Page 52 of A Vineyard for Two

Harper pulled into the guest parking, ignoring the smudges of coffee now all over not just her roof and windshield but the door as well. When she reached the front entrance of the hospital, Zoe was already waiting for her.

‘Is she okay?’

‘Stable.’

‘What happened? She was fine last night,’ Harper said as they entered the foyer of the hospital and Zoe led the way towards the ward where Georgia was being monitored.

‘They’re still running some tests. She collapsed in the kitchen. I had stepped outside to get something from the cellar door and when I got back, she was on the floor. I don’t even want to think about what might have happened if we weren’t there.’

‘She’s here now. They’ll take good care of her, and she’ll be home in no time.’

‘I don’t know,’ Zoe said. ‘She’s getting older. She’s zany and full of energy most of the time, but there the occasions when no one is looking that she looks weathered and just exhausted. I’m going to be afraid to leave her alone.’

‘Georgia is stubborn. She will not want anyone babysitting her.’

‘Did you know it’s rude to talk about people behind their back?’ Georgia’s voice, a little raspy, brought relief to Harper.

‘It’s only behind your back when you can’t hear it,’ Zoe retorted.

Harper moved closer towards the bed and took Georgia’s hand as she leaned towards her and gave her great aunt a kiss on the cheek. ‘You had us all worried.’

‘Don’t worry about me. It’s going to take a lot more than a little pain in the chest to get me down. We need to get home. There’s so much work to be done. We have a vineyard dinner to organise.’

‘The only thing you are organising is which channel you watch on this old television set,’ Zoe said, handing over the remote control. ‘Does it even have Netflix?’

‘I don’t have time for that rubbish.’

‘Steel Magnolias, that should do it.’

‘I’d much prefer some gripping true crime. Don’t worry, my heart can handle it.’

‘It’s not your heart you should be worrying about,’ the doctor announced as he entered the room. ‘The EKG came back perfect. You’ve got the heart of a girl ten years your junior.’

‘Must be something in the wine,’ Georgia murmured. ‘I keep telling them I’ll outlive them all.’

‘That wouldn’t surprise me at all,’ the doctor said, giving Zoe a once over. ‘You’re the daughter?’

‘Niece. We’re both nieces.’

‘Does Miss Georgia have any direct family, children, partner?’

‘No.’

‘How do you know I don’t have a partner?’ Georgia rebutted.

Harper raised an eyebrow. ‘No one in residence, anyway.’

He cleared his throat. ‘Well, I’m glad we established that.’

Harper really had no idea what Georgia did in her spare time and whether she had a lover or not, her aunt could have had many, and good on her if she did. She deserved all the happiness she could get.

The doctor continued, ‘We still have a few tests to run, just to be on the safe side and to eliminate any nasties that might be hiding. We’ve ruled out heart issues, which is great news for you. I’d like to schedule you in for an MRI as well. Unfortunately, we’re all booked out today, but first thing in the morning.’

‘I have to spend the night? No, no, I can’t do that. There’s so much to do. We have important visitors arriving tomorrow.’

‘Doctor’s orders, Georgia. If he says you’re staying the night, you are staying the night. If it’s going to be a week, then ditto that too.’

‘When did you get so bossy, Harper?’

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