7. Hannah
CHAPTER 7
HANNAH
B y the time I step into the assisted living facility on Thursday night, I’m dead on my feet. It was close to midnight by the time my friends left last night and all the cows were back in their rightful place. After they were gone, I’d gone to check on Ruby, just intending to make sure she had enough hay to rest on for the night. But when I got there, she looked so pitiful in the large cattle trailer by herself, whining for her mother who definitely wasn’t coming back to comfort her. And as different as our situations were and as much as I liked to pretend I didn’t care, I was all too familiar with that feeling. So instead, I sat down in the hay and let her lay her small head in my lap while she finally went to sleep.
It had been almost two in the morning before I’d stumbled into the house, taken a shower, and collapsed into bed. But since the farm requires some attention in the mornings before I head off to school, I’d been back up at five to refill the water troughs, check on the horses, and feed Ruby and Leroy.
I try to hide my exhaustion as I step into my gramp’s room, but the concern that flashes across his face is enough to let me know I’ve failed.
“Hey, old man! How are you feeling?” I say, much more cheerfully than I feel.
“Well, my Hannah Banana, I’d be a lot better if you’d get me out of this damn place and let me come home to help you with the farm. You look like you could fall over dead any minute now,” he says with a snarl of frustration.
“Gramps, don’t do this to me tonight. You know I’d give anything to have you home with me. But you’ve had four major surgeries in the last year, and you’re recovering from a heart attack. The house isn’t accessible for your walker, and you fell down the stairs the last time you tried to get in the tractor,” I say sadly, and he must hear the defeat in my voice because he just nods sadly.
“You’re right, my sweet girl. I’m sorry. You know I’m just an old grumpy bastard. And I feel horrible I’ve left you to take care of that huge farm by yourself on top of taking care of me. This place is expensive. Just get me out of here and leave me on the side of the road to rot,” he says with a wink.
I roll my eyes at him before saying sarcastically, “Great idea, Gramps. I’ll get right on that. But, you hush. This is one of the nicest facilities in the area, and don’t think the nurses haven’t told me about your girlfriend, Gladis, down the hall. What would she do if you didn’t show up to your Friday night bingo date tomorrow?”
He lets out a chuckle before he relents. “Okay, fine, you’re right. I don’t mind this place, but I just wish I could help you, Han.”
I feel moisture gathering in my eyes, but I blink it away quickly, knowing if I start crying he’ll start asking questions about the finances and state of the farm which I definitely can’t answer right now. As I look at the elderly man sitting across from me, all I can feel is frustration with myself for letting it get this bad. Gramps never hesitated to take me in when my parents decided they didn’t want to be parents anymore and left me with him while they went on a vacation they’d never intended to come home from. This man has done everything he could for me to make sure I was always taken care of, and here I am letting the only other thing he ever cared about waste away.
I paste on a fake smile before I respond. “Don’t worry, Gramps. I’ve got it all under control. Will and some of the boys are going to redo the fence for me, and I’m working on some plans for the spring to get the garden going again. That way when the Farmers’ Market comes around I’ll have some extra income there. It’s all going to be fine.”
He gives me a content smile before nodding. “Oh, that would be nice. And tell Will thank you for me. He’s such a good man. When are you two going to finally admit that you’re in love?”
I almost choke on the sip of water I had just taken before responding. “Gramps, what kind of meds do they have you on in here. Clearly, it has to be some of the good stuff because you’re delusional.”
Gramps lets out a laugh before holding up his hands in a sign of surrender. “Okay, fine, fine. Say what you want, but I’m convinced you two will end up together. He looks at you the same way I used to look at your MiMi.”
I snort because I’m pretty sure the only way Will Thompson has looked at me in the last seven years is in annoyance, but I just nod since I don’t have the energy to argue with my gramps tonight. We spend the next hour chatting about the farm and the activities he’s enjoyed here since I came to see him on Sunday. By the time I hug him and stand to leave, I’m feeling a bit more like myself and like maybe there’s a way to figure all of this out.
“Okay, Gramps, I’ll be back on Sunday. I love you,” I say as I go to leave his room.
“Love you too, my Hannah Banana. I’ll see you then,” he calls after me, right before I close the door.
I make my way back to the front lobby and am just about to exit through the double doors in the front when one of the receptionists calls after me. “Miss Scott, could I talk to you for a moment?”
I turn to see it’s Mia, the young girl who usually handles my monthly payments, who called for me.
“Oh, hi, Mia. How are you tonight?” I say with a smile, hoping it isn’t obvious I’m about to fall over in exhaustion if I don’t get home soon.
“Oh, I’m okay. I just wanted to talk to you because of the issue we’re having with your grandfather’s Medicaid. As you know, you’ve been paying for his room and board while Medicaid has covered some of the medical expenses through a waiver due to his most recent surgery. But I got a notification today that they’re unwilling to continue paying their part since he’s several months out of recovery.”
It feels like all of the blood drains out of my body as I stare at her. “Okay, so how much will the cost increase?” I ask.
“Probably around an extra thousand to fifteen hundred dollars a month,” she says sadly. “We’re going to do what we can on our end, but I did want to give you a warning.”
I just nod at her and mumble, “Thanks, Mia. Have a good night.”
And without another word, I scramble to my car where I finally bust into a fit of sad, hot tears.
“Blue!! Black!! Let’s go, Saints!” I cheer along with Caroline and our squad as they finish their halftime performance. It’s Friday night, and after what felt like the longest two-hour bus ride of my life, we arrived in Mills Corner. The first half was a brutal mashup between the boys, and it seems like the next hour or two would be the same.
We spend the next few minutes passing out water to the girls before collapsing back into our seats on the front row of the bleachers while the girls build up their stunts for kickoff.
“Let’s GOOOOOO, Saints!” the squad cheers when Wesley catches the ball and sprints toward the end zone. We all groan as he’s taken down on the five-yard line, just shy of a touchdown, but the crowd goes wild as the team gets set to push the ball across the end zone.
The Mills Corner sideline boos loudly, and I can tell a few of their players are mouthing off at our boys, but thankfully our team seems unbothered.
“Are they seriously booing a bunch of teenagers?” I ask, my eyes wide as a few of their fans throw trash toward the field. I can hear their sideline start yelling and cursing at their team until the referee blows his whistle and throws a flag for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Trying to ignore it, Caroline grabs my hand, and we cheer like the duo of crazed fans that we are. I feel the smile I’ve been missing all day creep up on my cheeks. Despite how shitty everything is right now, I think there must be just a little bit of magic in these small town stadiums because as I cheer for my alma mater and the kids I spend almost all of my day with, I feel just a little bit of the weight I’ve been carrying the last few days lift off my shoulders just as the Saints’ player scores a touchdown.
The stands erupt in a chorus of excitement while the squad dances along to “Oh When the Saints Go Marching In.” After the kick goes through the goalposts, Caroline and I collapse back into our seats, both wearing happy expressions.
My best friend looks at me for a moment before saying, “There’s my bestie. What’s been going on, Han? You’ve looked like someone kicked your puppy all week. I’m worried about you.”
I blow out a breath before giving her a small smile. “Oh, I’m fine. There’s just been a lot going on lately, but I’ve got everything under control.”
I feel Caroline’s gaze on me, looking for any sign I’m not telling the truth. I can’t tell if I pass her inspection, or if she just knows there’s no use in arguing with me. “Fine, but I would really hope that if that wasn’t true, you’d know you could come to me. We’re in this together, Han.”
I try not to let the myriad of emotions I’m feeling show on my face, and since I don’t trust myself to speak I just nod at her and give her a quick hug. Thankfully, both of our phones ping a second later, drawing the attention off my current issues.
MARGARET: Ladies, I need an update!
Caroline and I both smile at our phones before she says, “I’ll respond for us.”
Margaret and Theo may have only been in Springside for a few months, but they’ve fit themselves so easily into our lives I don't know what we ever did without them. She decided not to make the two-hour trip since all of us were riding the bus, but because she understood how important tonight’s game was to our chances at the playoffs, I’m sure she’s desperate to hear how it’s going.
CAROLINE: We’re up right now 27-21 going into the fourth quarter. But it’s been a tough game. Hoping we can hold out a little longer
MARGARET: OMG me too. Literally biting my nails here. Keep me updated.
After liking the text, Caroline stands and motions for the girls to get set for their quarter cheer. We cheer along with the girls and holler when all of their stunts hit cleanly at the top. As soon as they dismount, Maggie, the captain of the squad, runs over to us.
“Oh my gosh, you were right about those rippled lib stunts with the signs! The crowd was so loud! Do you think we could work that into our competition routine? I know regionals are coming up, but if we advance, it could be great for state!” she asks with a huge smile on her face.
Caroline and I nod at her before she runs back to the squad to build back up for kickoff. “You were right about the new stunts, Han. I know it’s only our second year competing, but I think we really have a chance of making it past regionals this year!” Caroline says excitedly.
“I hope so! I want to work through a few more tweaks to the—” I start before I look at the field and see one of the Springside defensive players reach out and snag the ball as it hurdles through the air for an interception. “Oh my gosh, run!”
The stadium erupts once again, all of us screaming and yelling as the player runs the ball the remaining thirty yards for a touchdown. We cheer along before Caroline remembers to grab her phone and update Margaret. All the while, the atmosphere in the stadium feels more and more hostile as the players line up for the field goal attempt. Just as the center goes to snap the ball, one of the Mills Corner players charges from the line and tackles one of the Springside offensive guards, hitting him hard enough that his helmet flies across the grass before the play starts. Once he’s down, the Mills Corner player kneels above our guard and punches him hard across the face.
And with that, the stadium dissolves into absolute chaos.