Heartsong (Logan 2)

Holly put her hand on mine and smiled.

"I'll just wait for you out on the porch," she said with a wink. I knew she would enjoy speaking with the two elderly gentlemen. She took the paperweight from my hands and turned to Mrs. Greene. "Perhaps I can make this a present to you," she said. "One of the qualities of lepidolite is that it enhances one's expression of inner light and joy."

"Ridiculous," Mrs. Greene said and pivoted. -"Gerson, show Miss Logan to Miss Gordon's room. "She's in her room?" I asked. It was such a

beautiful day, and most of the residents had been

brought to the lobby for their entertainment. Why was

Grandma Belinda shut up in her room?

"Yes," she said, lifting the corner of her mouth

until it cut into her cheek. "She's not feeling well

today. That's why I want to limit your visit. Your

cooperation will be appreciated," she added and

returned to the people with whom she had been

talking when we arrived.

"This way," the attendant said. He wore a sharp,

sarcastic smile on his lips. Holly pressed my hand and

nodded.

"Go on. I'll be fine," she said.

I followed the attendant through the lobby and down the corridor toward the residents' rooms, my heart thumping with every furious thought that

bounced from one side of my brain to the other. I was even angrier when I saw Grandma

Belinda. Her door was shut and she was sitting in her

rocking chair near the window, gazing out like a child

who had been punished and sentenced to stand in a

corner. The lights were off, so the room was full of

shadows. She was wrapped in a shawl and appeared

smaller than I remembered her. Her eyes were red, her

face pale, and it looked as if she had been crying. I

waited for a moment, but she didn't even notice I had

entered her room.

"You got a half hour," the attendant reminded

me firmly and stepped out, closing the door behind

me. I went to Grandma Belinda and touched her hand.