Jean looked up.
She saw Elmer standing by the shelves.
She looked at him for a long moment. Her face was blank. Polite. The way you look at a stranger on a bus.
Then something flickered.
“Elmer?” she said.
Elmer’s face crumpled.
“I’m here, Jeannie,” he said. “I’m right here.”
“You look old,” she said.
He laughed. A wet, broken laugh. “I am old, honey.”
“When did that happen?”
“While you weren’t looking.”
She held out her hand to him.
He came over and took it. He helped her up off the mattress. Slowly. Carefully. Like she was made of glass.
She leaned against him. He put his arm around her.
And they walked out of Room 18 together. Past me in the doorway. Past Mark. Down the east hallway, under the moths, toward the office.
Jean was humming.
You are my sunshine.
Gabby stayed kneeling on the floor for a long moment after they left.
