asked, coming back around to the front of the bar and sitting next to her. “I hope he’s good enough.”
“He works for the federal government.”
“Everybody works for the federal government.”
“Ah, but he’s a U.S. senator,” she said, sounding impressed.
“A senator? You could do much better.”
“Now you sound like Grandma.”
“Who else you got?”
“No, now, wait a minute. Let’s not dismiss him so quickly.”
“And why not?” Benjamin asked, still joking around. “Most politicians are just self-serving con men, looking to line their own pockets.”
She took a sip of the fresh-squeezed orange juice. “He’s different. I think he’s got his own money. He lives in California and he’s gorgeous.”
“Well, I guess if I have to lose my only daughter to someone, at least he’s gorgeous.” They smiled and laughed at the game they played. “So, what’s really up?” he asked.
“Nothing,” she said, then sighed deeply. Benjamin looked at her sternly. “Well, nothing, really. I’m just a little worried about Grandma, that’s all.”
“What’s she doing now?” Benjamin asked, then sipped his coffee and glanced at the newspaper.
“I think her Alzheimer’s is getting worse. She can be lucid for long periods of time. Then all of a sudden she’s back to being buried in her memories,” she said. Benjamin shuffled to the next section, scanned it then turned the page. He showed no real reaction, but Alyssa knew that he’d heard her. “I went over Friday after work, and she was passed out in the attic.”
He stopped looking at the newspaper and looked over at her. “What do you mean, passed out?”
“I mean, passed out, exactly that. She was passed out. At first, I was afraid that she was, you know…but she was just asleep. But it was hot up there, like over a hundred degrees or something. She was just lying there.”
“Why didn’t she open the windows or turn the fan on?”
“She said she kept meaning to ask you to put one in, but she forgot to. So I’m asking you, can you please put an attic fan in for her.”
“I can’t do that, baby.”
“Daddy, I know you and Grandma have your drama, but can’t you just let her—”
“It’s not about our drama, Alyssa. The city code will only allow one fan in an attic that size.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, I put a fan in that attic about two years ago. It was already over the size limit, but it was more efficient.”
“You mean, there’s already a fan there?”
“For two years now.”
“She said she didn’t have one,” Alyssa said, looking at her father. “See, she doesn’t even know what she has. She’s getting worse. I’m glad I decided to move back in with her.”
Benjamin looked at her, shaking his head, obviously opposed to the idea. “I’m still not happy about that.”
“I know, Dad. But I didn’t know what else to do. I’m afraid that she’s gonna fall or walk off or start a fire or something worse. I have to move back in with her.”
“Have you considered putting her away?”
“Putting her away?” she repeated uneasily.
“You know what I mean, in a nursing home.”
“I did, but she wouldn’t hear of it. She said that there’s nothing wrong with her. You know how she is.”
“Yeah, I definitely know how she is,” Benjamin said.
“But she’s right, in a way. All she needs is a little help, that’s all. She’s not that far gone. All she needs is to have someone look after her, keep an eye on her.”
“That’s what assisted-living nursing homes are for, Alyssa. Who better to take care of her than professionals?”
“I can’t do that, Dad, at least not now. She’s my grandmother. Besides, I’m a professional. I’m still a registered geriatric nurse.”
“Are you ready to give up your life full-time? Because that’s what you’re saying, twenty-four hours a day, three hundred and sixty-five days a year.”
“She gave up her life for me.”
“You were a
“He works for the federal government.”
“Everybody works for the federal government.”
“Ah, but he’s a U.S. senator,” she said, sounding impressed.
“A senator? You could do much better.”
“Now you sound like Grandma.”
“Who else you got?”
“No, now, wait a minute. Let’s not dismiss him so quickly.”
“And why not?” Benjamin asked, still joking around. “Most politicians are just self-serving con men, looking to line their own pockets.”
She took a sip of the fresh-squeezed orange juice. “He’s different. I think he’s got his own money. He lives in California and he’s gorgeous.”
“Well, I guess if I have to lose my only daughter to someone, at least he’s gorgeous.” They smiled and laughed at the game they played. “So, what’s really up?” he asked.
“Nothing,” she said, then sighed deeply. Benjamin looked at her sternly. “Well, nothing, really. I’m just a little worried about Grandma, that’s all.”
“What’s she doing now?” Benjamin asked, then sipped his coffee and glanced at the newspaper.
“I think her Alzheimer’s is getting worse. She can be lucid for long periods of time. Then all of a sudden she’s back to being buried in her memories,” she said. Benjamin shuffled to the next section, scanned it then turned the page. He showed no real reaction, but Alyssa knew that he’d heard her. “I went over Friday after work, and she was passed out in the attic.”
He stopped looking at the newspaper and looked over at her. “What do you mean, passed out?”
“I mean, passed out, exactly that. She was passed out. At first, I was afraid that she was, you know…but she was just asleep. But it was hot up there, like over a hundred degrees or something. She was just lying there.”
“Why didn’t she open the windows or turn the fan on?”
“She said she kept meaning to ask you to put one in, but she forgot to. So I’m asking you, can you please put an attic fan in for her.”
“I can’t do that, baby.”
“Daddy, I know you and Grandma have your drama, but can’t you just let her—”
“It’s not about our drama, Alyssa. The city code will only allow one fan in an attic that size.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, I put a fan in that attic about two years ago. It was already over the size limit, but it was more efficient.”
“You mean, there’s already a fan there?”
“For two years now.”
“She said she didn’t have one,” Alyssa said, looking at her father. “See, she doesn’t even know what she has. She’s getting worse. I’m glad I decided to move back in with her.”
Benjamin looked at her, shaking his head, obviously opposed to the idea. “I’m still not happy about that.”
“I know, Dad. But I didn’t know what else to do. I’m afraid that she’s gonna fall or walk off or start a fire or something worse. I have to move back in with her.”
“Have you considered putting her away?”
“Putting her away?” she repeated uneasily.
“You know what I mean, in a nursing home.”
“I did, but she wouldn’t hear of it. She said that there’s nothing wrong with her. You know how she is.”
“Yeah, I definitely know how she is,” Benjamin said.
“But she’s right, in a way. All she needs is a little help, that’s all. She’s not that far gone. All she needs is to have someone look after her, keep an eye on her.”
“That’s what assisted-living nursing homes are for, Alyssa. Who better to take care of her than professionals?”
“I can’t do that, Dad, at least not now. She’s my grandmother. Besides, I’m a professional. I’m still a registered geriatric nurse.”
“Are you ready to give up your life full-time? Because that’s what you’re saying, twenty-four hours a day, three hundred and sixty-five days a year.”
“She gave up her life for me.”
“You were a
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