Just Lucky by Melanie Florence

Author:Melanie Florence
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Second Story Press
Published: 2019-08-28T20:20:42+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

Care Facility

It took three buses and a subway ride to get to the place where they had taken my grandmother. The second the doors swung open, I was greeted by an atmosphere I could only describe as calming. There was classical music tinkling away in the background, and I immediately caught the scent of what I thought was lavender and vanilla in the air. The lights were comfortably set—not too bright, not too dark—and there was a fresh arrangement of flowers on the front desk.

“Excuse me.” I waited for a receptionist in muted colors to finish typing something into the computer. She looked up and smiled widely.

“How may I help you?” she asked in a soft voice.

“Hi. I’m here to visit my grandmother. Daisy Robinson?”

“Just one moment,” she said, typing into her computer again. “Okay…I’m going to have someone come and get you,” she said. “Just have a seat.” I nodded and walked over to a cream-colored sofa. It looked like it cost more than all of the furniture we had at our old house.

ME: I’m at the care facility. You should see it. It’s like a Four Seasons

RYAN: You’ve never been to a Four Seasons

ME: True. But it’s how I imagine a Four Seasons

RYAN: Ha. Give her my love

ME: I will.

“Miss Robinson?” I looked up from my phone, nodding. “I’m Nalda. I’m your grandmother’s nurse.”

“Hi.” I shook her hand, which was stronger than I would have given her credit for.

“I’ll take you to see your grandmother in a second, but I thought I’d better talk to you first,” she said.

“Okay.”

“Your grandmother is having a bad day,” she told me.

“Oh. Okay. Well, I’m sure I can cheer her up.”

“No. Sorry. I should have been clearer. Alzheimer’s patients can have bad days sometimes. She’s confused today. You should be prepared for that. She doesn’t remember where she is.”

“Alzheimer’s? But…she hasn’t been diagnosed…” I trailed off.

“The doctors have diagnosed her.”

“Oh. I…see. Okay.” My heart sank. She had been fine at the hospital when I visited. I figured she’d be ready to go home soon.

“So if you’re ready, I’ll take you to her room. She has a few of her things, but if you could bring things that remind her of home, I think it would help her adjust.”

“All right. I’ll try.”

She led me down a long hall, past a big room where men and women sat together playing cards and chatting happily. This place looked so much nicer than the hospital. I bet Grandma was cleaning up at poker or whatever they were playing. She loved cards but wouldn’t gamble real money. Wherever my mother had picked up her gambling addiction, it wasn’t from her parents.

“Right in here,” Nalda said, gesturing at the door.

“Okay. Thanks.” I knocked and waited.

“Who’s there?” I recognized my grandmother’s voice but not the tone. She sounded shaky. Uncertain. And my grandmother was neither shaky nor uncertain. Grandma was strong.

I opened the door and poked my head into the room. She was in bed with the lights out except for a bedside lamp.

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