my morning run. There was a knock on the door.
    The young lawyer had light brown hair pulled into a tight ponytail that had mesmerized the twins. I’d gotten used to it. Tall, with blue eyes that could be kind one minute and penetrating the next, Zach leaned forward and gave me a quick hug that ended before I had a chance to decide whether it felt right or not.
    “It’s good to see you,” he said, beaming.
    I met the look in his eyes with an uncontrollable grin that spread across my face.
    “You, too. Thanks for coming.”
    Zach peered over my shoulder into the apartment.
    “Efficient,” he said.
    “That’s why they call it an efficiency apartment. There’s not much to see. I’m ready to go.”
    We both reached for my suitcase. Our hands touched. Zach’s felt warm. I let him pick up the suitcase while I grabbed a jar of Mama’s peaches as a gift for Mrs. Fairmont.
    Zach and I had talked on the phone quite a bit but hadn’t seen each other for two and half months. However, it took only a few minutes to make it seem like we’d been apart for only a couple of days. Driving southeast on two-lane highways, we passed through small Georgia towns with English names like Farmington, Madison, and Eatonton. Zach peppered me with questions about my family, not about school. As I talked about the twins, I stopped and turned sideways in my seat.
    “Are you really this interested in my family or is this the book you mentioned talking?”
    “If I want to know you better, I need to know more about them.”
    “Was that in the book?”
    Zach smiled. “Yes and no. The book said women like to talk about family matters, but I’d already figured that out.”
    “Then