Page 78 of Set In Stone

“What picture do you have there, mother? Can I see it?” Hale asked and slid the picture from her hands. Looking up at Alexander, he said, “It’s a picture of her and your grandmother. She always liked thisone.”

Hale set the picture down on the end table, next to a row of several other framed photos. I walked over to take a look at them while Hale and Alexander conversed about the care Mrs. Fulton would need in the comingweeks.

Hale’s mother was beautiful in her youth, her eyes bright even in the old black and white photos. There was a picture from her wedding day and another with people that I assumed to be friends and family. My eyes rested on a colored photo of a younger Hale. The colors in the picture were faded, typical of technology for that time period. If I had to guess, Hale was probably in his early twenties when the photo was taken. He was in uniform and two children flanked either side of him. I leaned down to take a closer look. I smiled when I realized who the children were. There was no mistaking those intense blue eyes and nearly black hair. It was Alexander andJustine.

“Krystina,” Alexander said. I stood and turned to face him. “I’m going down to the nurse’s station to see if I can speak to the head nurse. Will you be okay staying here to keep Hale and his mothercompany?”

“Sure, noproblem.”

When Alexander left, Hale walked over and picked up the picture I had just been lookingat.

“They were so young,” he said. “They both look like their mother, except Mr. Stone inherited some of his father’s harderfeatures.”

“That’s a great shot. I didn’t realize your history with Alexander went so farback.”

“My mother was best friends with his grandmother. After my father died, our families became very close. Mr. Stonewall stepped up and was like a father figure tome.”

He seemed sad and I wasn’t sure why. I wondered about their relationship and how it evolved. Hale always addressed Alexander so formally. I found it odd considering the familybackground.

“Hale, why do you address Alex as sir, or as Mr. Stone?” I asked, genuinely curious. He set the picture down afforded me a smallsmile.

“Because he expects it. Mr. Stone is very much like his grandfather in thatregard.”

“I wish I had the chance to know him. Alex speaks fondly of his grandparents. They seem like people I wouldlike.”

A loud tapping sound had Hale and I both turning in the direction of his mother. She had picked up the picture frame that Hale just replaced and was tapping her finger hard against the glass. She was quite obviously agitated, mumbling words that I couldn’tunderstand.

“Mother, what’s wrong?” Hale asked and rushed to her side. She continued to tap the picture. “The picture? Yes, I see thepicture.”

She shook her head, seeming to get more and more upset by the second. Her finger tapped harder and her hands shook. She kept repeating something, but I couldn’t make itout.

“What is she trying to say?” I asked, unsure if there was anything I could do to help calm her. Hale didn’t respond, but continued to address hismother.

“Mother, please don’t be upset,” he told her and took the picture from her hands before she could breakit.

“Til em. Til em,” Mrs. Fulton keptrepeating.

Tiller? Until then? Tothem?

I couldn’t figure it out, but it appeared as if Halecould.

“I know what you are trying to say. Don’t worry. I will tell him,” Hale soothedher.

She stopped the furious fidgeting and seemed to calm down somewhat. She resumed her rocking, her eyes taking on the vacant expression once more. It was completely heartbreaking. Her confusion and panic, disappearing into a blank nothingness, was such a sad sight tosee.

“Tell him? Is that what she was trying tosay?”

He bent to adjust the blanket around her, speaking to me in a low voice as he didso.

“She does this from time to time when she recalls a memory. When she can’t find the words, she becomes agitated. It doesn’t usually last long before her disease fogs her mind again and she calmsdown.”

“You seem to have a way with her, which I’m sure helps. At the very least, you seemed to understand what she was trying tosay.”

“Yes, I did know what she was saying.” He stood to his full height and turned to look at me. His normally emotionless eyes looked pained as he met my gaze. “Miss Cole, I have to tell Mr. Stone something today. It’s something that my mother wanted me to tell him for a very long time. It won’t be easy for him tohear.”

My brow furrowed inconfusion.

“What do youmean?”

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