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“I’ve heard a lot of good things about the seniors’ home in Lake Mildred.” Tori stroked their mom’s arm, but her eyes stayed on him. “It would be close to both of us so we could visit often.”
He nodded. It would be the easy choice, but was it the right one? He’d always been good at fixing things. But to make decisions for his mom? What if he made the wrong one? In the Marines, he’d learned how to succeed, how to repair a situation. But he felt out of depth here for the first time. He needed to do some recon, he realized, to make the informed choice. “If I can set up a visit tomorrow, would you be able to go?”
She looked down at their mom. Reached out to move a curl that had fallen on her face. “I’ll make sure I can.”
At least he wouldn’t be alone. At least he had Tori.
* * *
IN THEORY, SUZY finished her shift at seven a.m.
By nine-thirty that morning, she admitted things weren’t going according to plan. She still had paperwork to complete after the ambulance left with her patient who had been complaining of chest pains. Mr. Wyckoff loved to complain, but those kinds of complaints weren’t meant to be played around with.
She yawned and stretched before continuing her report on Mr. Wyckoff, noting his earlier symptoms. Rita passed by the desk with a man and woman, probably showing the facility to potential clients. She stopped the tour at the nurses’ station. “And this is one of our favorite nurses, Suzy Bylin.”
She stood and held out a hand to the woman first. “Checking us out for your parent?” She turned to face the man and paused. “Mr. Stone.”
He looked tired compared to yesterday. Worry had etched lines next to his ice blue eyes and left bags below them. He frowned at her. “I didn’t realize you worked here, Ms. Bylin.”
“I didn’t know you kept tabs on me.” She flipped over her tablet to keep the details of her report confidential. She didn’t need this; didn’t need to see the man who could make her life miserable at home and now here at work. “But I think you’ll find that we take good care of our patients. We provide not only nursing care, but activities designed to keep up their spirits while they rehabilitate.”
“You sound like the brochure.”
Mr. Stone’s frown deepened, and she felt her smile widen. He wasn’t going to bring her down. Nope, he wouldn’t ruin her day. “I only speak the truth.”
The woman next to him nudged him in the side. “I apologize for Will. He’s not usually this grumpy, but we’re worried about our mom. She fell and fractured her hip, so now we need somewhere for her to recover.”
She was his sister then. Why that thought made her feel better, Suzy didn’t want to explore. So she focused on their visit, and reached out and touched her hand. “I’m so sorry. But I can promise that your mom will get the best care here. I’ll see to it personally.”
The sister smiled and covered Suzy’s hand with her own. “That means a lot. Thank you.” Again, she nudged her brother. “Right, Will?”
He looked at his sister then at Suzy. Blinked several times. In those ice blue eyes, she could see he was out of his depth. That what was happening was not easy for him. And that made him approachable. Relatable. Her heart softened to him. Finally he gave a curt nod. “Yes.”
Suzy continued to look at him. Wanting to soothe the wrinkles in his forehead. Remove the fear and doubt shining out of his eyes. “If there are any questions you have or anything you need...”
An alarm went off, and Suzy focused on the monitors. Room thirteen, Mr. Taber. She left them and ran down the hall. Mr. Taber was lying on his bed, eyes closed. She leaned over him to check his vitals. Still breathing. Good. She noticed that his heartbeat was weak and irregular, the numbers said forty beats per minute. Without a thought, she began hands-on CPR. Rita joined her in the room and glanced at the monitors. “I paged the doctor.”
“Good. I think it’s a drug interaction. We just switched his meds last night.” She continued her compressions. She looked up from her task and saw Will watching them. “Mr. Stone, we’ll have to finish the tour later. You need to go back to the nurses’ station.”
He nodded and walked away. After a minute or so, the doctor on call arrived and took over the situation. With the group’s effort, they were able to resuscitate Mr. Taber and stabilize his condition. Suzy went back to the nurses’ station to make notes on Mr. Taber’s condition and found Will and his sister still standing there. She pasted a smile on her face again. “Sorry about your tour getting cut short.”
“Does that happen a lot?” he asked.
“Define a lot.” She shrugged. “It happens enough. But I can guarantee we will do our best to care for your mom and her needs.”
He gave a short nod, and his sister offered to shake hands again, and they did. “Nice to meet you, Miss Bylin.”
“Likewise.” And she meant it. She could sense a kindred spirit with this woman. Something about how she smiled or her concern for her mom made something inside Suzy warm towards the woman.
Mr. Stone shook her hand also but didn’t say a word before they moved down the hall with Rita, continuing their tour.
Suzy watched them leave and then got out her tablet. She needed to finish her report and go home to sleep before she did something crazy like hug Mr. Stone just because he didn’t know how to take care of his mom.
* * *
AFTER THE TOUR of Lake Mildred’s Seniors’ Home, Will drove them to the hospital to check on their mom. He kept his eyes on the road as Tori gushed about their tour. “It’s so nice there. And everyone is so friendly. Especially that one nurse, Miss Bylin.” She paused and glanced over at him. “Do you know her from somewhere? I think she went to high school with us.”
Knew her and her mother. “I know her a little.”
“She’s so cute and bubbly. I love her already.” Tori rested her chin on her fist. “I think Mom would like it there.”
“It’s going to be a hard sell no matter where we decide to leave her.”
“You talk as if we’re sending her away forever.” She shook her head. “I’m as clueless as you, but I have a good feeling about that place. Can we afford it?”
That was the big question. After leaving the hospital the night before, he had gone through his mom’s records to find the insurance papers that spelled out how much of the convalescent care would be covered, as well as their bank statements that showed how much they could pay for. Hopefully, it would be just enough. “Dad made sure Mom would be looked after. He might not have been a warm man, but he made arrangements so we’d be taken care of.”
“Good, then it’s settled. We’ll tell her today about our plan.”
“I’m warning you that she’s not going to like it no matter what we say.” He knew his mom. Knew her independent spirit. She wouldn’t be agreeing to this so easily. “She won’t want to go.”
Tori nodded and sighed. “She can be stubborn.”
“Luckily she has two kids who inherited that from her.” He gave a smile, his first since the call yesterday. Had it really only been a day since their world had shifted? It had started as a normal day but had changed in a moment with a phone call. Nothing would be the same again. He nodded. “But I agree. That’s where I’d like her to go, too.”
The exit for the hospital arrived, and Will took the exit ramp. As they got closer to the hospital, he made a vow that he’d take care of his mom. No matter what.
But that meant convincing his stubborn mother that he was right.
She folded her arms across her chest and refused to look at him. Much like a four-year-old would. He moved so that he’d be in her line of sight. “Ma, this is not up for discussion. You can’t go home right now.”
“Yes I can. I’m a grown woman who can make her own decisions.” She looked to Tori. She gave her daughter a large grin. “Baby, you think I can do it, right?”
Uh oh. Ma was dragging out the cutesy nicknames. Stay strong, Tori. Will watched his sister, willed her to hear his thoughts. They had to remain united to convince her that their plan would work.
Tori paled and shrugged. “It’s not what I think, Ma. This is what the doctors say.”
Will let out a puff of air. He’d hoped they’d be on the same page here, but when his mom pulled out the baby card...He nodded at Tori, letting her know she was on the right track. They were only doing what was right for Ma.
“Doctors.” Their mom shook her head. “What do they know?”
Will sat on the bed next to his mom. “They know that you need to recover from this surgery. And they know you can’t do it at home on your own.”
“I’ll be fine.”
Tori sat next to Will. “No you won’t. You’ll be out in the garden when you shouldn’t be. You’ll be going back to work too soon. And that’s why you’re going to the seniors’ home.”
“I promise I’ll be good.”
Yep, a four-year-old. He took his mom’s hand in his. “It’s not forever. Just for now.”
His mom shook her head and took her hand away from his. “I can’t believe you’re doing this to me. That you’re sending me to a home and forgetting me there.”
Tori pleaded, “I’ll visit you every day, Ma.”
“You just want to get rid of me.” She covered her face. “You don’t love me.”
Tori put her arms around their mom. “Don’t say that. Of course we love you.” His mom and sister burst into tears, hugging.
Frustrated, Will got up from the bed. He had to take control of this situation before they agreed to do anything his mom asked. She might be good at manipulation, but he’d learned from the best. He summoned the spirit of his father, and let the steel surrounding his heart tighten...because it was for his mother’s own good.
“That’s enough.”
Startled, his mother and sister let each other go and stared up at him. Good. He had their attention. “You’re sick, Ma. Dying even.”
Tori gasped. “Will—”
“Unless you’re willing to fight to get better.” He crouched in front of his mom. “So do you want to go home and die? Because that’s what will happen.” He used the most serious tone he could. “Or do you want to go to the seniors’ home and fight this? Be around for your kids and grandkids? Live to see your first great grandchild?”
His mom narrowed her eyes at him. Let her be angry at him. It might give her the strength she needed to beat this.
He didn’t let up on her. He clenched his fists. “You will be going into that home. You will have chemo once you’re recovered. And when the doctors clear you, you can finally go home.” He stood. “Am I clear?”
There was a pause and then Ma sighed. “You sound just like your father.”
And by that, he knew he’d won this round.
CHAPTER FOUR
SUZY TOOK HER afternoon coffee onto the deck and surveyed the backyard. Two days had passed, and she hadn’t started the clean up. Twelve days remained. She still had trash bags to drive to the dump. Old equipment to throw out. And Daddy’s car to be donated or sold.
She leaned against the railing and winced. She needed more time. She needed at least another eight hours a day for the next week to get all of this done. And if she didn’t finish in time, she’d pay a hefty fine and might lose Mama’s house.
She’d lose everything.
She walked back into the house and surveyed the cluttered kitchen and dining room. She couldn’t remember what the kitchen table looked like any more. It had been years since she’d seen it cleared off. She might have done her homework there during her high school days, but that was before Mama covered it with plastic bags, boxes and the various stuff she’d collected.
Now that Mama was gone, it was Suzy’s problem to deal with.
She put her mug in the kitchen sink and rinsed it out. Placed it face down in the wooden dish rack, a purchase she’d made after moving back in with Mama. Just one thing she’d had to do out of a million last year after her mother called for help. Her mother had put off getting medical attention until it was too late, meaning the cancer would win. And all Mama wanted was Suzy.
Her cell phone rang from the living room. She carefully moved past the stacked bundles of old newspapers and squeezed between the refrigerator and numerous boxes filled with china.
She checked the caller ID. Presley. “Hey, girl.”
“You working tonight?”
Suzy wrinkled her nose. “Don’t remind me. It’s my sixth day, and I’m ready for a day off. But Candice is on vacation, so...”
“When are we going to have a girls’ night out?”
“Soon.” She mentally reviewed her calendar. “Sunday night?”
Presley groaned. “I’ve got an early Monday. When’s your next day off?”
“Tuesday. As long as nothing else comes up.” Suzy loved her job. Usually. But these crazy hours robbed her of a social life. “And we don’t have to go crazy. Even a pizza in front of the TV sounds fabulous.”
“Pizza and TV. You got it.” Presley covered the phone, muting her conversation on the other end. Then her voice came back. “Gotta go. Vet emergency. I’ll call you.”
Then she was gone.
Suzy sat on the couch and rested her head. Okay. Time to get organized. Make some lists. She looked around the living room. Mama had to have a notebook and pen around here somewhere, right?
After searching several boxes and piles, she gave up. She’d get those from the drugstore in town. A walk would do her good. Get her out. Clear her mind. Give her a moment to collect herself. And then she could come up with a plan.
She didn’t bother locking the front door. Just grabbed her wristlet purse and left. The town hadn’t had a problem with crime in years. Plus, if they wanted to rob Mama’s house, it might make things easier on her in the end.
She took a can of cat food from her jacket pocket and used the ring to pull back the top. It was easy to find the empty dish at the end of Mr. Fletcher’s deck—where it always was—and she emptied the food onto it. She called out to Snowflake, but didn’t hear an answering meow. Maybe the cat was napping in the house and would eat later. She then left her neighbor’s yard and walked down the driveway and on towards town.
The walk took less than ten minutes, but it felt good to be outside with the sun on her back. To be free from the house and its issues. To leave her grief behind for just a moment.
She passed by the elementary school where kids played on the swings and chased each other. One of the playground monitors waved to Suzy then approached her. “I’ve been meaning to stop by and see how you’re doing.”
Mrs. Drayton had been a friend of Mama’s as long as Suzy could remember. She shrugged. “I’m okay.” Mrs. Drayton peered at her, and Suzy was tempted to squirm a little. Okay, a lot. “Really. I’m fine.”
“When I lost my mother, I stayed in bed for weeks.”
Suzy hadn’t been given that choice. “It’s been six months.”
Mrs. Drayton nodded. “Call me if you need anything, sweetie. Anything.”
“I appreciate that.”
A scream from the slide got Mrs. Drayton’s attention, and she excused herself to take care of a crying child.
Suzy could appreciate the concern that people had for her, but she was okay. Usually. She’d discovered how strong she was after spending months bathing and feeding Mama. Doing things for her that no daughter should be expected to. But she’d done it with a smile because that’s what Mama had needed. And being needed had felt good.
Suzy continued towards Main Street, passing the town hall before reaching the drug store. Inside, she found Mr. Stone talking to the cashier. Ducking behind one of the shelves, she snuck back to the office supplies and grabbed a notebook and pack of pens. She popped her head up to see if he had left. Whew. It was clear. She took her purchases to the cashier and added some bubble gum.
Chewing her gum, she stepped outside and started for home. She had just gone beyond the town hall steps when she heard her name being called. She turned and spotted Mr. Stone coming towards her.
Crud.
She pasted a smile on her face. “Mr. Stone, what a surprise.”
He stopped a couple feet from her. “I wanted to check in to see how things are going at your mother’s house.”
Double crud. “Fine.” Her cheeks hurt from keeping the smile on her face. She held up her shopping bag. “Bought some supplies so I can make a game plan for the clean up.”
He frowned at the bag. “Make a plan? You haven’t started? You only have...”
“Twelve days, I know.” She shifted her weight to the other foot. Wanted to leave, but it would probably be considered rude. “You don’t have to worry.”
“Still I think I’ll check in on you early next week.”
She shook her head. She didn’t need to be checked on like a child. She could do this. She was capable. Strong. “You don’t have to do that.”
His frown deepened. “Something tells me that I should.” He looked her up and down. “I won’t keep you.”
“So I can go home and work on the backyard? How kind of you.” She blew a bubble and let it pop. “Have a splendid day, Mr. Stone.”
“Likewise, Miss Bylin.”
* * *
WILL NOTICED TORI’S car outside the hospital when he arrived after work. He locked his car and walked up to the entrance. The coffee stand in the lobby called his name, but he’d need to sleep later. Not that he’d had much luck the past three nights.
Tori stood at the door of their mom’s room, leaning on the wall. Head down, arms crossed. Will went up to her and put his arm around her shoulder. “Everything, okay?”
Tori looked up at him, the skin below her eyes puffy and dark. She looked tired. Lost. And a little scared. “The doctor is giving her an exam now. I think they’ll be moving her to the nursing home soon.”
“Already?”
“They’ve done all that they can do here. She needs to recuperate in a home.”
Will nodded. He’d expected this. With the plans in place to send her to the Lake Mildred seniors’ home, it wasn’t a matter of if but when they moved her there. In his mind, the sooner, the better. Then they could all move forward. “Good.”
Tori shrugged. “I guess.”
“It’s a positive sign. Shows that she’s improving.” He rubbed her arm. “It’s going to be okay.”
“You can’t guarantee that. Her hip is repairing, but she still has cancer.” She held her hands to her face. “She could die. And then where would I be?”
“She’s too stubborn to die.” But did he really believe it? Yes, his mom was one tough cookie. But cancer had a way of making the strongest person frail and helpless.
He couldn’t think like that. Had to stay positive. Had to focus on the mission: getting his mom into the home and healed so she could start chemo. That was the plan. That was the goal.
Tori looked up at him. “I haven’t heard from our sisters. Have you?”
Will shrugged. “Are you really surprised by that? They’ve made it clear they don’t want anything to do with Ma or us.” He shook his head. “When’s the last time they were here for Christmas? Or even called.”
“Carol calls Ma every month.”
“To ask for money.” He hit his fist against his thigh. “I don’t get it, Tori. Ma didn’t do anything to deserve this. What did she ever do to them?”
“She didn’t protect them from Dad.” She frowned. “Sometimes it wasn’t the belt that hurt most. It was the names.”
He could still hear his dad’s voice after all these years. Loser. Worthless. Useless. Good for nothing.
“That wasn’t Ma’s fault.”
There was surprise etched on her face. “You’re defending her? That’s a switch.”
“I’m not that harsh.”
“Except when you want her to do what you want.”
He knew that would come back and bite him in the end. He took a long, deep breath. “She has to go to the home. She can’t live on her own and expect to get better. You know it as well as I do.”
“Sure, but you were so...” She seemed to be searching her brain for the right word. “Cruel.”
Had he been? Is that how they’d seen him? “Tough love isn’t cruel. It’s necessary.”
“And I’m sure Dad would have said the same thing.” She pushed off the wall. “I need some air.”
She started to walk down the hall. Will called after her. “Am I really like Dad?”
His sister stopped and turned. “Sometimes,” she said, and then she turned back and kept on walking.
* * *
WHEN SUZY DROVE UP to the seniors’ home, she noticed the ambulance near the entrance. The lights weren’t flashing, so that was a good sign. Maybe a new patient arriving? Or an old one leaving? She checked the ambulance but noted no one was inside.
In the break room, Suzy punched in and checked the assignment sheet before arriving at her usual station. As she walked, she pulled her hair back into a ponytail and secured it with a rubber band. There was activity down the hall. Two medics were pushing an empty gurney and she waved at them as they left.
A new patient then.
Which meant she’d be spending most of her evening monitoring the room and answering the tons of questions her new patient would have. She smiled. She loved meeting people.
Carly came up to her at the station. “Is it almost seven already? No wonder I’m tired.”
“We get new blood?”
Carly glanced down the hall and nodded. “You’ll like her. She’s feisty. Right up your alley.”
Suzy nodded. “The family?”
“Worried, of course.” Carly leaned in. “The son is a real looker, FYI.”
They shared a giggle then squelched it as the person in question strode out of the patient’s room. Mr. Stone. Suzy’s giggle died in her throat. Couldn’t she get away from the man?
He approached the nurses’ station. “Miss Bylin, thank God you’re here.”
She frowned. That wasn’t the reaction she’d been expecting. “What can I do for you, Mr. Stone?”
“My mother is being...” He sighed. “Difficult. Could you give me a hand?”
Carly looked between Suzy and Mr. Stone, questions written on her face. She nudged Suzy who nodded. “Of course. Let me just get my things, and I’ll meet you in her room.”
After he left, Carly spoke, but dropped her voice. “You know that guy?”
“A little.” She shrugged and grabbed her tablet. Turned it on. Wound her stethoscope around her neck. “If you need to take off before I’m finished, I’ll just read over your notes later.”
“You go ahead. Let me know what happens.” Carly winked at her.
Suzy shook her head as she walked down the hall to room twenty-three. Inside, Mr. Stone and his sister glared at the older woman in the bed. She took a deep breath and rushed in. “Am I in luck or what? A new friend in my wing.”
The woman merely stared at her, her upper lip clenched behind her lower. This was going to be a tough one.
Suzy clicked on the room information, but obviously Mrs. Stone hadn’t been there long enough for her files to get uploaded. She placed her tablet on the side table and moved around the bed instead. Noticed the stiff way her patient rested, favoring her right side. “They give you a new hip?”
Mrs. Stone turned to look at her children. Her son shook his head. “Repaired a fracture.”
“Those aren’t any fun, are they?” Suzy fussed with the pillows behind Mrs. Stone’s head though they looked fine. She observed how her new patient stayed quiet. Sullen. She warmed the stethoscope on her hand then placed it on Mrs. Stone’s chest. Moving into a facility could cause anxiety, and she wanted to check her heart. She paused a moment, listening. Sounded normal. “At least you’ll belong to me while you get better.”
Mr. Stone cleared his throat. “That was my request.”
She jerked her head up and stared at him. Interesting. Maybe he didn’t think she was so hopeless after all. “Well, thank you. I’m thrilled to care for your mom.” She tugged at the blanket and smoothed it out. Then she checked the leads for the monitors to make sure everything had been hooked up right. “Can I get you something, Mrs. Stone? Glass of water? Piece of pie?”
“You can get me out of here.”
Suzy laughed as if that was the first time she’d heard that. “Absolutely. Once the doctor gives you the all clear, I’ll be glad to wheel you out to your car.”