It had to be You

Mr. Rockwell. We haven’t seen you for a long time. We’re so sorry that Mattie’s ill.”
    He’d stood as they approached, and then helped Miss Smith get comfortably into one of the chairs and set her sticks where she could reach them easily.
    When both ladies were seated, he said, “She ain’t all that sick, just a bit weak. It’s really that my wife is about to fall apart takin’ care of a houseful of our other puny kids. Mattie likes it here, and we know Miss Twibell will take good care of her.”
    Lunch came along shortly and both the kitchen girl and the cook herself brought up big covered trays and set them down on the table in front of the sofa. “We got another two to bring up,“ the cook said as they disappeared.
    Miss Twibell came out of Mattie’s room and lifted one of the lids. There were two plates under it. “Warmed-up leftover pot roast sandwiches from dinner last night. I think it’s always better the second time. And some nice fried potatoes.”
    She sat down on the sofa and said, “Mr. Rockwell, your daughter’s going to be fine. She only has a very slight temperature; her lungs sound good. Her heartbeat is good. She only needs to get a lot of quiet sleep and come back to eating more and she’ll be fine in a few days. Go on in to see her and someone will bring your lunches,“ she said, glancing at Robert and Lily.
    Lily pushed the door open with her elbow and set Mattie’s plate down on a tray on Mattie’s lap. Mattie already looked a little better—not so pale. Lily couldn’t help but notice that Mattie’s arms, revealed by her short-sleeved hospital gown, were well muscled. That must have come from hauling all that laundry up and down.
    Robert followed with another plate, which he handed to her father while he pulled one of the nightstands over to serve as a table, and said, “We’ll be right back with silverware and drinks.”
    They returned with a big glass of milk for Mattie and a small glass of beer for her father. A little vase of fresh grape hyacinths was sitting on the windowsill, and Lily set it on Mattie’s tray. “Mr. Farleigh must have put these here for you,“ Lily said.
    Mattie smiled and raised the vase to her nose. “They smell like spring rain.”
    As Robert closed the door behind them, the cook and her skivvy were already back, passing out plates, cutlery, coffee, and tea to Miss Twibell, Miss Smith, and Miss Jones, who had chosen to eat right where they were, off the little side tables. “Be back with the rest shortly.”
    The rest of the afternoon passed quietly. Betty helped Lily with the afternoon cleaning of the pharmacy area, and Lily later joined Robert as he carried down a small basket of laundry. The laundry area was deserted but they could hear Buddy laughing.
    There was a large window facing the backyard, and they went to look. Doreen had her back to them and was wearing a big heavy shawl that Lily could tell by the vivid colors was one either Miss Smith or Miss Jones had made for her.
    Buddy was on a teeter-totter and Mr. Farleigh was on the other end of it. He wasn’t laughing, but he was smiling.
    “I’d like to have a picture of this,“ Lily said sappily.
    “Have you learned anything about him?“ Robert asked. “Whether he’s a patient or an employee?“
    “Not a thing,“ Lily lied. She hated to fib to Robert, but a promise was a promise for all time.
    Later in the afternoon, once the plates were cleared, Lily had the leisure to get to read a few of the women’s magazines that were back on the big table in front of the sofa. Robert entertained the old ladies, then took a short nap in one of the chairs and didn’t even snore.
    When Miss Twibell came back into the living room, Lily took her aside and said, “Robert made what might be a good suggestion I thought I should tell you. He thinks it might be a good idea to put in a dumbwaiter that goes between this floor and the basement.“
    “Hmm. That might work. It would save the cook the trouble of bringing the trays up, and Mattie and Betty having to haul the baskets of linens. I wonder how big it would have to be and what it would cost.“
    “Robert could ask the Harbinger brothers to come out and measure this floor, the ground floor, and the basement and see if there’s a way to do it. And you can ask them to give you a bid. We’ve hired them before. They’re good strong workers and don’t overcharge.“
    “Do ask Robert to ask them to come around to- morrow if they