“Hannah, it is so good of you to come by. I was just telling Simon that we needed to visit with you and Theo soon.”
“Oh, that is so kind of you Grace. Truth is, now that Ginni has come home we are a lot busier working with her. We hardly ever go out anymore.”
“How is Ginni doing? It’s been two weeks since she awoke hasn’t it?”
“Three. We were sitting in her room at the Hospice when she opened her eyes. Not like waking up slowly but just all of a sudden. Scared the bejesus out of Theo. He almost screamed.”
“I am so glad she’s doing better. Ginni is such a sweet girl. It brings back my faith in a loving God.”
“Mine too Grace. I must admit that for a while there I wavered. But how are you and Simon doing?”
Mrs. Peters’ face took on a thoughtful expression. “We’re doing well enough. I’m not sure what got into my son there at school but he’s not the same boy I sent away.”
“How so?” asked Hannah politely.
“Simon has become unusually kind and thoughtful. You remember how he used to go around playing jokes on everyone. Now he goes out of his way to help others, sometimes to a fault. Just yesterday he let my milk spoil on the way home from the store as he helped Old Man Pritchard change the tire on his tractor.”
“I would hardly complain about that Grace. Sounds like he’s become as fine a young man as Theo and I always thought he was.”
“Thank you Hannah. Lord knows I tried but without his father around, the boy got away from me. Would you like some more iced tea?”
Hannah Shelton smiled widely. “I would love some Grace. Thank you. By the way, the doctor thinks that Ginni won’t need any more medical care after tomorrow. And her amnesia should pass soon as well. He said that we should invite over anyone that she ever had deep feelings for. It might ‘jog her memory’ he says.”
They looked out the window to see Simon happily mowing the lawn.
“He’s so different.” Grace thought out loud. “It’s like having my little boy back.”
Simon had been spending his time working around the house with the assistance of Jody. They fixed up the back door, patched the roof and finished a dozen other little chores. In the evenings they dragged out old photos from the attic. He regaled all of them, Grace, Jody and his latest girl, a young cashier named Amy whom he seemed particularly smitten by, with wild tales that Gertrude passed along years ago. Simon showed a marked interest in his Grandmother recently. Grace didn’t understand it but she didn’t need to either. Because it was good.
“Hannah, Simon and I would be delighted to come by any time and see Ginni. He wrote many letters home about her, before…”
Hannah nodded wisely. “She did too. She loves him a great deal.”
The two women sat in silent comfort, imagining the bright future that lay ahead for their children. Unfortunately, neither of them looked out the window in time to see Simon letting the air out of Mrs. Shelton’s tires.
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