Joanna said to herself the next morning as she backed the car onto the main road. An early riser, a woman filled with quiet wisdom and strong conviction, Marcella was always at her kitchen table by five-thirty every morning to read and meditate. If anyone could help Joanna sort through her turmoil, it’d surely be Auntie. Truth was, she’d outlived two husbands. “What a surprise!” Marcella exclaimed when she greeted Joanna at her front door a short time later. “And what a relief to see you back on your feet.” “Oh, Auntie!” Joanna enveloped the older woman in a gentle hug. She felt so small and frail, Joanna marveled she hadn’t fractured any bones that day she fell. “I’m sorry I couldn’t help when you needed me.” “Nonsense, child.” They drew back, surveying each other at arm’s length. “All I did was get a little bump on my head,” Marcella continued. “I’m still not sure why Austin insisted on rushing me to the hospital—though he was such a dear.”
