“Said he had a date with Doctor Norcot, but he will be right back. Have you seen Janet or Carol today?”
“No. Valerie told me they were riding again. Ricky flew away to join them when she heard of it.”
“Been here long?”
“No. I waited for my Dad to bring me down,” Phyllis said.
Gale looked at Phyllis, at the crutches lying on the grass at the side of the bench, and then away across the blue waters of the lake. Her eyes were narrowed in silent thought. She saw the thick growth of trees on the farther shore, the calm waters along the grassy bank almost at her feet, and the treacherous current farther out in the center of the lake, but it was not of these things she was thinking.
“Have you tried to walk today?” she asked.
“No.”
“Why not?”
Phyllis sighed. “I’ll try it some time—but now I’m too peaceful here.”
“Doesn’t your father want you to try?”