Risk of Falling

by Syndi Powell

  Suzy remembered needing someone when she’d been taking care of Mama. Pres had tried, but she hadn’t understood. “I think that would be nice. Maybe set something up for next week.”

  Tori smiled then leaned in to kissed her mother’s cheek. “Lovey,” said and left the room.

  Suzy rearranged the blankets and switched off the bedside lamp.

  “Did she go?”

  “How long have you been awake?”

  “Long enough. Now you leave too.”

  Suzy stood at the window and gazed out at the atrium. “It’s getting close to that time when all the leaves will be off the trees, and snow will frost the branches instead.”

  “Good thing you became a nurse and not a poet.”

  “I do love working with my patients.” Suzy turned to face her. “Especially the crabby ones.”

  Mrs. Stone’s frown deepened. “I have a reason to be crabby.”

  “I heard.” She walked forward and took a seat on the side of Mrs. Stone’s bed. “So what are you thinking? Feeling?”

  “I think I want to go home because what’s the point of being here if I’m going to die anyway?” Mrs. Stone crossed her arms over her chest. “And I feel that my children don’t understand why I feel that way.”

  “Because they don’t want to think of you as gone.” Suzy adjusted her legs so that she could get comfortable. Half of her job was taking care of the physical condition of her patients, but she didn’t neglect the emotional side either. “When my mom got diagnosed with cancer, she wanted to give up. She didn’t want to do chemo or anything.”

  “And did she die?”

  “Yes, without treatment, she died. For almost a year, I watched my mom waste away to nothing. And I knew things could have been different if she’d just.... I don’t know. Tried to do something. Anything.”

  Mrs. Stone put her hand on Suzy’s. “Sweetie, I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

  “It’s not something I share with everyone.” Suzy got off the bed and straightened the covers. “But I always wonder what would have happened if she’d fought the cancer. She might still be here. I might have gone to her house next month for Thanksgiving. But I won’t know that because she gave up.”

  Mrs. Stone swallowed with some effort. “I don’t know if I have the strength to fight.”

  “I can understand that. But you won’t know if you don’t try, right? And you have two wonderful kids who are willing to be there for you. To keep you going when you can’t go on. That’s got to mean something.”

  “Did my son put you up to this?” She narrowed her eyes at Suzy.

  “No. This is close to the speech I wish I’d given my mom. But I was too afraid.”

  “It was a good speech.”

  Suzy knew her words were only as effective as their effect. She sighed. “Did it change your mind about treatment?”

  “No.” Mrs. Stone gave a short nod. “But it did give me something to think about.”

  Suzy took a deep breath. “Then I’ll leave you to do some thinking.”

  She headed for the door, but turned around when Mrs. Stone called her name. “How could you watch your mom waste away like that?”

  “She asked me to move in and take care of her. Which I did, no problem. I took a leave from work so I could focus all my attention on her. She was my mom, and I loved her. But I wish I could have had more time.”

  “We all want more time.”

  Suzy nodded and left the room.

  * * *

  MR. STEPPEY GLARED at Will and planted his feet firmly in the ground. “It’s my yard, so it’s my business.”

  “When the condition of the yard causes public concern, it becomes my job.” Will glanced beyond the man through the window to the yard where the grass grew over a foot tall. “Tall grass attracts vermin which carry disease.”

  “Are you implying that I have rats?”

  Will took a deep breath and shook his head. Too much of his job involved diplomacy that he’d had to learn quickly in his position. “I’m not implying anything. I’m stating that the condition of the backyard could attract them. I’ve already given you two warnings. Since this is my third, I’ll be sending a crew to mow your lawn. At your expense.”

  The older man frowned even more if that was possible. “You should be ashamed, trying to squeeze money out of an elderly man. I’m on a fixed income, son.”

  Will knew that. He also knew that Mr. Steppey was a widower with a son who rarely visited. He also had difficulty walking much less mowing a lawn. Will bit his lip. “Listen. I have two nephews who would be willing to mow your lawn and do any yard work. I can bring them over after school later today.”

  Mr. Steppey studied him, and Will tried not to shrink back. Had he done the wrong thing? Had showing some mercy only proven him to be weak? It had to be Suzy’s influence on him. He would never have done this before. Finally, Mr. Steppey spoke up. “Would they do it for twenty bucks?”

  “They can do it for free.” Will shook the man’s hand. “I want to work with you, not against you.”

  Mr. Steppey nodded. “There’s more than just me in this situation, son. There’re seniors all around this town who need help.”

  “I know.” And that was the problem. Lake Mildred had a growing seniors population that couldn’t perform the upkeep of their property nor the means to do so.

  Yet.

  What if he could use his office as code inspector to assist them? What if his authority could spur individuals to step up and provide services that the seniors couldn’t do on their own? The idea intrigued him.

  His office meant more than just getting things up to code. He’d taken the position because he wanted to make a difference. After the Marines, he’d studied engineering at the University of Michigan. Thought he’d change things for the better. But given his time as code inspector, he’d become burned out. Afraid that the only thing he did was push papers from one department to the next. But maybe by providing help to the seniors he could change that and reignite the ambition he’d once had to make a difference.

  Will smiled. “I’ll bring the boys by this afternoon. Say four?” He’d have to check with Tori first, of course. But she would probably love the idea of them blowing off some steam with him rather than her. “We’d be finished by dinner time.”

  Mr. Steppey sneezed which lead to several wracking coughs. He took a handkerchief from his back pocket and wiped his mouth. “Thanks, Mr. Stone.”

  “Will.”

  “I remember your name. I also remember your game-winning homerun against Robert Falls High.”

  “That was many years ago.” Too many for Will to count. High school seemed another lifetime ago. He’d done and seen a lot since then. He’d visited parts of the world outside of Lake Mildred that he’d never dreamed of. Germany. The Middle East. He’d also seen battle. Lost friends and a part of himself before he’d found his way home to Michigan again. “I remember that game as well. Almost made it to the state championships that year.”

  “You and Rick were unstoppable.” The older man paused. “Sounds like that’s not the case anymore.”

  If he meant his and the mayor’s ongoing struggle to limit the town council’s harsh budget cuts, Will hoped he wasn’t right. Changes needed to be made, but those choices had to make sense and not jeopardize the town. “We still hold our own. Thank you for your time, Mr. Steppey. I’ll see you later this afternoon.”

  Once he was inside his truck, he looked up at Mr. Steppey’s house. He pulled his cell phone out and called Tori to make sure that he could borrow the twins then hung up. Next, he phoned Rick. “You busy? Can we meet?”

  He could hear the sounds of the diner in the background. “Ernesto called in since his Gracie is having the baby, so I’m working at the diner. As long as you don’t mind
standing in a hot kitchen and talking, I’m up for it.”

  “I’ll be right there.”

  * * *

  THE SMELL OF coffee and fried beef hit his nose as Will stepped inside the diner. His stomach growled in response, but he ignored it and waved to Shirley. “Boss in back?”

  “He’s been there since this morning without a break.” She shook her head but gave a faint smile. “Seems like the old days.”

  “I heard that.” Rick poked his head through the pass-through window. “Come on back, Will.”

  Will walked around the counter and through the swinging door to the kitchen. The smells intensified and he added grease to the combination. Rick waved at him with a spatula. “Welcome to my office. Can I get you something?”

  “No, I’m good, but thanks.” He summarized his meeting with Mr. Steppey then sighed. “He’s right, you know. There are a lot of seniors that could use our help.”

  “So what are you suggesting?” Rick flipped a burger onto a waiting bun. “Keep in mind that our budget is already tight.”

  “I’m suggesting volunteers can mow lawns and shovel sidewalks for our housebound seniors and others in need.” Will leaned against the counter. “Won’t cost us a thing but time. And someone would need to oversee and supervise the project.”

  “Someone like...” Rick added fries to the plate then looked up at Will. “You offering to do the job?”

  Will nodded as Rick put the plate in the window and rang the bell. “As code inspector, I’m aware of those households who could use the help. I could also reach out to groups and schools looking for volunteering opportunities.” He watched Rick for a moment. This felt important, as if he could change everything with his next words. “Remember when we felt like we could do anything if we just tried? That nothing could stop us?”

  “The state championships?” Rick nodded and looked off into the distance. “How could I forget? It seemed like together we could even conquer the world, not just win a baseball game.”

  “I want to feel that way again.”

  “And doing this will help you?”

  “It will help the community, Rick. Isn’t that why you became mayor?”

  Rick grinned. “Sounds like you’ve got a plan. Let me know if you need me to do anything.” Rick turned back to the grill. “You’re sure you don’t want something?”

  Will’s stomach growled again, but he said, “I’ve got another appointment. But thanks.”

  “Anytime.”

  He regretted that he had to meet with a contractor at a construction site to sign off on some inspection permits. But time was valuable.

  Still, he promised himself a meal at the diner very soon.

  * * *

  SUZY SAT IN her car in the parking lot behind the Goodwill donation center and let her car idle for a moment before turning it off. Was she doing the right thing, getting rid of all this stuff? Or would Mama have wanted her to hang on to it all?

  She grimaced because she knew the answer to that one. Mama had never wanted to get rid of anything. But she didn’t have that option now.

  Suzy took her keys out of the ignition, then got out and approached the back door. She rang the doorbell as instructed then waited. A young man with arm muscles larger than her body answered the door. “You dropping off?”

  She nodded. “I’ve got about six bags of clothes and a couple boxes of kitchen items.”

  He nodded and followed her to her car. She popped open the trunk, and he took out several bags and carried them all to the building. Where was he when she’d been loading up her car with this stuff? She’d had to make a dozen trips at least back and forth. She’d used muscles she didn’t know she had.

  She took one bag and hugged it to her body as she walked to the building. By the time she made it there, the young man was on his third load. They finished emptying the car in record time. At least to her.

  She waited as he wrote her information at the top of a sheet on a clipboard. He glanced at the items and estimated how much she’d brought in. After she signed her name, he tore off her portion and handed it to her. “For your taxes.”

  “Oh.” She glanced at the slip of paper in her hand. “I might have more. Would you take it?”

  The young man looked at her. “We always take donations, but this time of year especially. There’s a lot of need out there.” He nodded with his head towards the swinging doors that led to the store. “Especially if you have any coats, hats, scarves...”

  Suzy was sure somewhere in Mama’s house there had to be a few dozen of those. She folded the slip of paper and put it in her coat pocket. “I have a lot of stuff to donate, so it could take me several more trips.”

  “No need. We can send a truck to pick up items when there’s a large amount.” He walked to the computer and clicked on a calendar. “I have a truck doing pickups next Saturday afternoon. I could add you to the list.”

  Suzy nodded. “Thanks.”

  “No. Thank you.”

  She got back in her car and drove around the building, noticing an empty parking spot close to the front of the store. Deciding that was a sign, she parked the car and walked inside. Maybe if she could see how Mama’s things helped others, she could let more of it go. The cashier greeted Suzy and let her know she could help if she needed any assistance. Suzy smiled and continued past her.

  Racks of clothes and shelves of items covered every square foot of the store. She spotted a young woman searching through the children’s clothes. Recognizing her neighbor, she walked towards her. “Hi, Shelley.”

  Shelley looked up at her and smiled. “Hi, Miss Suzy. You shopping here?”

  She didn’t want to make the woman feel bad, so she avoided the question. “I saw that Wesley is growing like a weed.”

  The young mother gave a sigh and nodded. “That’s why I’m here. Can’t keep him in jeans and T-shirts long enough before he’s outgrown them.”

  Suzy thought of all the clothes Mama had bought and hoarded. She’d never realized that a family that could use them lived just down the street. Instead, she’d kept it all in piles on the floor where it didn’t help anyone.

  Suddenly, bringing the donations to the center made her feel like she was doing something good. Like cleaning out the house could help more than just Suzy.

  * * *

  THE DIRECTIONS TO Dr. Layher’s office in Robert Falls couldn’t have been more complicated. Turn right at the fudge and cheese store then down three streets until you get to the statue of the bear, and the parking lot is to the left of that.

  She should have gotten a real map.

  Leaving the Bug next to a station wagon that looked like its best days were behind it, she walked into the office building, through the lobby to the row of elevators. Up to the third floor, then it was the fourth office on the left. On the door, it read “Dr. Page Layher, Family Counselor.”

  Well, Suzy wasn’t family. She was her own family now. But she was dealing with issues with her mom, so she guessed that qualified. She opened the door and stepped into a small lobby. A frosted glass window greeted her along with a couple chairs and a square metal and glass coffee table covered in magazines. The note on the window said to ring the bell for service. The small ding of the bell added the only sound besides the soft jazz from an unseen radio.

  The frosted window opened, and a young man peeked out. “You’re a little early. Pagey, I mean Dr. Layher, isn’t back from lunch just yet. But I’ll text her so she can hoof it over here.”

  Suzy waved him off. “She doesn’t have to hurry on my account. I’ll read a magazine until she returns.”

  “Are you sure? Cuz those mags have been here a while.” The young man smiled. “Dr. Layher inherited those from Dr. Dhondt, and he had them for years too.” He glanced at a rack of pamphlets on the counter and pul
led out a brochure on bedwetting, then replaced that and pulled another on divorce. He sighed. “I’m writing newer magazines on my list of things to change around here. Right next to better music. It’s so dull. Put you right to sleep while you wait.”

  “Maybe it’s meant to be soothing. Calming.”

  He sighed. “I’d rather have something edgier. Something with a beat..”

  Suzy leaned on the counter. “You’re right. Something about a woman singing with a hard edge gets me every time.”

  “You have impeccable music taste.” The young man held out his hand. “Henry. Nice to meet you. And if you don’t mind me saying, you’re a lot more together then some of the noodles we get in here.”

  “Thanks.” She frowned. Noodles? “I think.”

  He jumped up and straightened his tie. “Dr. Layher will see you in a moment.”

  Suzy turned and saw a woman about the same age as her rushing in the door. “Sorry, Henry. Give me two minutes.”

  He waited until Page had left the lobby and gone into a private office. He leaned in towards Suzy. “She’s really great, so don’t let her being late influence your opinion, okay?”

  Suzy glanced at her watch. “She’s still got five minutes until my appointment.”

  “Trust me. She’ll be late.”

  He shut the window, and Suzy took a seat on one of the chairs. Maybe Henry should add more comfortable chairs to his list because the hard bottom would be just that on hers. She chose a magazine and flipped through it. She hadn’t even graduated high school when it had been published, so she figured it was like reading a history book. She settled into an article about how to get the feathered hair look.

  The door that led into the back opened, and Henry peeked out. “Dr. Layher will see you now.” He opened the door wider and let Suzy pass by him. “She must have heard my comment.” He closed the door behind her and preceded her down the hall to an office with a large window. Dr. Layher sat behind her desk, and she rose when Henry entered the room. “Your one o’clock.” He handed Suzy a clipboard. “This is for your insurance billing info. Toodles.”

  Suzy took a seat in front of Dr. Layher and glanced at the clipboard. “Do you want me to fill this out first?”