14
The drive to the nursinghome over in Cedarville was only about twenty minutes. The mountains and pastures were just as pretty as they are in Maple. This town seemed to be one that has been long forgotten by everyone also. Everyone except the people who live in it. They are the ones that make it feel like home. Megan and I talked a lot about the farm and our plans for the future. She told me she was worried about her grandmother. She has started having dizzy spells lately and it has worried her and Collin. She slept most of the day yesterday.
The nursing home is smaller than the ones in the city, but big for a town like this. It is the only one within about an hour’s drive, according to Megan. She says the staff here are so wonderful and caring.
The sliding automatic doors open at the front as we walk in, and I follow Megan over to the receptionist desk. There is a lady sitting behind it with short, red hair.
“Can I help you?” she asks us with a smile and then recognized Megan standing beside me. “Oh, Megan! Coming to visit your grandfather?” she asks.
“Yes, ma’am.” She smiles, “This is Ivy. She’s new to the farm and one of my friends. I wanted to introduce her to him if he’s feeling well enough, today.”
The lady smiles at me and looks back at Megan, “I’m not sure, Sweety. I haven’t been down to see him, today. Becky is working his hall. Have someone get her for you at the desk if she isn’t there before you go in, just in case.” She gives us visitor passes and presses a button for us to walk inside further. Megan and I both thank her and continue through the now opened entrance to the hall.
The halls are painted in a boring, neutral tone. It is what is hanging on them, however, that make them beautiful. All of the residents have drawn pictures, or created art in some way, and the staff has it all displayed throughout the walls.
We walk past one area, and there are hair stylists rolling and drying some of the residents’ hair. I smile at how much they do to ensure they feel that their life is not over being in here. We eventually approach another desk, and a brunette is sitting behind a computer charting. She looks up and smiles, “Megan! I”m so glad you came by today!” She smiles and stands up, coming around the desk to give Megan a hug.
“Hey Becky!” Megan hugs her back, “How is he today?”
Becky gives a soft smile and nods, “He is in one of his better moods, today.” She turns to me, “And who is this?” She smiles at me.
“This is my friend Ivy, and a new hire on the farm.” Becky shakes my hand and says, “Pleasure to meet you, Ivy. This is an awesome family you are in with.” She winks at Megan.
“He’s in his room.” Becky gestures down the hall to us and returns to her desk, “If you need anything, just come and get me.” She smiles and goes back to typing on the computer.
I follow Megan down the hall, and we take a left down another hall. This place is a lot bigger than I thought. I could get lost in here quick.
Megan turns to a door with 321 on the sign, and the name, Jefferey Landon Mapleson, SR tagged under it. I smile at the beautiful name. Something I could see naming my son one day.
Megan opens the door slowly and we both step inside with me behind her. If he sees anyone first, it needs to be Megan. The lights are dim inside with television noise in the background. From the sound of guns and hooves, it sounds like he is watching a western. Megan turns on the lights as we walk in, and I notice him sitting in the recliner facing the tv. He looks exactly like the photo Margaret showed me of the two of them the night I spoke with my mother. He”s aged, yes, but not as much as you would think.
The man turns his head and smiles, “Megan, sweetheart. I was wondering when you would be by to see me.” He stands and hugs her. She sounds relieved by her exhale. I am sure she thought he would not know who she was.
He releases their hug and looks behind her at me. His eyes widen and his face goes pale like he has seen a ghost, and it almost startles me. Megan begins looking nervous, unsure what he is about to do. She had warned me before we got here how bad his temper has been when he does not remember things.
“Maggie?” he says, walking to me tears filling his eyes and his voice shaky. He hugs me. Megan and I exchange looks of shock. He does not let go. Instead, his hug turns into the biggest, bear hug.
“We never thought we would see you again.” He’s crying now, and I do not know what else to do other than play into it. I really do not want to upset him.
“Yes, yes. I’m here now.” I tell him rubbing his back and he begins sobbing.
“I-I”m going to go get Becky.” Megan says, rushing out of the room and part of me wishes she would not have left me alone with him.
He pulls me out of our hug and looks at me, and I feel like he is studying every feature on my face, and my hair. I smile at him to try to hide my nerves, and he cups my cheek, “You look so much like your grandmother.” He says and my mouth drops wide open.
Holy shit! Margaret and Jefferey have another grandchild? Why hasn’t Megan told me?Wait, what if the child died and Megan never knew about it? It would make sense with his dementia and Alzheimer’s.
I think all of this to myself as Megan and Becky come running in.
“Mr. Mapleson,” Becky starts as she walks in slowly, “Are you okay?”
He turns to her and smiles, “Never better. My Maggie has made her way back home to me. I always told Margaret she would.” He smiles and pulls me into a hug again.
I look over at Megan and she mouths, “Sorry” to me and I just brush it off. I am simply happy that he is happy. Even if just for a moment. I’m not sure if I should bring the grandchild he mentioned to Megan’s attention. What if she did not know about it?
Megan and I did not stay long after we got there. Becky thought it would be best for visitors to come back later because of how emotional Jefferey was.
“I”m so sorry,” Megan starts as we get in the truck. “I have no idea who he thought you were.” She says while putting her wallet back in her purse from paying Jefferey’s bill while we were here.
“I don’t know if I need to say this, but I don’t feel like keeping it to myself,” I say looking at her, “Do you have a cousin or sibling you don’t know about?” I ask her.
She looks at me confused, “Not that I’m aware of, why?”
I shrug, “Just something your grandfather said to me.” I pause and she looks at me to go on, “He said that I looked like my grandmother.” I look at her, “Meaning they have another grandchild. Named Maggie.” I say to her, and her eyes widen.
“I wonder if my mom was pregnant with a baby or lost one?” She pulls out onto the main road. “It’s only me and Collin, that I know of. My uncle wasn’t married or with anyone.” She shrugs, “Maybe Grandpa just wasn’t as good today as we had hoped.”
“Is it just a coincidence that Maple and Mapleson seems oddly similar?” I ask cocking an eyebrow at Megan.
She smirks, “I wonder when you would catch on to that. My family was the first family to settle here.”
“Wow.” I say to her with my mouth open. “How amazing is that?”
I look out the window and think of the man who was everything I had ever pictured a grandfather would be. My parents were not on speaking terms with their parents, so I never had grandparents who took care of me the way Jefferey and Margaret cared for Megan and Collin.
In another life, I wish I could have had the opportunity.