“Pappy.” Hettie rolled the word over in her mind, tasting it, unsure what she was sensing.
“Your pa’s father,” he clarified. “Sometimes you call me Grandpa Berkeley, but I like Pappy better.”
She scanned the old man’s features again and superimposed her father’s face in her mind. Maybe there was some resemblance, but didn’t all men start to look alike after a certain age?
“You don’t remember me.” “Pappy” sighed, putting his coffee cup down. “Your illness was worse than I’d expected.”
Hettie’s head throbbed, but she didn’t say anything. “I just want to be…reminded.” She wasn’t sure why, but every nerve inside her screamed caution. “It feels like it’s all on the tip of my tongue—like I’ve just woken up from a dream. Please, tell me…where am I?”
“This is your home. We’re in Jasper, Kansa
