Page 384 of Flirting with Darkness

“Oh,” I said, a bit deflated. “I guess my job is done then.”

“Yes, I suppose so,” Cooper agreed with a press of his lips.

I jerked my head in a nod. “Okay, got it. Well, I’m going to go. Can one of you give me a ride back to the club? I left my car there.”

“I will.” Duke lifted his hand as always quick to offer his assistance.

Not wanting to linger any longer where I wasn’t needed, I ducked my head and started for the car. A part of me wished they’d stop me. Ask me to stay. Say they needed me. None of them did.

9

When I arrived at the hospital, my phone had gone off about a dozen times. All from the wolves. I ignored every one of them and rushed to the ward my grandma was being held in.

“What’s wrong? Is my grandma okay?” I asked the nurse at the central station, my breath coming in and out in pants.

The nurse glanced away from her computer and up to me. “Oh, Angelica. It’s you. I’m sorry for the cryptic calls. Your grandma is fine. Actually, we moved her to a private ward. We just need to have you sign off on these forms. You know, for legal reasons and such.”

I frowned and looked at the clipboard she handed me. “I didn’t request this. Who’s going to pay for this?”

The nurse’s brows rose in surprise. “Oh, I thought you knew. Your grandma was granted the Blessed Rose Grant. Which covers all her hospital expenses including a private room. Didn’t you apply for it?”

I shook my head and stared down at the forms, disbelief filling me. All of my grandma’s bills were paid for? I didn’t have to worry about how I was going to keep her alive?

My chest felt lighter as if a weight had come off of it. But at the same time, wariness filled me. I’d never heard of the Blessed Rose Grant. Who could have applied for me? None of the girls at work knew about my situation and I sure as hell wasn’t close to anyone else outside of work. I hadn’t spoken to any of my classmates about it before I dropped out…

Unable to figure it out but not about to look a gift horse in the mouth, I signed the forms and handed them back with a tight smile. “Thank you. Where is she now?”

“This way,” the nurse took the form and moved out from behind the desk. “I’ll take you.”

I nodded and trailed after her.

“You know, you’re really lucky. Only one out of over a hundred thousand people get picked for the grant. It’s definitely one of those things people call a life saver.”

I could only smile and nod as she went on about it.

A life saver, huh?

That didn’t sound like something my grandma would be qualified for. She was well over eighty and there wasn’t much else they could do for her but make her comfortable and hope the drugs started to work.

The grant could have gone to someone else. Someone with more life to live. Guilt wracked me at the same time that relief filled me.

I didn’t know how it happened or why but things were finally looking up for me.

The nurse stopped at a doorway and gestured me inside. “Here she is. And you caught her on a good day. She’s been chattering our ears off all day.”

My eyes burned with tears that I swallowed back. I stepped into the room and smiled at my grandma. “Hey, granny. I hear you’ve been a big chatterbox today.”

“Angelica,” Grandma beamed up at me and I almost lost the hold on my tears. “Isn’t this room so much better than my other one?” She leaned forward to whisper as if anyone else could hear us. “I don’t have to listen to Edna’s God awful snoring anymore.”

I choked on a laugh. “That’s not nice, Grandma. What would Grandpa say?”

Grandma stuck her tongue out at me. “Bah, he’d have smothered her in her sleep already. Save us all the restless nights.”

I shook my head, unable to stop chuckling. “You’re too full of it. I’m glad you’re doing well.”

Grandma shifted up in her bed and gave me a once over. “And what have you been up to, angel? You look like you’ve been rolling around in the fields.”

I glanced down at my once pristine outfit which now was a crumbled mess and grimaced. “Sorry I was in a bit of a hurry getting here.”

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