Of Body And Soul Read Online Free

took over the practice.” Grayson sat forward in her seat. “He helped me a great deal and I knew he'd be good for my patients. In fact, he still calls me for advice. Can you believe that?" She dropped her eyes and inhaled deeply, as if it were her last breath.
    "Oh, Grayson, I'm sorry I didn't keep in touch with you. You've been through so much. I was wrapped up in my own grief and I never took the time to consider anyone else. How selfish of me. You don't know how many times I tried to return your calls and answer your letters, but I couldn't. Then, your letters and calls stopped coming. It was kind of a relief. You know?"
    Grayson nodded in agreement. "I know, and it's okay, dear. I felt the same way after Charles died. Now we both know life goes on." She looked fondly at Andrea. “It’s so good to see you again.”
    The scratchy sound of the intercom broke up their conversation. “Good morning ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain,” he announced. “The plane is being de-iced and there will be a slight delay.” Moans and groans from the passengers filled the plane. Andrea and Grayson smiled and sat back, ready to enjoy the extra time they'd have together.
    "Aunt Grayson, what brought you to upstate New York this time of year?"
    "Do you r emember the property we had on Saratoga Lake?"
    "Yes," she smiled. "Mom and Dad brought me there every A ugust for the season."
    "They sur ely did," Grayson nodded. "Saratoga buzzed during that time. When you were a toddler, your Mom hired a nanny to take care of you, and the four of us would go off to the racetrack and lose our shirts.  When you grew older, you came with us. They were wonderful summers," she said, reminiscing.
    Andrea leaned closer to Grayson. “I recall—I was nine, maybe ten, when you purchased the summer house. You taught me to swim in Saratoga Lake. You also made my first bet at the race track."
    "It' s remarkable you remember. Your Mom would have killed me if she'd known," she smiled.
    "I recall a lot about that race track, especially the flowers. They were everywhere. Magnificent beds of red and white roses lined the entrances into the grandstands. Some of them were as large as china teacups. Huge terra cotta pots filled with showy red geraniums hung from the club house verandas. You and my Mom always wore the most beautiful straw hats and silk dresses. If I closed my eyes right now, I could hear the swish of the silk as the two of you scurried back and forth from the betting windows to the dining table.
    “ I also remember Aunt Hattie's Restaurant,” said Andrea. “It was down on that narrow side street around the corner from the Adelphi Hotel.”
    Grayson nodded. “We'd wait in line for hours.”
    “My d ad would say in his Clark Gable drawl,” she imitated, ‘Frankly my dear, I don’t give a damn how long we have to wait. Aunt Hattie makes the best damn fried chicken in the whole wide world’, and he was right. I've never tasted the likes of it again."
    "You recollect that! Did you know the only time we won on a race was when you chose the horse? Your Dad and Uncle Charles would sit for hours with handicap sheets, studying the odds. You'd choose the horse by its color or by the le ngth of its tail.” Grayson blinked, her eyes and mouth smiled. "Now, getting back to your question. I had to come to Saratoga to sign over the deed to the cottage. Truthfully, I needed to take one final look."
    "Are you sorry you sold the property?"
    "No, not really. I have the property in Taos, New Mexico, and that's where Uncle Charles and I spent most of our time, especially his last year."
    "How long are you staying in Vail ?"
    “Honestly , I don't know. A friend of mine from New York has a condo in Vail. We planned to meet in Saratoga, but when I called her, she said she was leaving New York earlier than expected. She invited me to Vail. So, I thought, why not?"
    Andrea patted Gra yson’s hand. "They say there is no such thing as coincidence. This was