“Okay. Thanks.”
“I’m going in. I have to write to my brother and see how my mother’s doing. She hasn’t been well.”
“Sorry to hear that.”
“She’s getting up in age and I worry about her.”
“Does she live with your brother?”
“She does and he takes very good care of her. Are you coming in?”
“It’s such a nice night, I think I’ll sit for just a bit longer.”
Sylvia gave her shoulders an affectionate squeeze. “I’m enjoying you being here, Eddy.”
“And I’m enjoying being here as well.”
Sylvia went in and Eddy sat. The breeze stirred the air enough that the sweltering heat had abated a great deal. In the background was the muted drumming of the mining pumps, and she thought about Sylvia’s story of her husband and Dr.Randolph. What a sad tale. Life had certainly changed for Sylvia, just as it had for her. For now though, her life was good, and because it was, the call of California remained, but it wasn’t as strong or consuming. She supposed if she had to stay in Virginia City she could, especially now that she’d met Ezekiel, but she hadn’t given up on her dream to have her own place. That remained steady and firm. She refused to think about what staying might mean for her and Rhine though because she just didn’t know.