Page 109 of The Candlemaker

“It’s good to see you, too.” When she pulled back, Tom’s gaze met mine, something unspoken passing between us.

Being around Frankie was like lighting my soul on fire. There was no only letting some of me burn.

“How is she?” I asked as he led the way into Edgewood’s lobby. It was cozier with more people inside because of the cooler, fall weather, and a fire in the fireplace.

“Good.” He nodded and smiled, the wrinkles and strain I’d last seen on his face at the hospital much less pronounced now. “Today’s a good day.”

Surprisingly, the shock and trauma from her fall and then the embolism, or maybe just all the medications she’d been on, seemed to reconnect some of the wiring in her brain. At least, according to Tom, it had. I guess seeing me would put it to the test.

“I brought a cinnamon candle for her. I know she loved this one.”

Not as much as she’d love a grandchild.

My heart was racing by the time we made it upstairs. Every step down the hall was another crank that made it beat faster. Harder.What if she forgot? What if she got upset again? Hurt herself?—

I sucked in a breath, small, warm fingers sliding in between mine and giving them a squeeze.

“Frankie, we shouldn’t.” I tried to disentangle my hand, but she wouldn’t let me.

Her eyes met mine, and her grip firmed. “You held my hair. Now it’s my turn.”

I didn’t even get a chance to pick my jaw up from the ground before Tom opened the door. “Laura? Look who’s here to see you.”

My heart stopped, seeing Mom sitting there in her wheelchair. It was hard to see her like this, but not as hard as seeing her in that damn hospital bed.

She stared at me for a second that seemed to span forever and then smiled. “Chandler.” I didn’t realize I was holding my breath until she said my name.

“Mom,” I rasped and went to her, bending down to pull her into a tight hug. “How are you?” I made sure I pulled back enough to see her face when she answered.

“Oh, I’m good, honey. Too good the way Tom takes care of me.” Up close, I could see the fullness that had left her face and the purpling under her eyes and all the places where she bruised easily now because of her medications, but the way she smiled was all that mattered.

“Good. He knows I’ll give him hell if he did anything less.” I heard Tom chuckle with me, but my eyes only turned for Frankie. “I brought someone with me…to see you.”

As soon as she could see Frankie, her smile went wider.“And who is this?”

She didn’t remember Frankie, but it was probably better that she didn’t remember much about that day.

“I’m Frankie.” Frankie took it all in stride. “I make homemade candles, so I brought one for you.”

Frankie held onto the candle even when Mom’s hands wrapped over hers to make sure it wasn’t dropped.

Mom took a deep breath and blinked a few times. “Oh, Frankie. You know I love this one.”

My chest squeezed, forcing me to clear my throat.Sheremembered.The scent made her remember Frankie, just like the ocean made her remember me and Friendship.

“I know you do.”

“It’s my favorite, too,” I rumbled, catching Frankie’s eyes when she looked at me knowingly.My favorite because it was her scent.

“I’m so happy you’re both here,” Mom said softly, looking between Frankie and me like there were some things she hadn’t forgotten, like the look two people share when there is an invisible string tethering them together.

“Chandler,” Tom chimed in. “I’m going to pop downstairs and check on dinner. Will you both stay?”

“Yes,” Frankie answered before I had a chance, and it was a good thing she did; I probably would’ve talked myself out of it, worrying it would be too much for Mom. And too much for Frankie.

Tom let himself out of the room, and when the door closed, Frankie looked to me; she waited for my lead even though her hand floated to her stomach. A movement I bet she didn’t even realize she made.

“Oh, Chandler, I’m so happy you’re here,” Mom repeated, her memory flickering. “Come look at the new butterfly Tom brought me.”

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