Chapter 221

Edie's alarm woke her with Alan Jackson singing "I'll go on loving you," one of her favorites. She lay and listened to the song and imagined Tom's handsome face in front of her. Then quiet.

Wonder where Gramps is? He usually has the coffee going, and I don't even smell it.

She grabbed her robe from the floor where it had fallen during the night and headed down the steps. In the kitchen, she saw everything exactly the same as she left it last night.

"Gramps, where are you?" she hollered as she reached the bottom of the steps. When she stood outside his bedroom door, she breathed deeply. Surely, he was okay. She knocked and yelled, "Gramps." No answer.

She slowly opened the door. He was in his bed, covered with one of Grandma's quilts. He must have overslept. He looked so comfortable. She hurried to his side and shook his shoulder. "Gramps, come on, wake up, sleepyhead." No response. Then she ran her fingertips over his cheek, it was cold. Oh no! She held his hand and then laid h