Annie's Rainbow - Fern Michaels [136]
“Parker Grayson is here. She ran into him in the lobby.” Jane recited Annie’s story on the ride down in the elevator.
Clay winced. He didn’t know what to say, so he remained quiet. He’d come prepared for anything and everything. The anything and everything didn’t include an ex-fiancé.
“All of you wait here. Jake, come with me. Daisy, put your pup back in the bag. We don’t want to call attention to ourselves,” Clay said gently, a twinkle in his eye.
“God, Elmo, suddenly I feel so much better,” Jane said.
“I’m going to need the chair,” Elmo said. “All of a sudden, I’m not feeling so good.”
“It’s the excitement, Elmo,” Jane said, concern written all over her face. “We’ll stuff the chair in the trunk and have Clay park in the campus lot. I’ll push you from there. How’s that? We have to believe those watching eyes can’t be everywhere.”
Jane motioned for Clay to pop the trunk, then helped Elmo to his feet. “I’ll fold it up. We have to take the chair, Clay. It won’t be a problem, though. I know where we can park so the car won’t be recognized.”
“I called the Ritz. There’s a black Lincoln waiting for us. More room. Do you want to pick it up now or wait till we see Annie at the drugstore?”
“Elmo, what do you think?”
“Let’s go to the drugstore,” Elmo wheezed. Alarm registered in Jane’s eyes as the color left Elmo’s face. The moment Elmo and her daughter were settled, Jane hopped into the front seat with Jake. Daisy was holding Elmo’s hand and babbling ninety miles to the minute. Clay kept one eye on the road and one on the rearview mirror to check on his passenger in the back.
Fifteen minutes later, Daisy let out a whoop. “There’s Aunt Annie. See, she’s standing in the doorway.” Clay swerved and made a U-turn in the middle of the road.
“I would have missed her, Daisy,” Clay said, pulling to the curb.
“I thought we were going to park in the lot and push Elmo here.”
Clay looked in the rearview mirror. Jane turned and blinked. “Too late now, we’re here.”
Annie saw Jane’s wild red hair; then she saw Jake. “Clay!”
“Yeah, it’s me. Hope you’re glad to see me and my dog.”
“Well, yes, I am, but what are you doing here?”
“You and your little band of followers made such an impression on me I got worried about you. The plain damn truth is, I got sick and tired of talking to Jake. You got me out of my shell, so you need to take responsibility for this.” Clay’s voice dropped several octaves. “One very sick old man, a woman with a kid who has a pup under her arm and another woman who packs a gun and romps through mud fields . . . Well, wouldn’t you have been worried? What would you have done if you were in my place?”
“Annie, Elmo’s color is gone, and he’s not breathing right. Hold the door so we can get the chair inside. Thank God the store didn’t change, at least on the outside. Were you inside?”
Annie’s throat closed tight when she saw Clay lift Elmo into the waiting wheelchair. “Look, Elmo, they made a new sign. It’s just like your old one.”
“The owner left your old sign for you. The pharmacist is holding it for you. Guess they figured it worked, huh?” Annie said, her eyes filling with tears. Her throat muscles relaxed. “It smells the same, Elmo. Sniff. Smell the Chantilly and the Max Factor powder. They just made fresh coffee. It smells heavenly. I feel like I stepped back in time. The toothpaste is in the same place, so are the antacids. The licorice sticks are still by the register. The only difference is the bubble-gum balls are bigger and cost a quarter now instead of a nickel. This is Andy Jan, the pharmacist. He’s worked here since you sold the store to the Havermeyers. He loves it here.”
“It is my pleasure to meet you, sir,” Andy said. “Miss Clark has told me all about you. Is there anything I can do for you other than to hand over your old sign?”
“No. I just wanted to see the old place one more time. Do you serve tuna sandwiches?” Elmo gasped as he struggled to speak.
“Only on Friday. Egg salad with a slice of tomato on whole wheat is our big seller.”
“Fancy that.