Chapter 17
17
Jewel
It was midmorning when a familiar black diesel truck roared up the farm’s driveway. Jewel leaned the hoe she was using to weed Mom’s vegetable garden against the shed and went out to greet Aaron as he strolled around the new building site.
“Whatcha doing out here?” she asked pleasantly. “Seems you’d want to be in town selling your houses on a nice sunny Saturday.”
“I got somebody covering for me. Just wanted to see how things went here yesterday. Bet you were surprised to see my crew so soon.”
“As a matter of fact, I was. But they seemed to have done a great job.”
“Well, another job fell through, so I sent ’em straight over here. Thought you might appreciate it.” He kicked a loose stone into a ditch.
“Absolutely.” She beamed at him. “I’m so impressed with how quickly things are moving. Thank you, Aaron.”
He tweaked one of her braids. Not wanting to waste time with hair this morning, she’d put it in pigtails just like Mom used to do. “You look like a real farm girl, Jewelie.”
She bristled at the nickname. “Just cooler and easier.” She tipped the brim of her frazzled straw cowboy hat back, one she’d adopted from her dad’s vast collection, and narrowed her eyes in warning.
“Cute.” He was oblivious to her frustration. “So I’m wondering, suppose you can clean your farm girl self up for something fun this evening?”
She grimaced, biting her tongue to keep from saying something she’d regret. After all, he was helping her with this house. She pursed her lips. “ This evening?”
“Yeah. I got two tickets to a fundraiser over at the Stockton Ranch. Good food and drinks and old-fashioned square dancing. Thought you’d like to come with me.” He reached for her hand. “Do a little do-si-do in the barn.”
“That actually does sound fun, but I already made plans for tonight.” She pulled her hand away. “I’m sorry.” Okay, she realized she wasn’t as sorry as she sounded. Mostly she was relieved to have a valid excuse.
“Plans?” He frowned. “Can’t you cancel ’em?”
“No, it’s with the whole family. We were all counting on it.”
“So what’s so special you can’t get out of it?”
She resented his pushy attitude but maintained her pleasant expression. “Well, it’s not that special, but I already accepted the invitation and hate to back out. Just a neighborhood barbecue. No big deal.”
Aaron’s countenance darkened as he glanced over to the Orosco house. “Not that many neighbors out this way.”
“Which is why it’s so important to maintain good relationships with the ones we have.”
He was clearly disappointed, perhaps even irritated, but he smiled stiffly. “Well, okay, but you’re missing out on a great time, Jewelie Girl. There’ll probably be lots of folks you know there. Good way to get back in the swing of things in Sweet Springs.”
“I’m sure you’re right.” She feigned disappointment. “Maybe another time.”
“Yeah.” His brow creased as he adjusted his ball cap. “Better get back to the lot. This is a good day for selling houses. June’s always a record month. Gotta make hay while the sun shines.”
“Good luck,” she called out as he got into his pickup. She knew he was disappointed in her response, but what could she do? She wanted to keep their relationship on good footing. At least until they wrapped up the new house project. The sooner that was all done, the better for everyone.
Jewel returned to weeding for a bit. Then, hot and thirsty, she went inside to see if Mom needed any help with the potato salad she was making for tonight. The huge bag of potatoes on the kitchen table suggested Mom planned to feed half the county. But seeing Cooper standing at the sink, up to her elbows in potato peels, Jewel pivoted her focus and asked about her dad as she filled her water bottle.
“Last I saw, he was asleep in his chair with MeTV blaring out The Rifleman ,” Mom told her. “But you know how that can go.”
“I’ll check on him.”
Of course, his chair was empty and the TV was blasting an obnoxious pharmaceutical commercial. Jewel called out and made sure Dad wasn’t inside before heading out to look. She wasn’t terribly worried since he couldn’t have been gone long, but when she couldn’t find him in the barn or other outbuildings, and he didn’t appear to be out in a field, she grew a little concerned. She called out for him again and then walked over to the fence line between their property and the Oroscos’. Hopefully he wasn’t over there creating havoc for them.
As she strolled the fence line, looking all directions, she spotted Miguel pounding in a loose fencepost alongside his cow pasture. “Have you seen my dad?” she yelled to him.
He came over, using a bandanna to wipe his brow. “I noticed him walking down your driveway earlier. I assumed he was getting mail, then I got busy here and lost track.” He pointed to where he’d installed a gate and grinned. “What do you think?”
“Nice,” she said absently. “But I better go find Dad. I already got the mail. Not that it would stop him. He enjoys the walk back and forth. Thanks.”
“You all still coming tonight?” he asked brightly.
“That’s our plan. Mom’s making a mega potato salad. Of course, you never know about Dad.” She sighed. “He might not want to come.”
“Well, be assured if he does come, we’ll do all we can to make him comfortable here. Mama really wants to patch things up between us. More now than ever since Anna and Cooper have become friends.” He grinned. “Anna thinks Cooper is the greatest thing since sliced bread.”
Jewel smiled. “That’s an expression my dad used to use.”
“I think I picked it up from a southern sergeant in boot camp.”
“Well, I better go find Dad. Thanks for the tip.”
“Good luck.”
As she went down the driveway toward the main road, her nerves bristled, especially when she didn’t see him anywhere. What if Dad had decided to wander farther than the mailbox? Where would that even be, and how long would his wobbly legs hold out? She paused at the road, looking both ways, before she extracted her phone from her jeans pocket, called her mother, and quickly explained her AWOL dad. “Do you think he’d go anywhere down this road?” she asked.
“I don’t know, but he was in a snit this morning before he fell asleep.”
“What kind of snit?”
“When we told him we were making potato salad for the barbecue tonight, he threw a little fit, claiming nobody was going to the Oroscos’. Period. I told him, like you suggested, that he could stay behind. By himself. I suppose that’s what made him mad.” She let out a weary sigh.
“Oh, I’m sorry, Mom. I hoped it would motivate him. I should’ve known.” Jewel looked up and down the farm road but saw no pedestrians. And no vehicles either. “Do you think that would be enough to send him off like this? Off the farm, I mean?”
“Heaven only knows.”
“Well, I’ll get my car to keep looking for him.” Jewel turned back to the house. “Why don’t you tell Cooper to do another quick search around the farm?”
“Yes. We’ll both look. If we find him, I’ll text you.”
Jewel agreed to do the same. By the time Mom and Cooper were calling out and scouring the farm, Jewel was backing out in her SUV. Torn between anger and angst and fear, Jewel left a dust cloud behind her as she drove down the driveway. At the road, she felt like flipping a coin to determine which path her dad may have taken. Finally, she chose to head toward town because Dad had mentioned how he missed his early morning coffee with his buddies at the feed store just the other day. When she’d offered to taxi him there, her mom had quietly intervened, explaining that his friends didn’t even meet there anymore. Hadn’t in years. But maybe in his mixed-up mind he imagined them cheerfully waiting there and had set out to meet them.
After making it nearly to town, and feeling certain he couldn’t walk this far, Jewel headed back, ready to search the other part of the old farm road. As she drove, she checked in to learn Mom still hadn’t seen hide nor hair of him. “I’ll keep looking,” Jewel assured her. As she drove on past the farm, where properties were larger and set farther apart, she prayed that God would keep her dad safe ... and help her find him. Half a mile from their farm, Jewel spotted a pickup truck pulled off on the side of the road. A couple stood outside, looking down at a man in the ditch. To her horror, it was Dad, leaned lifelessly against the slope of the earth, his face pale. She pulled to a fast stop, jumped out, and dashed over.
“Dad! Are you okay?” She knelt in the dried grass beside him, her heart pounding, but relieved to see he was breathing. “Are you okay?” When he didn’t answer, she turned to the man. “Did you hit him with your truck?”
“No way!” he answered defensively.
“We just stopped when I noticed him lying there,” the woman said.
“Probably drunk.” The man shrugged with disinterest. “But the wife insisted we stop and play good Samaritan.”
“Is he your father?” the woman asked with wide eyes.
Jewel ignored them and reached for her dad’s hand. “ Dad? Talk to me. Are you hurt?”
His eyes fluttered open, then closed. “Too tired,” he muttered.
“You walked too far,” she told him. She stood, looking at the couple. “He has dementia.” She pointed to the side of her own head. “Memory stuff. You know?”
“Oh, yes, I do know,” the woman said, then lowered her voice. “My uncle has Alzheimer’s. I know how they can wander away sometimes.”
“Can you help me get him into my car?” Jewel asked the couple.
It took all three of them to get Dad onto his feet. Then the guy helped Jewel get him into the car and the woman returned with a lukewarm bottle of water. “He might be dehydrated,” she said. “It’s pretty hot out.”
“Thank you.” Jewel wanted to hug this woman. “You are a good Samaritan.”
“Just being neighborly.” The woman smiled. “We’re the Crawfords. Our farm is about ten miles down this road.”
“We’re the McKerrys,” Jewel told them as she handed her dad the water. “This is my dad, CT.”
“You should get him a medical ID bracelet,” the woman advised. “My uncle has one. You know, in case he wanders and doesn’t know his address and such.”
“That’s a great idea.” Jewel glanced at her dad, who was now sipping his water in the shade of the car. He seemed fairly well recovered as he attempted to make farmer small talk with Mr. Crawford. Before long, the couple mentioned that they had perishable groceries in their car and needed to go. Jewel thanked them again and got into her SUV. “I’m glad you’re okay, Dad, but you really had us worried.”
“I’m fine.” His tone was aggravated, almost as if she’d spoiled his fun. “People worry too much.”
She wanted to scold him but bit her tongue instead.
“Took a walk,” he mumbled. “Nothing to fuss about.”
“Where were you walking?” she asked as she turned on the engine.
“Town.”
“Uh, did you know town is the other way?”
“No, it’s this way.” He pointed the wrong way down the road. “I was almost there.” He sounded even more aggravated.
She rolled her eyes. “I better call Mom and let her know you’re okay.”
“I’m okay. People worry.”
“I know you’re okay ... now .” Instead of calling her mom, she texted Cooper. That way her dad wouldn’t have to hear the irritation in her voice. Oh, she knew he couldn’t understand why they were worried. Finding him half dead from heatstroke in the ditch on a hot afternoon ... No big deal, they worry too much, he was fine. She was still curious if his great escape had anything to do with his insistence they shouldn’t go to the Oroscos’ tonight, but she didn’t want to ask. Why poke a hornets’ nest? Instead she inquired about his bees. That was usually a safe subject.
“My bees?” His tone grew alarmed. “Need water. Too hot.”
“Cooper already took care of that for you.”
“Cooper?”
“The girl with the green hair.”
“That girl in my house?”
“Yes. That girl is my daughter. Your granddaughter.” How many times would she have to remind him of this?
“No, don’t know them. They live far away.”
Here we go again. She thought hard. How far gone was he today? Did his runaway experience worsen things in his brain? She wondered. “What about a wife?” she asked. “Do you have a wife?”
“I, uh, yeah. I think so.”
“What’s your wife’s name?”
He rubbed his unshaven chin. “Honey.” His tone softened. “Honey is sweet. Like honey.”
“Well, Honey is worried about you, Dad.”
He only said “Oh,” then stayed quiet the rest of the way. But he took little sips of water and fidgeted with the label on the plastic bottle, leaving Jewel to wonder what went on inside his brain. She wished she could sneak a peek at the goings-on in there. At the same time, it would probably scare her to death.
To everyone’s relief, Dad was worn out by the time he got into the house. It took all three of them to get him to bed, where he actually seemed eager to take a nap. After he was all settled in, they met in the kitchen for a little conference over some homemade lemonade. As Cooper filled glasses, Jewel explained what happened and exactly where and how she found Dad.
“I’m surprised he could even walk that far.” She felt embarrassed at the judgment and irritation in her voice. But it was honest.
“Well, it sure did him in,” Mom said quietly.
“Poor Grandpa.” Cooper sounded genuinely sympathetic as she set three full glasses on the table. “Did he do that just because of the Orosco barbecue? If it’s that big a deal to him, maybe we shouldn’t go.”
“No,” Mom declared. “We can’t let his condition rule our lives.”
“Really?” Jewel wasn’t so sure. “I don’t see how we can help it.”
Mom turned to Cooper. “You are going to the barbecue, my dear. And so is your mom.”
“What about you?” Cooper asked.
“I don’t know.” She sipped her lemonade. “If your grandpa’s having a rough time, I really don’t see how I could enjoy myself.”
“See, Mom,” Jewel pointed out. “Dad’s condition does rule your life.”
“Well, I’m his wife. I have to make concessions. You and Cooper don’t.”
“It’s not fair,” Jewel declared. She knew she sounded childish, but she was feeling seriously put out by the circumstances. Sure, her dad couldn’t help it ... or could he? Sometimes she wondered. So many of his actions and statements reminded her of a four-year-old’s temper tantrum. He only cared about himself and his own needs. Most of the time, it felt as if the rest of them didn’t even exist.
“Life isn’t fair,” Mom said solemnly. “Can I tell you girls something?”
“Of course.” Jewel ran a finger down the condensation on her glass. “And excuse me and my big mouth. I just got seriously frustrated with Dad today. I should read up more on his condition so I can understand him better.”
Mom patted her hand. “I have some books that might help. Although they can confuse you too. Sometimes they contradict each other.”
“You were going to tell us something, Grandma,” Cooper reminded her.
She nodded slowly. “But I’ll warn you, what I want to say will probably sound kind of odd, maybe even woo-woo.” She smiled at Cooper. “Something happened a while back, shortly before your grandpa’s official diagnosis. For about a year, I was noticing little things. Forgetfulness, misplacing things, losing words, tantrums. Nothing too concerning, and I tried to blame it on getting older. I mean, we all get forgetful as we age.” She sighed. “Well, I could tell it was getting worse, and the doctors hinted but I was still dismissive and confident we could fix whatever was wrong with meds, nutrients, better hearing aids, whatever. Anyway, I was hanging sheets on the line on one of those beautiful spring days. It was so full of promise. And I got this distinct impression.” She paused, staring out the kitchen window as if to recall that specific day perfectly. “It was actually more than just an impression. It was as if I heard God talking to me. Not audibly exactly but plain and clear just the same. Like when you know something deep within. Maybe you can’t even put it into words. But this came to me in words I could hear inside of me. They were”—she paused again—“‘You’re going to want to ask why ... but don’t. There are no answers. Just trust me for what’s coming.’”
“Interesting.” Jewel nodded, realizing how many times she’d asked why this was happening to her dad.
Cooper looked doubtful. “You really believe it was God talking to you?”
“I do believe it. Maybe more than anything I’ve ever believed before.”
“Did you understand what it meant?” Jewel studied her.
“Not at that time. I didn’t even relate it to your father that day. But here’s the truth, I have wanted to ask why , why , why ... over and over again. My why questions are always about your father and the frustrating things he does. I want to ask, Why did you do that? Why did you lose that? Why did you move that? I have so many whys for God too—they’re endless.”
“I know exactly what you mean,” Jewel admitted. “I ask Dad why all the time. Not that he answers. Just this afternoon, I asked why he ran off like that, and his answer made no sense. He was going to town but headed the wrong way.”
“Well, I can’t speak for you girls, but I’m learning to hold back on my why questions. For one thing, it usually just frustrates him more. And it’ll frustrate you too. Even if he tries to tell you why he did something, you rarely get a right answer. Because there are none.”
Cooper nodded. “Yeah, I guess that makes sense.”
“Do you think those words were God forewarning you?” Jewel asked. “For what was ahead?”
“It seems that way. And I take it a step further too. It’s not just about not asking CT why. I don’t ask God why anymore either. I’ll admit I want to ask about my husband’s condition. Why did he get this? But I believe I won’t get that answer. Not in this earthly life. And I’m okay with that.” She smiled. “Well, most of the time. I’m only human, after all. I certainly have my weak moments. More than I care to admit.” She took a slow sip of lemonade.
“Thanks for telling us that, Grandma.” Cooper set her empty glass in the sink. “It helps. Now if no one cares, I’m going to grab a shower. By the way, Mom, Anna asked me to spend the night after the barbecue. Is that okay?”
“Sure,” Jewel agreed. “Sounds fun.”
“I guess.” Cooper shrugged like it was no big deal, or maybe she didn’t want her mother to know she might actually have a good time with her new friend. “Gets me off the funny farm for a while.” She covered her mouth with a guilty look, like what she said was politically incorrect, but her mom and grandma just laughed, really laughed.
“It does feel like the funny farm some days,” Mom admitted. “We all need a break from time to time.” She turned to Cooper. “I’ll tend the bees while you’re gone.” Cooper thanked her, then scurried off.
“Okay then. You admit we need a break.” Jewel pointed at her mom. “Promise me if you don’t go to the Oroscos’ tonight, you will get off the funny farm tomorrow. By yourself and with no worries over Dad. Because I’ll be here with him. Okay? ”
Mom looked uncertain.
“Come on, Mom.” Jewel stuck out her hand. “Promise you will.”
“All right.” Her mom shook her hand. “Sounds like a smart idea.”
Jewel squeezed Mom’s hand, wishing there was more she could do, hoping just being here might be enough for now. Although if they had any more days like today, she might want a complete escape from the “funny farm” herself.