"Stuart-Townsend Corporation," Amanda answered the phone at her desk.
"Amanda?"
"Oh hi, honey," Amanda said, recognizing her husband's voice. "I'm glad you called, I was just looking into some information-"
"Amanda," he interrupted her.
"What's wrong?" She asked, noticing his serious tone.
"I'm at the hospital."
"Oh my gosh. Are you alright? What happened?"
Andrew took a deep breath. "I'm fine. I need you and Alma to meet me here as soon as you can. I'll explain everything then," he said and hung up.
When Amanda got off the phone, she was in a nervous panic, imagining every awful thing that could have happened. With Mr. Townsend's permission, she left work a few minutes early and went to pick up Alma at the school before heading to the hospital.
"I'm so worried," Amanda said as they walked up to the hospital. "Why wouldn't Andrew tell me what happened over the phone?"
"He's probably drunk again," Alma remarked, which got her a dirty look from her sister.
When they walked inside, they found Andrew sitting in the lobby. Amanda hurried over and hugged him.
"I'm so glad you're alright," she gushed. "You had me so worried."
Andrew hugged her and then stepped back. "I have bad news . . . about your mother," he had been running the words over and over through his mind, but he still wasn't sure how to tell them the news. "There was an accident at the house today and I got her to the hospital as soon as I could, but they couldn't revive her. I'm sorry, but your mother's gone. She passed away."
For a moment, no one moved or said a word. Amanda stood gaping in disbelief as Alma was still trying to make sense of what Andrew had just said.
"What happened?" Alma asked slowly.
"She tried to cook something in the toaster oven and it put out a lot of smoke . . ."
Alma nodded. That had happened a lot when she had been looking after Mother. If Alma didn't watch her carefully, she would start cooking something in the kitchen and then forget all about it. And that stupid toaster oven didn't work right anymore. They should have gotten rid of it long ago.
"I can't believe it," Amanda sobbed.
As Andrew comforted his wife, Alma stood alone trying to make herself believe that it was true. That her mother was really gone. When someone touched her on the shoulder she jumped.
"I'm sorry," Dr. Wilton apologized. "I just wanted to tell you that I'm very sorry about your loss. If there is anything I can do . . ."
"Just leave me alone," Alma said sharply, before turning and walking out of the hospital.
At the library Eileen looked through the books that Cassandra had given her while she waited for her first tutoring session to begin. She was just getting into an interesting section when she saw Lawrence walk into the room. She quickly hid the book at the bottom of the stack as he approached her table.
"Hi, I'm glad you made it," Eileen said as she stood to greet him.
"I hope you weren't waiting long."
"No, I got here early to do some extra studying," Eileen said as she sat down and motioned for Lawrence to take the seat next to her. "Have a seat."
"What were you studying?" Lawrence asked as he sat down.
"I was just going to start reviewing for my political science class," she said with a frown. "I hope you can help me."
"I'll do what I can."
Eileen opened her text book to a section that she was having trouble with. She passed the book over to Lawrence and let him take a look at it.
After Lawrence read it over, he explained what he had read to Eileen and answered her questions. As Eileen started to understand the subject, she really started to get into it.
She leaned over the desk, to point out something on the page in front of Lawrence. When she looked up to say something to him, their eyes met and she completely lost her thought. Finally she managed to look away and moved back. Keeping her eyes down, she stuttered as she asked her question about the textbook, but she had lost interest in the subject. Her mind was somewhere else.
Meanwhile, Hector was spending a quiet evening at home, alone. He wandered through the empty living room absently, and picked up the daily newspaper from the coffee table. As he read the headline, he took a seat on the couch.
"New Hospital Wing Dedicated to Clifford Stuart"
Hector skimmed over the article before tossing the newspaper aside. He was relieved that the article mentioned that there were still no suspects in Clifford's murder, but the reminder of what he had done, left him feeling uneasy.
He had never meant for things to go as far as they did. And at moments like this, his conscience made him feel almost sick.
Hector reminded himself that there was nothing that could be done about it now and even if he could go back, he wasn't sure if he would change his actions. He wanted to get ahead more than anything and Clifford had been a threat.
"Besides," he thought to himself wryly. "If it wasn't for me, they never would have named the new hospital wing after him."
Hector's thoughts were interrupted by the telephone. He rose to answer it, glad for a distraction.
"Is this Hector Burgess?"
"Yes. Who's asking?" he asked cheerfully.
"Did you know that your girlfriend is out with some other guy, even as we speak?"
"Who is this?" Hector asked again, this time with more concern. He knew he had heard the feminine voice on the other end of the line before, but he couldn't place it.
"You might want to do something before you lose her. Just thought you should know."
Before Hector could respond, the woman hung up.
That night, as promised, Craig took Lucy out for a romantic dinner. They took a seat at a private table on the patio and chatted as they waited for their entree to be served.
As Lucy talked about her day at the hospital, Craig leaned over the table, staring at her as if he were hanging on her every word, but she wasn't sure if he even heard what she was saying. When she noticed how captivated he seemed, she stopped talking and smiled at him.
"I never get tired of looking at you," he said. "I wonder how I got to be so lucky."
"Oh please," Lucy replied coyly.
"No, I mean it, really," Craig insisted, as he reached over the table to hold her hands in his own. "I never dreamed I would meet anyone like you. Meeting you has changed everything for me.
"I feel the same way about you," Lucy replied softly, looking into his eyes.
"I'm glad to hear it," Craig said with a smile, before leaning across the table to kiss her.
After dinner, the couple went for a walk around the patio of the restaurant.
When they reached a secluded corner of the patio, where they could be alone, Craig pulled Lucy close and gave her a long, lingering kiss.
"I want to ask you something," he said, still holding her close.
"Ok," Lucy agreed with a smile.
Craig reached into his jacket pocket and held up a diamond ring. "Will you marry me?"
Lucy was struck speechless. She stared at the ring for a moment, then looked at Craig. When she finally found her voice again, her reply was unhesitating. "Yes, of course I will."
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