Crazy For You by Marie Higgins Page B

more meaningfully. Love burst in her chest, making tears fall from her eyes. She broke the kiss and held him tight.
    Why did the most wonderful man in the world come into her life for so short a time?

Chapter Eight
     
    When Kendra awoke the next morning, Eli was gone. She found it strange that his belongings were still here. Perhaps he couldn’t take them back…however he traveled to the future since she know he didn’t come in a car.
    Sighing deeply, she held back the tears, knowing they’d come forth at any moment. How could she go on without him? Knowing she would never see him again broke her down, and she sobbed . Her heavy chest and throbbing head made it so she couldn’t go to work.
    The day passed slowly, and the night was just as bad. Memories from when they’d spent time together came tumbling back, and the pain of missing him filled her greater than before. Although she didn’t think she had tears left to shed, she cried a bucket-full.
    The next morning she forced herself to go to work, even with puffy eyes. When she entered through the front door, George’s eyes widened, his mouth gaping. “Good heavens , woman. What’s wrong?”
    She opened up and told him everything, even about Eli being from the future, and especially about Terrel . George remained supportive and encouraged her to continue in her pursuit in helping out Joshua.
    After a long day at work, she closed the shop and returned home. Loneliness overwhelmed her. She couldn’t stay in this apartment one minute longer without going crazy.
    Her gaze fell on the stack of papers she and Eli had copied from Terrel’s secret folder.
    Joshua Smith.
    Yes, she could go see him. The mental institution was only an hour’s drive away, so she still had time.
    She ran in to fix her hair and make-up, then hurried out to the car. Excitement made her heart leap and gave her a brighter outlook. She tried to tell herself she didn’t want to see Joshua just because Eli resembled him...but wasn’t that the main reason for her enthusiasm?
    No. Joshua was a completely different person. He wasn’t Eli.
    Although...what if he was just as charming as his son? She grinned. Eli certainly took the prize for sweeping her off her feet in such a short amount of time. Eli had even mentioned his father had been a sweet-talker in his younger years, which were really these years in her time.
    Moisture gathered in her palms the closer she came to the hospital. Joshua Smith. She had to remember this was the name they listed him under.
    When she parked her car and walked through the front doors, her legs shook. Even her knees knocked together. She wrung her hands against her stomach and held her shoulders straight as she made her way to the receptionist desk.
    An older, silver-haired woman looked up from the book she was reading and smiled.
    “Hello,” Kendra greeted. “I hope visiting hours are not over. I’ve traveled quite a ways to see someone.”
    The other woman shook her head. “There’s still another hour to go before we close the doors.”
    Kendra sighed, placing her hand on her chest. “Good.”
    “Who is it you’re here to see?”
    “Joshua Smith.”
    The lady’s white bushy eyebrows drew together, and she opened the patient logbook and thumbed through it. “Really? In the three years I’ve worked here, I’ve not known one time when someone came to visit Joshua.”
    Kendra ’s heartbeat hammered against her ribs, the beat pounding through her head just as fast. “Why?”
    The woman met her stare. “I don’t know. I thought he didn’t have any family.” She smiled. “But I guess I was wrong. You are family, aren’t you?”
    Kendra tried not to let out a relived sigh. “Yes. I’m his first cousin on his mother’s side, Kendra Whitaker.”
    The other woman snapped the book closed and stood. “Then I’m certain Joshua will be thrilled to see someone.” She walked behind the desk. “Like I said, he hasn’t had any visitors for as long as I