“Are you coming with me?” she asked.
There was something that puzzled me. She looked confused and slightly scared, which wasn’t typical of her. Her eyes were boring into mine, as if she was trying to read my thoughts.
“Of course, if you don’t mind my company…my dear Miss.”
“You are so kind to me…sir,” she said and playfully stuck out her tongue at me.
“Oh my God! What have they done to you, my poor child?” an old woman cried out, startling us.
I quickly recognized her as Susan, one of Jill’s neighbors. She was staring at the cast with undisguised curiosity, her eyes twinkling merrily.
“I broke my leg,” Jill answered dryly.
“I warned you that you would eventually hurt yourself riding that little moped of yours,” Susan said.
“It has nothing to do with my scooter,” Jill explained and hopped toward the entrance.
“You have a new boyfriend I see,” Susan said and squinted at me through her thick glasses.
“No, I’m one of the older ones,” I said amiably.
Jill looked accusingly at me and pulled a face. Susan nodded, smiled knowingly, then continued on her way.
“I don’t think I can climb these steps,” Jill said flatly.
There were two concrete steps in front of the entrance. I realized that if she tried to climb the steps, she would probably trip. Her immobilized hip joint made her dangerously clumsy. Actually, she was able to move her casted leg only by moving her upper body.
“Why are you looking at me like that? Are you going to help me or not?” she said with irritation.