Page 39 of The Healing Garden
“Here, Gramps,” he said softly. “We brought you some copies of your yearbook, and we’d love to talk to you about some of the photos. Anita and Carly went to the library with me to look through the old yearbooks.”
“Ah, that was kind of everyone...” Sam glanced at his inquisitive audience, wondering what exactly was going on.
“It wouldn’t have happened without Anita’s prodding,” Wyatt said. “I was reluctant, but she insisted.”
“Not exactly insisted,” she countered with a coy smile.
Wyatt smiled at her in return, and her cheeks were pinker than Sam remembered. She sat on the other side of Carly, her eyes focused on Wyatt more than anyone else at their table.
Sam didn’t miss the studied glance that Wyatt gave Anita, the curve of a quick smile, before he opened the folder he’d brought.
Sam dropped his gaze before he let his mind draw conclusions where there might not be any. Maybe Wyatt and Anita were just friends, but he couldn’t remember a time when he’d seen Wyatt’s attention so captured by another woman. He hadn’t brought anyone home to meet him for years.
Wyatt tapped the first page. “These aren’t the best copies since they came from a microfiche machine.”
Sam began to leaf through the pages. He didn’t speak for a moment, because he knew exactly what the photos were and the year and month they were all taken. It wasn’t something that he could forget.
“That’s me and Susan,” he said, tapping on a photo. “Our first and last date, you could say.” He raised his gaze to meet his grandson’s. “She was a remarkable person.”
Wyatt nodded. “She’s the one who sent that postcard a few months ago?”
“You believe me now.” Sam hadn’t expected the flush of guilt across Wyatt’s face.
“I...I do believe you,” he said. “I’m sorry I didn’t before.”
It was a fair apology. “Thought my mind was going?”
When Wyatt’s face paled, Sam chuckled. “Don’t worry, I know I’m getting on in years. Some things will eventually go. My memories can be foggy, but not about Susan. She was my best friend, you know.”
Wyatt swallowed. “I know. You’ve said that, but since you only recently brought her up, I had wondered if your memories were true. I’m sorry for doubting you.”
“I understand. You were thinking of your grandmother...and wanting to protect her memory.” Sam turned the next page to where Susan posed with her glee club. He used to go to the practices when he had time, just to hear her sing. If he’d been able to carry a tune, he would have joined. He lifted his gaze, not realizing he’d spoken his thoughts aloud.
Everyone was watching him. “Susan was my soulmate, I think. Is that what they call it nowadays? When her family moved, I never doubted that I’d see her again. We’d have much more freedom as adults, I assumed. But life happened, and the years passed. I met Norma, and Susan had moved on with another fella—at least that’s what her letters seemed to indicate.”
He tapped a finger against the glee club photo. “Susan got engaged, and I moved on with my life too. We stopped writing letters, and I wasn’t even sure if she was still in Nevada. I only wished the best for her, of course.” His voice trailed off.
“So you never heard from her again until the postcard?” Carly asked eagerly.
“That’s right.” Sam looked up from the black-and-white photo of a smiling Susan. “I was shocked to receive it. But I knew immediately that it was from the right Susan. I don’t know her circumstances right now. She might have a dozen grandchildren and a busy life. Maybe she sent the postcard hoping it might reach me. Or perhaps she knew I still lived in the same home I’d grown up in?”
Wyatt patted his arm. “We’re happy to hear any stories you want to tell us, Gramps.”
Sam drew in a breath. “I suppose the older I get, the shorter my life seems, and my high school years don’t seem all that long ago. I mean, I know that decades have passed, but I’d like to catch up with Susan. Find out which path her life took.”
Wyatt’s shoulders slumped, but he said in an upbeat voice, “Maybe we can track down her address and you can write to her?”
Sam clasped his hands atop his table. “Finding her address would be important,” he said. “Because I’d like to visit her in person, while I still can.”
Wyatt frowned, as Sam suspected he might. “If you can’t take me, then maybe your sister can.”
“We don’t even know where she lives,” Wyatt said. “Or if she’d welcome a visit.”
“We’ll find her phone number, then.” Sam settled his gaze on Anita. “Maybe you can help if Wyatt’s too busy?”
ANITA BLINKED, NOT SURE IF she understood Mr. Davis’s request to track down a phone number for Susan. Surely Wyatt could do that. Then she realized...Mr. Davis was trying to get her to support his goal to contact Susan.
Wyatt had been the one to agree to find the yearbook in the first place, and Anita didn’t want to get in the middle of any family debate.