Love Finds You: A Helena's Grove Novella Read Online Free

She was here to spend time with her dying aunt. She hoped he understood that was why she was there. She would hate to have to tell him to back off and give her and her aunt some space. She didn’t want to be that person, but she would if she had to.
    “How long are you planning on staying?” Zack’s question brought Jen out of her thoughts.
    “My plans extend through the summer. I’ll have to get back to New York before September; set up my new office.”
    “Are you getting a new job?” Zack asked.
    Jen froze, she had slipped. She couldn’t tell Aunt Gabby that she was going to become partner at the end of the summer. She would definitely wonder why she was getting promoted after being gone for three months. Her mind whirled and she had a hard time finding words. She scolded herself inwardly. You’re a lawyer for hell’s sake, think! She remembered reading somewhere that the brain can process thousands of thoughts per minute. So, come up with something! While it seemed to her that she stalled for an unnatural amount of time, she was able to pull it together before either of her companions noticed her mistake.
    “We are in the process of moving some of the offices around. The firm is growing and it’s time to do some rearranging.” She smiled and nodded, trying to look confident in her lie.
    “I’m glad things are going so well for you and Roger,” Aunt Gabby offered.
    “Thank you, we’ve worked hard to make it so.”
    Zack said nothing but seemed to be listening intently. When Jen looked at him he simply smiled and went back to his pancakes. Crises averted. But she was feeling strangely guilty, though she couldn’t understand why. Why should she feel guilty about telling Aunt Gabby about her father’s plans to promote her to partner? In reality it was going to happen. So, why had she lied? As a lawyer you have to be willing to twist the truth; not lie necessarily, but “twist” the truth so the jury can see things your way. That’s all she had done. They didn’t need to know the truth so she didn’t tell them the truth. That’s all… that was all.
    That night Jen had a hard time sleeping. She realized she didn’t want Aunt Gabby to feel hurt about the reason she was there. She didn’t want her to know that her Dad had to bribe her with a fancy new office, major pay raise and a new title as partner to get her to come here. You’re going soft Jen , she said to herself. One month ago you couldn’t care less what anyone thought or felt . She rolled onto her side and slipped one hand under her pillow. She tucked her legs in and curled up tight, pulling the blanket to her chin. And then she realized… she had gone soft. In less than a month she had learned to love her little old aunt. She felt a pain in her chest as she thought of her father’s words that day at the hotel, “ She is unwell… cancer for some time… wants to see us before she goes. ” Jen had never met a spryer, upbeat woman. Aunt Gabby was more fit than some woman half her age. She didn’t act like she was sick. Jen hadn’t seen any pills or medical things around the house. Aunt Gabby did go to bed fairly early every night, but older people did that. There was really nothing to indicate that she was close to death. Strange. Very strange.
    As she started to drift into sleep, the events of the last few weeks played in her head. Pie, gardens, air plane, Annie; she smiled to herself, remembering Zack’s description of his sister. The thoughts continued… Aunt Gabby, cancer, the firm, partner, coffee; another smile escaped her lips as she remembered Zack mopping up spilled coffee as she threatened to stab him with a kitchen knife – poor man. He had to understand, she was a New Yorker after all. It’s weird to wake up with a strange person in your house. But this wasn’t her house. In a way, she supposed it was as strange for Zack to see her there as it was the other way around. Jen’s mind started to slow and sleep began to