This had been the reason for Nicole staying at her grandmother's side. She didn't want Marvin or Lynne near her; because she knew one of them had caused this latest episode.
"I spoke to the doctor," Lynne said quietly. "They said she won't make it past the end of the week."
"Nanna's survived this long, I'm hoping that's not true, but I'm also realistic." She stood up and went to Nanna's side as if to protect her. "Why are you here?" She had her back to Lynne.
"I wanted to see her."
"You should have done that a long time ago, Lynne when she was well. If you came to make peace with her, you're a little too late."
"I didn't come here for a fight, Nicole. I came to see you and my mother."
"You still think of her as that?"
"I can't deny her."
"You've denied me; I figured you were on a roll."
Lynne bit her lip. "Like I said Nicole, I didn't come here for a fight." She came closer to the bed, but kept her distance as if she were scared to get any closer. "You were the daughter she wished she had in me."
Nicole faced Lynne. "Someone had to give her joy after Ecole died."
"It wasn't fair that she tried to make me into someone I wasn't."
"That's not what she was asking. She just wanted you to be happy. That's all Nanna ever wanted from anyone. You were ashamed of her." She took Nanna's hand. "Make your peace and leave."
"I can't think of what to say now that you're both here. I've always thought about what I would say to you when the time came Nicole, but now that it's here, I can't think of what would make the hurt go away."
"Nothing. Nothing you could say would make me believe you were sorry for the abuse I've suffered because of you. Nanna always said action speaks louder than any words."
"Then there's nothing I could do."
"Nothing."
Lynne bowed her head in defeat and quietly left.
Quietly to herself, Nicole said looking at Nanna, "She could have tried." Yet it wasn't in Lynne's nature to try to think of something to make things better. Guilt was probably plaguing her and came down her to see what her handiwork had wrought.
Near four o'clock she received a message from Ethan telling her to meet him near downtown at a new apartment complex they were in the process of working on. She really wanted to go and called Cleo to see if she could bring her daughter for just a couple of hours.