Heartsong (Logan 2)

happy birthday, dear Belinda, happy birthday to me."

She closed her eyes.

There was a harder knock on the door and the

attendant appeared.

"It's time, he said.

"It can't be a half hour."

"It is," he insisted. "Don't make it hard for me,

will ya," he muttered with threatening eyes. "No," I said standing. "I'll leave that to Mrs.

Greene."

I leaned over and kissed my grandmother on

her cheek. She didn't open her eyes. Then I turned and

marched past him and down the corridor.

The residents were being entertained by a

singer in the lobby. She played the accordion as well.

Mrs. Greene was standing in the rear with some

attendants, a receptionist, and some visitors. She

glared my way and I glared back as I left the lobby

and stepped out of the building, my heart thumping so

hard I thought it would drown out the singing. There was no one on the porch, but I saw Holly

on a bench talking softly to some song birds who stared up at her as if they really understood. Even though I was still shaking, the sight brought laughter

to my lips. She saw me and hurried up the walkway. "How was your visit?" she asked.

"Very bad," I said. "They're medicating her into

oblivion and I have the feeling it's Grandma Olivia's

fault. I've got to pay her a visit."

"Oh, that's so sad. If we just taught them how to

meditate, there would be no need for chemical

therapy."

"There's no need for it now," I said. "Unless

keeping the truth buried is a good reason."

Holly's eyebrows lifted into question marks, but