by Terri DuLong
I glanced over at Chloe, who had her head bent and was fingering the spoon. Sitting across the table from Lucas and me, she looked alone. Alone and lonely.
“Come on,” I said, getting up. “Aunt Maude should be in her room by now.” I didn’t want to sit there and dwell on my sister.
When we got to the room I let Chloe go in first but wasn’t prepared for her reaction. She walked over to the bed, took my aunt’s hand, and burst out crying. Typical of Aunt Maude, it was her that was comforting Chloe.
“There, there,” she said. “I’m fine, Chloe. Beginning to feel much better.”
But it took my sister another moment or two before she regained her composure.
“Aunt Maude, I’m so sorry. So very sorry,” I heard her say, and couldn’t help but wonder if she was only referring to just my aunt’s episode.
“I’m glad you’re here. I’m glad you’re both here,” my aunt said, and the meaning wasn’t lost on me.
“Well, hello, Miss Maude. Feeling a bit better?”
I turned to the sound of a male voice I assumed belonged to the doctor.
My aunt managed a weak smile. “A bit, yes. These are my two nieces, Chloe and Grace, and Grace’s fiancé, Lucas.”
Handshakes were exchanged, and the doctor moved to the side of the bed.
“I’m glad you’re all together. I just wanted to give you an update as to what’s going on,” he said, flipping through some pages he held in his hands. He turned toward my aunt. “What happened, Miss Maude, is that your heart rate fell dangerously low. We’ve gotten your records from your primary care physician. Normally your rate has been in the seventies. When you arrived in the emergency room it was in the low fifties and may have been lower when you actually passed out at home.”
“What caused that?” my aunt asked.
“There’s various reasons, but in your case your EKG shows that the strength and timing of the electrical signals passing through your heart is off. It showed us your heart is beating too slow and the rhythm is irregular.”
“So this is dangerous?” I questioned.
“If left untreated, yes.” He turned his attention back to my aunt. “However, we’re going to do a few more tests today, just to be sure nothing else is going on. And right now I’d say my recommendation will probably be a pacemaker. Are you familiar with those?”
My aunt nodded. “Oh, yes. It’s a little battery-operated generator that they place right here just under the skin.” She pointed below her left clavicle. “And wires connect the generator to the heart, which controls the heartbeat.”
The doctor smiled and nodded. “I’d say you’re quite knowledgeable, Miss Maude. That’s precisely what it does. So let’s get the rest of the tests done, then we’ll have a better idea what we’re going to do. Any questions?”
“Yes,” my aunt said. “When can I go home?”
All of us laughed as the doctor patted my aunt’s arm. “My goodness, you’ve only been here a few hours. But if the tests go well, we can do the pacemaker insertion tomorrow afternoon, and I’d like to keep you overnight, just to be sure everything is normal. So you could reasonably go home the day after tomorrow. How’s that?”
“Wonderful, and thank you.”
When the doctor left, I moved to the side of the bed. “Is there anything I can do for you at home or anything I can bring you tomorrow?”
“You’ll have to check on poor Lafitte for me and feed him. I’m sure he’s quite upset with me gone.”
“Oh, don’t worry at all. When we leave here, I’m going straight home and I’ll spend some time with him.”
My sister stood on the opposite side of the bed while my aunt instructed me what to bring for clothes when she was discharged. I could be wrong, but I got the feeling that Chloe felt like an outsider.
As if picking up on this, my aunt said, “So are the three of you going out for dinner before you head back to the island? It’s already five o’clock.”
“Oh ... no ... I don’t ...” Chloe started to say at the same time Lucas said, “Yes, that’s a good idea. We can stop at that deli that Grace likes on Archer.”
Guess I don’t get a vote in this at all, I thought, and said nothing.
“No, really,” Chloe said. “We came in separate cars.”
“That’s not a problem,” I found myself saying. “You can follow us.” My tone may not have been enthusiastic, but I’d said the words.
I felt my aunt reach for my hand and give it a squeeze. “Very good idea, Grace. Now listen, I want all of you to skedaddle.”
“Oh, but ...” I started to say, and was cut off by my aunt.
“No buts. I’m tired and I’d really like to nap for a while in between those tests they have planned for me. I’ll be just fine. I want you to stop for dinner and then go home. Give me a call in the morning.”
I knew there was no arguing with my aunt and leaned over to kiss her good-bye. “Okay, now behave,” I told her.
Chloe did the same and left the room with us. When we got down to the main lobby, Lucas explained to her where the deli was located and she said she’d meet us there.
Walking across the parking lot to the car, I exhaled a deep breath. When Lucas had dropped me off hours earlier at the emergency room entrance, the fear I’d felt was overwhelming. I’d been so scared of losing my aunt. I wouldn’t feel entirely relieved until I had her back home, but at that very moment I certainly felt like I’d been given a very big gift.
40
I was having my first cup of coffee the following morning downstairs in my aunt’s apartment. I’d been awake since five and had come down to check on Lafitte and feed him. No doubt about it, my aunt’s cat might have a feisty streak but he was exhibiting definite signs of missing my aunt. I was giving him some extra attention when my cell went off.
I was surprised to hear my aunt’s voice at six-thirty in the morning. “Is everything okay?” I asked anxiously.
“Fine, fine,” she said, and her voice did sound a tad stronger to me. “I didn’t want to wake you so early, so I called your cell to leave a message if it wasn’t turned on. I wanted to let you know that the doctor came back last evening to let me know all the tests were okay and the diagnosis is, as he predicted, that I need a pacemaker.”
“Oh, thank God!” I let out a sigh of relief. “So is he doing that today?”
“Yes, at one o’clock.”
“That’s great. I’m so happy this procedure will fix the problem.” I’d had visions of bypass surgery or something equally involved requiring a longer hospital stay and recuperation. “So you should be home tomorrow.”
“Yes, I’m pretty sure I will be. How’s my Lafitte doing?”
I smiled. “He’s in my lap as we speak. I came downstairs about an hour ago to spend some extra time with him. I think he’s having a major case of loneliness. But he’s really fine.”
I heard a chuckle come across the line. “Yes, I’m sure he is.”
“Well, I’ll be at the hospital later this afternoon. By then you should be back in your room with your new little gizmo all in place.”
“Yes, Grace ... I wanted to talk to you about that. I need you to do me a favor.”
“Of course, anything,” I said, before realizing maybe I’d spoken too quickly.
“Well, I knew that both you and Chloe would want to come here later today and that’s a lot—driving one hour each way. So I’ve ... booked you both a room at the Holiday Inn down the street. This way you can stay there tonight and then come and get me in the morning without making that hour trip again.”
“You what?” I gasped. And did I hear her say a room? Did she expect me to have a pajama party with my sister?
“Now, Grace ...”
“Aunt Maude, I seriously doubt that Chloe’s going to want to spend the night with me, in the same room no less.”
“Actually, she’s already agreed to it. She wants to talk to you, and she feels you both need to be someplace where you won’
t be interrupted.” My aunt paused and then said, “Please, Grace, will you do this for me?”
My aunt asked extremely little of me. She knew it was darn near impossible to deny her infrequent requests.
I felt myself blowing air across the phone line and shaking my head. Maude Stone’s heart might be weak until that pacemaker was inserted, but she was still one very strong woman.
“Okay,” I heard myself say reluctantly. “Okay, I’ll do it, but I can’t promise you anything. I certainly cannot promise that we’ll exit that hotel tomorrow morning and be joined at the hip.”
“No, no. Of course not. I’ll see you both later this afternoon.”
I had a strong suspicion that a smile crossed my aunt’s face as she hung up the phone.
“Wow!” Suellen said later that morning as I sat nursing a double latte at the coffee café. “I have to give your aunt credit. That woman sure knows how to get things done. So you and Chloe are driving into Gainesville together?”
“Yup,” I said with no enthusiasm. “I’m picking her up at two o’clock. It ought to be a jolly good evening.”
Suellen let out a chuckle. I gave her a nasty look, and she busied herself wiping down the counter.
“So,” she said. “My boss said I could have a couple days off next week. Think you could cover for me?”
“Sure. Where’re you going? Up to visit Ashley?”
“No. Down to visit Mitchell.”
I felt my mood changing. Nothing like a bit of romance to make all right in the world. “Really? Oh, that’s great. Going to spend a few days with him?”
“Yup. From the sounds of it, he has a gorgeous condo overlooking Tampa Bay, and he said there’s some great restaurants down there he’d like to take me to. I think it’ll be fun.”
“Oh, I’m sure it will be, Suellen. I’m happy for you.”
“I knew you’d cover for her,” I heard Lucas say as he came up beside me and pulled me into an embrace. “Are you all packed for your overnight trip?”
“Yeah. I’m packed but certainly not looking forward to this.”
“Give it a chance, Grace,” he said. “That’s all you have to do—give it a chance.”
“Right, and that might be easier said than done.”
Chloe was standing in front of her building, a small overnight bag at her feet, when I swung by at precisely two o’clock.
“Hi,” she said, settling herself beside me.
“Hi,” was all I said.
Neither of us spoke again until I reached US 19 and continued east on 24 toward Gainesville.
“Is Lucas on pet duty?” she asked. “Will he be taking care of Annie and Lafitte?”
“Yeah, he’ll go this evening and feed Lafitte and then take Annie for a walk when he walks Duncan and go back over in the morning.”
“That’s nice of him.” When I remained silent, she said, “He’s a really nice guy, Grace.”
“I know that.”
I guess she assumed conversation on my part was going to be limited and reached into her tote bag to remove her knitting. I glanced over and saw she was working on an incredibly gorgeous mint green cabled sweater with lots of intricate twists. I’d have bet anything the yarn was cashmere.
“Guess that’s the Holiday Inn we’re staying at,” I said as we passed the sign.
“Right. Grace, thank you for agreeing to do this.”
I just raised my eyebrows and focused on the traffic in front of me. Did I really have a choice? I thought.
By the time we found a parking spot at the hospital and got to our aunt’s room it was close to three-thirty. We walked in to find her bed empty and looked at each other.
Without hesitating, I walked back out to the corridor over to the nurses’ station. “Could you tell me where Maude Stone is? She had a pacemaker put in a couple of hours ago.”
“Sure,” the nurse said with a smile. “Let me call down there and see what’s going on.”
She punched some numbers into the phone while Chloe and I stood side by side waiting.
After explaining she was inquiring on Maude Stone, I heard her say, “Okay. Great. Thanks.”
“She did very well. They just wanted to keep her in recovery to monitor her before bringing her to her room. She had a sedative and was a bit drowsy, but she should be back up here within twenty minutes or so. You can wait in her room.”
“Thank you,” my sister and I both said at the same time.
We went back to the room, each taking a chair, and as if on cue we both removed our knitting from our tote bags. There’s no doubt that knitting has a calming effect—something all knitters know and probably the reason why so many of us take our knitting everywhere we go.
I had gotten through a few rows of my lace pattern when I looked up to see a gurney being wheeled into the room.
“There’s my girls,” I heard my aunt say, and I stood up at the same time that Chloe did.
I was pretty surprised to see the difference in my aunt’s appearance from the day before. Color had returned to her cheeks. She looked less tired, and finally I felt a huge wave of relief wash over me.
She was easily transferred to her bed, and a nurse approached to take her blood pressure and heart rate. “Good job, Miss Maude. Your new ticker seems to be working perfectly. I’ll be back in a little while to check on you again.”
“Thank you,” my aunt told her, a huge smile on her face. “Well, see, girls? I told you I’d be just fine.”
“You do look much better,” I told her. “You’re sure you feel okay?”
“Right as rain. And you brought my clothes for discharge tomorrow?”
“I hung them up in your closet,” Chloe said.
“Good. Very good. I’m anxious to get back on that island. I take it Lafitte is behaving himself?”
I smiled. “Yeah, he’s trying, but I know he’ll be glad to have you back. Poor guy, I’m sure he’s confused and can’t figure out where you are.”
“I know. I’m his family, after all,” she said, looking up to catch my glance. It was then she noticed our tote bags with the knitting. “Oh, show me what you girls are working on.”
Chloe brought her sweater over, and I was right. It was cashmere and quite gorgeous. I produced my scarf done in a silk bamboo.
“You girls are master knitters. I’m proud of both of you. How’s the yarn shop going, Chloe?”
“Wonderful. Dora and I are so pleased. I really love being a partner with her.”
“I knew that would work out well. Now girls, I want you to run along. Go have yourselves a nice dinner, some nice wine, and a good evening. Oh, and by the way, the room is already paid for. And in the morning, don’t rush. Get breakfast someplace before you come to get me. I’m told I can’t leave till about eleven anyway.”
Leave it to my aunt, I thought. I might be a master knitter, but she was a master organizer.
We kissed her good-bye and walked out of the hospital together. Heading to the car I knew the moment of truth had arrived and wondered how it would all end.
41
Chloe and I removed our luggage from the trunk of my car, walked inside the hotel, registered, and got our keys.
Heading up in the elevator to our room, she said, “I was wondering if it would be okay if we call room service later for dinner. That way we can just relax and talk without going down to the restaurant.”
“Sure,” I said, stepping off the elevator on the third floor. “Fine with me.”
While unpacking, Chloe produced a bottle of wine and held it up. “I thought maybe we’d have some,” she said. “It’s a Cabernet I think you’ll like.”
I nodded and went to sit on the sofa, allowing her to take the lead in what was to come.
She uncorked the bottle, poured some into two glasses, and passed one to me before curling up at the other end of the sofa.
“Here’s to you and Lucas,” she said, holding up her glass. “I know you’re engaged, Grace, and I’m really happy for you
. I’m wishing you both a lifetime of happiness.”
“Thank you,” I said before taking a sip.
She placed her glass on the table and leaned forward. “Can I see your ring?”
I dangled my hand in front of her.
“It’s really gorgeous.”
“Thanks. It belonged to Lucas’s grandmother.”
“And the wedding is set for October?”
I nodded.
“Despite what I’ve done in the past, Grace, with you and Beau—I really am very happy for you.”
I remained silent and took another sip of wine.
She let out a deep sigh and did the same.
“I’m not sure where to begin,” she then said. “And I’m not sure that whatever I say will make any difference at all with how you feel about me, but ... I at least want to try and clear the air.”
“Okay. I’m willing to listen.”
“When I first came to Cedar Key we had the discussion about our parents, so I’m not going to rehash that. I just want to say that I know now that I was wrong in the way I perceived your years with them. I’ve come to see that Aunt Maude was right—they may not have loved me in the way I had hoped for, but I do feel they did their best. And what transpired between you and me was my problem. It wasn’t caused by anything you said or did.”
I nodded, waiting for her to go on.
She let out another deep sigh. “I wish I had a reason as to why I called Beau’s wife,” she said, fingering the stem on her wineglass. “But there is no valid reason for me to have done something so vicious.”
“You’re right. There was no reason whatsoever for you to be so cruel. What possessed you to do such a thing?” I clenched my hands as I could feel my anger building again.