38. Beck
Beck
I shift the truck into park in the dusty lot next to the rehab center I “rescued” June from after her surgery. Brooke and June climb out, and Brooke holds June’s hand as we all cross the pavement to the office building.
June stops for a moment, takes a deep breath, and squares her shoulders before stepping into the revolving door with determination. Brooke’s steps falter at the door as well, but I give her an encouraging nod, and she follows her grandmother into the building.
The waiting room is all tacky chairs, posters about memory loss, and outdated magazines, but I know the specialist is highly recommended.
“June MacCord,” a nurse in sky-blue scrubs calls over a clipboard from her sentinel position in the door to the exam rooms.
“That’s me,” June says, standing.
Brooke stands too, but I stay seated.
“Aren’t you coming too?” Brooke asks.
I shake my head no. “No, I’ll stay here. Unless Miss June wants me to come.”
We both look to June.
“Of course I want you to come. Who else could make sense of that doctor mumbo jumbo he’s about to unleash on me?
All these doctory places are the same. Full of people who just don’t talk plain English.
It’s not even Spanish. I’ve been watching some shows in Spanish just to practice, and doctor lingo isn’t even close to any real language. ”
June’s here.
“I’ll only come back if you promise to be one hundred percent honest with Dr. Arkin.”
June crosses her heart. “On my honor.” She’s using humor, but I see the way her throat tightens and the way she shoves fear down.
Brooke clasps her hands in front of her and fidgets.
“Okay. Who’s coming back?” the nurse asks. “Is it all of you?”
“Yes,” June declares. “It’s all of us.”
“Well, you two?” June says from around her celebratory ice cream cone. “Now that you have good news about me, what are you going to do with the rest of your day?”
Brooke stops licking her double fudge, double scoop cone with hot fudge, and stares at me.
I set my cup of mint chocolate chip ice cream on the green plastic table.
“I have an idea,” I say, pulling out my phone and texting my friends. I am fully aware that Logan will hate me for this, but also that it will be fun.
A drip of chocolate falls off Brooke’s cone and plops onto her shirt. “Oh…”
“Whatever it is, Brooke, you should do it,” June says. “You only love once, right?”
“Meemaw.” Brooke rolls her eyes. “It’s you only live once.”
“That’s what I said.” June’s eyes sparkle with mischief.
“Who said anything about love?” Brooke asks, narrowing her eyes at June.
“I think you two did,” June says before taking a huge bite of her strawberry scoop. She says something else, but it’s unintelligible with the amount of food in her mouth.
My phone buzzes from where I left it.
Logan
Seriously, man? What did I ever do to you?
I choke down a laugh before I respond.
Beckett
That’s a yes, then?
Ben
Meet you in an hour.
Brooke’s eyes are fixed on my face when I look up from my phone.
“I’ve got an afternoon planned, if you’re up for it.” I smile at Brooke while June nods approvingly.
“What is it?” Brooke asks.
“Would you like it to be a surprise?”
Brooke shudders. “No. I do not like unplanned activities. I need to know what I’m getting into.”
“Would you like to go rafting?”
“Rafting, like floating? Or rafting, like rapids?”
“Logan and Ben will be with us, too, so white water rapids.”
Brooke frowns. “But is it safe?”
“Can you swim?”
“Yes.”
“Then it’s safe enough.”
Brooke fidgets with her ice cream cone before she draws in a huge breath. “Ok.”
“Excellent,” June says, having finally swallowed her bite of dessert. “Now that I know I am experiencing only memory loss related to age, I’m going to call every person who’s ever offended me and tell them so. It seems like a good way to keep the old brain sharp.”
“Meemaw…” Brooke groans. “He said crossword puzzles and sudoku , that sort of thing. Not … please don’t really do that. Please let some things go.”
“Starting with…” June cackles. “My granddaughter who didn’t even invite her friends over for lemonade and let me give them unsolicited parenting advice.”
“Paige and Connor?” Brooke asks. “You wanted to meet them? They were only here for two nights, and she wasn’t feeling very well…”
“I promise I’ll make up for it and give you as much parenting advice as you don’t want when your time comes. Now, you have a hot date to get to.”
The way June’s sassy streak is back in full force causes a laugh to bubble up from my chest. A trip to the specialist resulting in good news was apparently just what she needed to amplify the more ridiculous parts of her personality.
Now that I know more about June, about her kindness, her refusal to bow to social norms she thinks are silly, and her determination to live her life fully, I understand that this woman is admirable.
She’s not just my annoying neighbor. The doctor assured June that her memory lapses were simply typical for her age.
He also suggested that while she has all her faculties, she tours assisted living facilities in case she does need help in the future.
June didn’t even bat an eye at that. “I think I’d like a place next to a restaurant so if the food’s bad one day, I can get out and eat something real.”
Dr. Arkin quirked an eyebrow at me while I sat in the hard plastic chair and held Brooke’s hand.
Brooke hid her giggle behind her other hand, but after holding space for the stress and worry of the two women it turns out I care most about in the world, the moment went from heavy to lighthearted, and I couldn’t be happier about it.
After June gave Dr. Arkin several more comments, including that he should consider putting his office as far away from the unconstitutional jailers at the post-surgery rehab center next door as possible, we left.
I’m not a sentimental man—it’s not in my DNA—but my dad always believed in celebrating good news with ice cream, and I couldn’t let this moment pass. When I turned into Angie’s Angel Ice Cream and Frozen Treats, June clapped her hands like a little girl, and I knew I’d made the right choice.
Now, watching June and Brooke banter back and forth, and feeling the sun beat down on my neck, something in my heart clicks into place.
I’m part of a family. Not one with a vindictive and controlling mother and a father who never had the energy to stand up to her after working demanding hours at his construction company, and then died when I was young.
I’m part of a family I want to be a part of.
“So,” Brooke says, addressing me. “What does one wear while rafting with locals? I’ve seen what the tourists wear, but I have a feeling rafting with Logan when he’s not working might be different.”
Brooke’s question makes me think of the flotation devices my not-medically-minded friends would rather not wear. “Uh … I guess I should have asked. Are you a good swimmer? Have you ever swam in rough water?”
“Yes. I grew up on Lake Superior.”
That means nothing to me, but June nods like it’s impressive. “She’s more than a good swimmer, she used to compete and beat everyone.”
“Meemaw…” Brooke gives her a scathing look. “Sorry, I’m pretty strong at swimming, but Meemaw thinks my eighth-grade gold championship medal in the 200-meter freestyle is impressive.”
I snort. “First place is always impressive.”
“I was thirteen. That was over a decade ago.”
June waves her hand like it doesn’t matter. “Once you’re good at something, you don’t just become ungood at it.”
“How much of an adventure are you up for, Brooke?” I ask.
“Probably not the Upper Gauley,” she says. “Logan showed me a video of Gauley Season, and that is insanity.”
I bite my tongue. I’ve done Gauley Season, but yes, it absolutely is insanity for someone who’s never rafted. “Let’s keep it easy and fun.”
Logan will think it’s a waste of time, but I’ll enjoy it, I’ll be with Brooke.