That late evening, after everyone had gone, Ms. Noel finally said her good nights to everyone and went to bed in one of the guest rooms downstairs that we had planned on making a permanent bedroom for her.
After I had washed the last dish, Jeffery caught me off guard. In one swift sweep, he’d grabbed me up and hugged me so tight he nearly knocked the wind out of me. As he held me, he spoke through choked tears. “Thank you so much for bringing my aunt home.” He sniffled. “You don’t know how long I’ve been trying to get her to come live with me. No matter what you say, once my aunt gets a notion in her head, you can’t talk her into nothin’!” The genuine gratitude in Jeffery’s tearful eyes touched me.
Tears began to sting my eyes. “Don’t beat yourself up, Jeff. She’s here now. I’m going to
