Love Finds You: A Helena's Grove Novella by Ivy Alexander

always says you should walk at least three miles a day and I haven’t been walking near that. I have a lot of catching up to do.”
    “Well that explains Aunt Gabby’s excellent health and I can appreciate you wanting to be like her but you don’t have to take on her stubborn behavior, now please Jennifer.”
    Jen stopped and looked at him. Clearly he wasn’t going to give up. He tilted his head to one side, the puppy look, as Jen had come to call it.
    “Please, get in the truck?”
    The puppy face worked its magic and Jen got in. Aunt Gabby’s house was only another three blocks. She very easily could have walked, but she’d noticed something Zack had said and was ready to question him about it.
    “Do you really think Aunt Gabby is so healthy because she walks all the time?” Jen asked, trying to make the question seem natural.
    “She takes care of herself; I’m sure staying active helps.”
    “You mentioned that she’s like a mother to you. Do you ever worry at all about her health? About her getting sick? I worry about her a little.” She looked at him sideways, trying to gauge his reaction.
    “Not really. I mean, she’s seventy-five so I worry about her falling sometimes, but as far as health goes she’s probably healthier than either of us.”
    Jen was shocked. Zack didn’t know about the cancer! She briefly wondered if she should tell him.
    “It was hard going through my mother’s illness,” Zack interrupted her thoughts. “I think that’s when Aunt Gabby really started taking care of herself. She always says she’s goi ng to live till she’s a hundred,” he laughed, “and she probably will!”
    Jen didn’t know what to do. Her mind was racing. Only two things were possible at this point. Either Aunt Gabby didn’t tell anyone about her illness except Roger, or she wasn’t really sick! If she was sick, why wouldn’t she tell Zack? Of all people it seemed she would tell him. If she wasn’t sick, why had she lied to her father about having cancer?
    They reached the house and Jen thanked Zack for the ride. He acted as if he had something to say to her, but Jen cut him off and went inside quickly. Her mind was too caught up in the cluster of Aunt Gabby’s ‘illness’. She simply couldn’t focus on Zack and what had passed between them that night. Not right now. She had to think. She needed to ask Aunt Gabby if she had cancer. But how could she do that without damaging their relationship? She was a lawyer. She had been trained to ask people the right questions to get an answer. It was time she found out what was really going on. She had to know the truth. Someone was lying to her, and she wanted to know wh o .

Chapter 11
     
    “Good morning Aunt Gabby. ” Jen smiled at her as she entered the kitchen.
    “Oh Jenny honey, I wasn’t expecting you to be up. It’s still early.”
    Jen knew exactly what time it was. She had already been up for an hour, waiting for Aunt Gabby to wake so she could ask her some questions. Questions that had plagued her dreams all night.
    “I’m really starting to enjoy the mornings,” Jen said as she poured herself some coffee.
    “Well come on out here on the porch and we’ll gossip.” Aunt Gabby whispered the last word and winked at Jen. Jen laughed and followed her out the sliding door and onto the porch swing. They sat a few minutes taking in the morning air, listening to the birds as they chirped and the rooster crowing in the distance. Jen finally broke the silence.
    “I could enjoy mornings like this f or a long time.” It wasn’t a lie. She really was enjoying it.
    “Mornings are my favorite time of day,” Aunt Gabby said with a smile.
    “We don’t get mornings like this in New York.” Jen looked down at the cup of coffee in her hands. “I love the clean air here; it really makes a difference.”
    “Oh yes,” Aunt Gabby said emphatically, “clean air and clean living will help you live a hundred years.”
    Jackpot .
    “One hundred?