“I heard your…” Ronnie paused as she tried to think of a tactful term for the bucket of junk.
“…car…park in my driveway. What do you want?”
“I’m looking for someone and I was told you would know where she is. Her name is Rose Grayson.”
“Who told you that I would know where she is?” Ronnie now knew who the woman standing before her was and she was not the least bit happy with the revelation. She had promised to bring Rose’s checkbook to the hospital but with the unexpected release and everything that had happened since, there had not been any more mention of the subject. As far as Ronnie knew, Rose had not mailed out anything since coming to her home. So how did this leech find her?
“I stopped at her old apartment and they told me you had paid her rent.” Delores shivered and looked pointedly at the door. “Can I come in? It’s pretty cold out here, you know.”
Ronnie mentally cursed whoever it was that created manners and stepped back, holding the door open. “Come in, Miss…?”
“Bickering, Delores Bickering,” the rotund woman said, walking past the executive and pulling her knit cap off to reveal straight brown hair that looked in need of a good cleaning. “So you’re V. Cartwright?”
“Yes,” Ronnie said without bothering to elaborate further. Now she was faced with a moral dilemma. She could pretend Rose was not here and send Delores packing, but that risked upsetting the young woman. Then again, she was not sure she wanted to let the vulture near her companion. Reluctantly she accepted that the decision was not really hers to make. “Wait here.”
Ronnie crossed the room and entered the office, making sure to close the door behind her. She knelt onto the bed and placed her hand on the sleeping woman’s shoulder. “Rose…Rose honey, wake up.”
“Hmm?” Green eyes opened and blinked wearily.
“We have company, you have to get up.”
“Company?” She gave a healthy yawn and rubbed her eyes. “Who?”
“Delores.” Ronnie did her best not to let her annoyance show through.
“Delores? Bickering? Here?” Rose’s eyes widened.
“Delores. Bickering. Here.” She watched as the words sank in and the blonde’s demeanor changed. “Hey, if you don’t want to see her…”
“No, if she went to all this trouble to find me then I owe her at least that much.”
“Rose.” She took the younger woman’s chin in her hand. “You don’t owe her a thing. Whatever she did for you in the past you’ve already paid back and then some, I’m sure.” She gentled her tone, realizing it was not helping. “I’m sorry, I know you feel you owe her and I shouldn’t be telling you how to think or feel.” She withdrew her hand and sat back. “I just don’t like to see you being used and I’m afraid that’s exactly why Delores is here.” She picked up the brush and began to straighten out Rose’s sleep-mussed hair.
“Ronnie?”
“Mm?”
“Would it be too much to ask if I could borrow the shirt you wore yesterday? I can cover the rest of my body with a blanket.”
“It will be a little big on you but it’s fine with me.” She leaned back and used her long arm to pluck the gray button down shirt from its position across the back of the chair. Rose pulled off the nightshirt at the same time and when Ronnie straightened up she was greeted to the sight of firm young breasts. She reluctantly tried to keep herself from staring by concentrating on helping Rose get her arms through the sleeves. “I’ll let you button it up while I get the chair ready,” she said abruptly, leaving the bed and retrieving the folded up wheelchair from the corner. A few minutes later Rose was comfortably settled in her chair, the afghan tucked neatly around her legs and hips. “You ready?” Ronnie asked.
“Yeah,” came the half-hearted reply. The last person she wanted to see was Delores. She hadn’t replied to the last letter and had no doubt in her mind the former foster mother would bring up the subject of money, especially after finding out where she was living. “Ronnie?”
“Yes?”
“Could you…I mean, if you don’t mind, would you…stay with me?” She hoped Ronnie’s presence would keep Delores from asking about money, but more than that, she wanted the emotional support she knew her friend would give. She smiled when she felt the warm hand squeeze her shoulder.
“I’ll be right there, don’t you worry,” Ronnie said.
Delores turned from her inspection of the various ornaments still dangling from the streamers and gasped when she saw Rose in a wheelchair. “What happened to you?”
“I was hit by a car,” the young woman replied. “How did you know where I was?”
“Your landlord told me,” she said smugly. “So did you sue the guy who hit you?”
“The police don’t know who it was. He took off after the accident.”
“They couldn’t find him? That’s a shame. If they found him, you could have sued. I know a good lawyer that’ll help you if you need him. He represented me when I slipped in some water in the supermarket. Got me almost four thousand dollars.” Delores stepped into the sunken part of the living room and flopped down on the leather couch, drawing a disapproving look from Ronnie.
“So, come tell me what you’ve been doing. I haven’t heard from you in almost two months now.” She reached into her oversized pocketbook and pulled out a worn vinyl cigarette case and lighter, lighting one up without a thought.
“I don’t allow smoking in my home,” Ronnie said.
“Oh, don’t worry, I have my own ashtray,” Delores replied as she pulled a small brown one out of her purse.
“No, Iallow smoking in my home,” the black-haired woman stressed, not caring a bit about the glare she received from the large visitor, but caring a great deal that Rose did not make a sound of objection.
“Oh, that’s fine.” Delores took one long drag before butting out the cigarette. “So Rose…” She exhaled, filling the air around her with the translucent smoke. “How long are you staying with Miss Cartwright, or do you live here now?”
Rose blinked in surprise and looked to her benefactor, asking the same question with her eyes. Ronnie swallowed, uncertain of how to answer.There was no doubt in her own mind that she wanted the fair-haired woman in her life, and in her home.Looking into Rose’s eyes, Ronnie inhaled deeply and took a chance, letting her heart guide her answer. “She lives here.”
Rose opened her mouth, then closed it, shock taking away her ability to speak for a moment. “Yyes, that’s right.” Her voice cracked and she fought to keep a smile off her face. “So, what brings you up to this area? Visiting Isabel again?” she asked, referring to Delores’ sister.
The large woman nodded. “The Tupperware came in. You know she’ll never get around to delivering it to me. If I don’t come down and get them she’ll end up using them herself or selling them to someone else for the money just like the cookie episode. You remember that, don’t you, Rose?”