Chapter 55
Chapter Fifty-Five
Harrison
My hands tremble. It’s eighty-four degrees out, I’m in a suit, and they’re about to cut the ribbon on the center attached to the new memory care unit, where patients will move early next week.
The facility’s administrative staff are here, and the staff who are caring for patients today will rotate through in groups, so there are still enough people to care for the residents at any given time.
My mom makes her way through the crowd and gives me a hug.
“You did such a good thing here, Harrison. You should be proud,” Mom says.
I smile at her. “You have to say that—you’re my mom.”
“It doesn’t make it any less true. What you’ve accomplished here is spectacular. Your dad would be incredibly proud of you.”
“I hope so,” I say. My voice is hushed.
Mom stands on her tiptoes and plants a kiss on my cheek. “It looks like they’re going to get started in a second, so I’ll let you go. I’ll see you after the ribbon-cutting.”
I turn my head to the left and find Delaney watching me. She gives me an awkward wave, which I return, and then she looks away.
A few administrators speak, and unexpectedly, the last of them is at the end of his speech when he says, “And even though this isn’t on the agenda, what do you all think about hearing from the man who made this all possible?” The crowd cheers. “Harrison Aron, would you please come say a few words?”
I’m going to kill the man. I planned to lie low today. Now I have to go up on stage in front of everyone. I refuse to let my emotions show on my face as I make my way to the stage. When I’m there, I straighten my posture, then move over to the microphone.
“Hello. I’m Harrison Aron, from Aron Family Builders & Restoration.
I should clarify that the credit for the development of this center doesn’t belong to me.
A while back, a… a friend who is passionate about dementia care told me about some research.
That sparked the idea for this part of the project.
I won’t say her name to avoid embarrassing her, but she deserves the credit.
I hope that because of this entire center, patients with memory-related health issues in our community and nearby towns will receive top-of-the-line dementia care.
Thank you for being here today, and thank you for your time. ”
I step off the stage and weave my way to the back of the crowd. I find Delaney and fix my eyes on her. This is the only part I want to see—her reaction.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the state-of-the-art Hattie Larson Center for Dementia Care.”
When the cloth from the signage drops, I glance over at Bets. She stares at it with both hands over her mouth. Her eyes search the crowd for a few seconds, but a moment later, I watch as my mom ushers her inside. I hope she loves it, and it becomes a place where her professional dreams flourish.
Now it’s time for me to leave.