Chapter 4 #2
“He’s not here, Mom.” She kept her tone gentle. Her father had been dead for years, but she wasn’t going to mention that and upset her.
The nurse returned with the tea, and Nina kept reading.
“He’s bad, but we got away,” her mother said, opening her eyes suddenly. She was looking at Nina with an intensity she’d not shown in years.
“Mom, it’s all right. You rest now.”
Her mother rarely talked about her late husband, so it was a shock to hear the words.
Nina looked at the nurse as Birdie squeezed her shoulder again.
“Often at this stage of Alzheimer’s, they don’t make a great deal of sense, Nina,” she whispered.
She nodded, her heart feeling like it was being ripped in half. “Of course.”
Her mother’s eyes closed again, and Nina finished reading the book. Birdie read the next one, and then the nurse returned to tell them it was time to give her mother her medication and bathe her.
“Bye, Mom. I love you.” She bent to kiss a paper-thin cheek. “I’ll be back soon.”
Nina straightened and stood with Birdie’s arm around her waist, just looking down at the woman who had been her entire life for so long, and in that moment she was glad to have her friend there. So often she did this alone, but not today. Today two of her friends were looking out for her.
Birdie then took Nina’s hand again and led her from the room. After a last look from the doorway, Nina followed her friend out of the home.
“I’m so sorry you’re going through this,” Birdie said, leading her to the car.
Sawyer, who had watched them approach, got out as they reached him.
“How was she?”
“N-not good,” Nina said, holding in the tears.
Usually she cried alone in the car on the way back to Lyntacky, but she didn’t want Birdie and Sawyer seeing that.
Birdie hugged her close then, and Nina felt the big arms of Sawyer Duke wrap around them both. It felt like a large heavy blanket, and so good that she did cry then.
“Come on, let’s get into the car. It’s cold out here,” he said long after her tears eased to a sniffle.
Nina climbed into the backseat again and looked out the window as they started the journey back to Lyntacky. She felt tired and numb, and was pleased she wasn’t driving.
She heard Sawyer and Birdie talking but didn’t take part, as her thoughts were on her mother.
Why had she mentioned Nina’s father after all this time?
She’d tried to question her many times before, but her mother had shut her down, saying it hurt too much to mention him.
What had she meant by saying he was a bad man?
She had no photos of her father, leaving her with no memories, and though this hurt, she’d stopped asking because every time she had, she’d been met with silence from her mother.
“Can you drop me at my car, Sawyer?” she asked when they reached Lyntacky. “And thank you both so much for today. It meant a lot.”
“Anytime. You know that,” Sawyer said. “You don’t have to face this alone. We’re here for you.”
“Thank you.” It was humbling to hear the words at a time when she really needed them.
“Want me to come home with you? I—”
“It’s okay, Birdie. I just want some time alone to think. But thank you.”
Her friend nodded. “Call me if you need company.”
“I will.”
Nina climbed into her own car minutes later and headed to the pizza place. It was lunchtime and she craved pizza.
She parked outside the Swing Through Café, yet another crazy name relating to square dancing, owned by Ryder Duke. The thought of one of his coffees made her mouth water.
After getting out, she buttoned up her coat and wound her scarf several times around her neck. It was getting colder.
Looking up the street, she saw signs of Christmas everywhere. It was usually her favorite time of year. But not now. In fact, she wasn’t even sure she’d put a tree up.
Promenade Pizza had pictures of Italy all over the walls and red-and-white checkered tablecloths, which Enzo, the owner, had told her felt just like home for him and his family.
“Nina!”
“Hey, Enzo. Can I get a pepperoni to go? Make it a large.”
“Bad morning?”
“The worst. I’m gonna get a coffee. I’ll be back.”
“Sorry about the break-ins. Now go and eat something with chocolate, too, and I’ll put more cheese on your pizza than usual so we can really clog your arteries.” He waved her away.
That did sound good. Heading back out of the shop, Nina went to the building next door. A wave of heat greeted her as she stepped inside the Swing Through Café. A few customers sat at tables, and the scents and smells were delicious.
Nina loved this place. The décor was a mix of old and new, and the Christmas touches only added to the look, but it was the people she came back for time and time again. She waved to familiar faces as she made her way to the counter.
“Nina, how are you?” Ryder asked as she reached him.
“Since yesterday when I came in for coffee?”
His eyes narrowed as he leaned in closer to study her. “What’s up, other than the car and the house business?”
Her mother had always said she couldn’t hide what she was feeling.
“Nothing. I just need a coffee real bad. Make it a large one, please.”
The Dukes had been a constant in her life since she’d started school. They were good people with rough edges who would walk across fire for those they cared about. Especially, her boss, JD, who was married to Zoe Duke.
“So, I’ll make you a coffee, and you can tell me all your problems while I do,” Ryder said.
“There aren’t enough hours in a day, and I ordered pizza, so I need to get that.”
“Your arms are folded and your shoulders are up to your ears, Nina. What’s going on?” Ryder said.
She deliberately lowered her shoulders. “It’s your lunch rush, Ry, just make the coffee okay, and I’ll be happy.”
“We’re not slammed, so spill,” Ryder said.
Nina exhaled slowly. “Sawyer and Birdie took me to see Mom at the rest home today. I-I don’t think she has long.”
“Crap really? I’m so sorry to hear that. That can’t be easy to watch, and after that other shit happening, you must be feeling a whole lot of things.”
Sometimes when her defenses were down, she thought it would be nice to have a special someone in her life. A permanent partner to share everything with. So far, she hadn’t found anyone who’d come close to taking the position.
“She’s deteriorated fast, Ry. I knew it was coming, but sometimes it’s harder to take than others.”
“Yeah, I can imagine it is. Get something sweet loaded with calories out of the cabinet for after your pizza,” Ryder said.
She took out a donut filled with caramel and put it in a bag as the coffee machine hissed.
“I also hate that Nancy and Hank are selling. She told me I should buy it. Can you imagine me running a place like that?”
“I can, actually. You’d be great at it because you’re a people person.”
“Right, and I’ll just get the money to buy it out of my empty bank account?” Nina scoffed. Although she couldn’t deny the little jab of excitement the idea of owning the Circle Left gave her.
Don’t be ridiculous.
“They have these things called bank loans,” Ryder drawled.
“No, really?” Nina said feigning surprise.
“And there she is, our sarcastic Nina,” Ryder said, putting the lid on the coffee and handing it to her.
“Put the coffee and donut on my tab, and thanks.”
“For what?” Ryder asked.
“Being there,” she said honestly. “Just like Sawyer and Birdie were for me today.”
“Anytime,” he said with a smile. “Think about it, Nina. You’d be a good next owner for the Circle Left.”
She left the café, collected her pizza, avoided a heated debate between Dr. Hannah and Esther from the waffle place about the best sauce swirl, and got back into her car.
Before she could start it, her phone rang. Looking at the caller ID, her heart sank.
“Hello.”
“Ms. Winter? It’s Carol, one of your mother’s nurses.
I’m sorry to say Shirley has deteriorated rapidly since you left.
We’ve had the doctor in to see her, and her blood pressure is elevated, plus she is nonresponsive.
Dr. Patel thinks it is best if you come in, as he’s not sure your mother will make it through the night. I’m so sorry, dear.”
“I’ll be there as soon as I can,” Nina said, then ended the call.
She was soon driving out of Lyntacky again.
“Coming, Mom,” she whispered, the tears already rolling down her cheeks.