A Case for Forgiveness. Carol Ross

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      “I think he’s heading over here. Are you going to—save him, I mean?”

      Shay turned to fiddle with the bingo cage so Jonah couldn’t read her lips. “Not. A. Chance.”

      Janie snickered.

      “As a matter of fact—I think we both deserve to go home early tonight. Or even better, Janie, how about a drink at the Cozy Caribou? Text our good buddies, Laurel and Emily, and see if we can meet up.”

      “But I’m supposed to call the numbers next.”

      “Oh, Janie, my dear, sweet cousin-slash-friend—watch and learn.”

      “Good evening, ladies,” Jonah said as he approached them.

      “Hey, Jonah,” Janie said.

      “Hi, having fun?” Shay asked.

      “Yes,” he said sarcastically. “I can only think of about eight-thousand things I’d rather be doing.”

      Shay frowned.

      “Hey,” he continued with a laugh. “I’m here, aren’t I? And I have been stamping away over there like a madman in case you haven’t noticed. I’m probably going to end up with carpal tunnel.”

      He’d obviously intended to goad her.

      “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I am kind of having a good time.”

      His smile seemed entirely genuine, and Shay felt her insides begin to melt along with her resolve.

      “And Gramps is loving it.”

      She considered aborting her plan.

      “I also find it highly amusing that this is what you choose to do with your free time.”

      That comment shifted her right back into action.

      “You think it’s funny that we donate our free time to the Seniors’ Circle, where the money earned here tonight goes to the hospital’s home hospice outreach? For hospice care like your nana had before she passed away.”

      “Shay, I was joking. I’m—”

      “Why can’t you believe it?” Janie interrupted.

      Shay answered for him, “Because he’s a rich and important attorney in Chicago and a community game of charity bingo in his Podunk hometown is far beneath him. He’s been spending the entire evening thinking about how much money he’s losing by being here and wondering how lonely his car is at home without him.”

      Jonah’s jaw tightened, but Shay noticed he didn’t deny it. “Well, I think the important thing is that I’m here.”

      Shay applauded. “Praise for Jonah for spending time with his grandfather.”

      “And you know Shay, you don’t have to be so—”

      “Honest? I know, it’s a fault.”

      Janie’s eyes widened, and then she tried to hide a smile. “I’m just going to go use the ladies’ room before my, uh, shift.” She pointed and walked away.

      “I thought we were going to try and get along,” Jonah said, crossing his arms over his chest. “For Gramps’s sake?”

      “Yeah, well, you started in with your snarky comments.”

      “Why are you so touchy tonight?”

      “Look, I’m sorry, Jonah. I—”

      “You know, disliking something doesn’t mean you think you’re superior to it—it means you don’t like it. I don’t like Japanese food either, but I don’t think I’m superior to the country of Japan.”

      Okay, he had a point there—sort of, but that was irrelevant. She needed to change her tune if she was going to get the rest of the night off and, more to the point, take the big-city attorney down a peg or two.

      “Yeah, Jonah, you’re probably right. I’m just stressed, I think. Worried about your gramps, worried about Hannah, I’ve got staffing issues at the inn, and I’m...tired.”

      She saw the flicker of surprise in his eyes at her attitude change. Then his shoulders sunk slightly, his face softened as his hands slid into the back pockets of his jeans. She knew sympathy when she saw it.

      Reel him in, she told herself—nice and easy.

      She reached over and slowly started spinning the basket that contained the little colored balls. They began tumbling over one another. There had been a call a few years ago for an electronic bingo machine, but Shay was glad the Seniors’ Circle had opposed the upgrade. To her, bingo just wouldn’t be the same without the metal basket full of wooden balls making that distinctive clacking noise. The sound also served to alert the troops that the time had come to pipe down, which they were beginning to do already.

      Shay leaned over and casually announced the pattern for the coming round. She slowed the rotation of the basket until a ball released and rolled down the chute. Then she reached over and plucked the ball from the little cup where it landed. She picked it up...and made a sound of despair as it slipped through her fingers, landing on the floor and bouncing out of sight. Half of the crowd let out a collective groan, most of the other half looked around in bewilderment, while a smattering of flirtatious yell-talking continued.

      Jonah bent to look for the ball while Shay took a step back. After a few seconds Jonah reached down and then promptly stood, proudly holding the ball aloft like a hard-won carnival prize.

      “Oh, Jonah, thank you,” she said with relief. “Can you go ahead and read it?” She blinked and squinted and pointed at her eye, motioning that she had something in it.

      Jonah obliged. “N-35,” he cooed into the microphone. “N-35.”

      “Shoot,” Shay said when he glanced over at her again. She bent to her knees. “Now I dropped my contact. Would you mind calling the next number, too?”

      “Uh...sure.” He nodded and then reached over and began spinning the basket. “Like this?” He slowed the rotation until the next ball clicked into position.

      “That’s great,” she gushed. “You’re a natural.”

      “N-31,” he called smoothly. “N-31.”

      Shay crawled farther away as Jonah went ahead with the next sequence and then the next. Finally, she rose and scurried over to where Janie waited by the door with their coats and bags.

      “Masterful,” Janie said with a giggle as she handed over Shay’s belongings.

      “Thank you.” She executed a quick bow. She looked at Jonah and watched his face transform from bewilderment to understanding as he realized what she was doing. He narrowed his eyes menacingly as Shay gave him two thumbs up. She added a wave over her shoulder as she and Janie strolled out the door.

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