Mountain Song by Ruby Laska

around. And I have some important things to discuss
with you.”
    “Important, like what?”
    “Like...” Claudia
frowned, and reclaimed her wrist from Bea’s grip. She pressed her palms
together, wondering how to begin.
    “This is a big
surgery, this hip replacement,” she began.
    Bea laughed
mirthlessly. “You don’t have to tell me that. Andy’s accomplice has been in
here, explaining the whole gory process.”
    “You saw the
orthopedist?”
    “Yes, I finally agreed
to see her. I have to say, she wasn’t the saw-wielding monster I’d expected. Made
a pretty good case for that new joint, though I can hardly imagine carrying
around a hunk of metal and plastic in my hip for the rest of my days.”
    “Well, I’m glad you’re
considering it.”
    “Thank Andy. He can be
very persuasive, in his own way.”
    “Mmm.”
    “I mean, I don’t think
he would have made a good salesman. He lacks—oh, I don’t know what you’d
call it, schmoozing skills, I guess. Andy’s never had any patience for greasing
the wheels. He just tells it like it is.”
    Claudia said nothing,
considered just how persuasive he could be. Had been. Without saying a word.
    “Of course, dear, you
already know that...” Bea added with an arched eyebrow, a crafty grin.
    Claudia strove to
arrange her features in a neutral mask, and changed the subject. “You were
saying, about the surgery?”
    “Dr. Dupree wants to
do it soon.”
    “That’s good. The
sooner you do it, the sooner you’ll be able to travel, and we can get you moved
out to New Jersey. With Dad and me and—”
    “Pardon me?”
    The old gal was quick.
So much for trying to subtly slip it into the conversation. Claudia took a deep
breath. “I’ve been thinking about this, Bea. You can’t—it seems as though
you might be having a hard time by yourself.”
    “I do just fine.” Bea’s
eyes showed a firefall of anger, wrinkles nested at the corners tightened with
anxiety. “I’ve never asked anyone for help.”
    “But we want to help you,” Claudia said. “Want
to have you near us. I do, anyway, and I know Dad will too. There’s so much
room in that big old place of his—”
    “Claudia Canfield, how
dare you!”
    Claudia pulled back in
chagrin. She’d never seen her grandmother so angry. Never, for that matter,
seen her lose her temper at all, at least with her.
    “You, of all people,
should know better than to make my decisions for me,” Bea continued, glaring
balefully.
    “I’m sorry if—”
    “Has it occurred to
you that this place is my home? That the people in this town are my friends? These
mountains have been my walls for decades now, my dear. I can’t leave them.”
    “But in New Jersey,
you’d have us . There’s all kinds of
activities for seniors at the community center. And the club. Daddy’s driver
could take you wherever you wanted to go. And we’d hire a nurse, the very best
nurse, to help you get your strength back.” Claudia heard her voice trail off
to barely more than a whisper.
    Under Bea’s glare, she
felt as though she were barely more than a girl. The silence that ensued was
terrible. Claudia wished Bea would say something, anything.
    At last Bea coughed
delicately and lay back against her stack of pillows.
    “Do you know what your
problem is, my dear? You’re still taking the easy road, the one you can buy
with money, just like you always have.”
    “What...what’s that
supposed to mean?”
    “You want to buy me a
new life when I have a perfectly good one right here—”
    “No. Wait. What do you
mean by saying that I always have?”
    “Claudia...do you
really have to ask?”
    Claudia waited,
staring at a spot on her Grandmother’s chin, unable to look her in the eye. She
did have to ask. She needed her grandmother to spell it out.
    But she had a feeling
she knew what was coming.
    “I’m talking about Andy,”
Bea finally said, her voice a little softer. Almost regretful. “You tried to
use money to settle all the