Page 68 of Totally Opposed

“Where is Precious?” I ask, and she nods towards the room.

“I can’t believe they let him bring her in here.”

“In the bowling bag in the room. I brought her in my car while the paramedics drove him here, but when he found out I left her in the car to come inside to check on him, he had a meltdown. He’s got top-level insurance and always has, so they suggested moving him to the pet therapy ward to get him to calm down, but he had to promise she would stay in the bag. He’s fine. Did Alan tell you he stopped taking his heart meds?”

“What? No. Seriously, why would he do that?” I ask, and Alan shakes his head, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand. He looks so tired. We should have gotten more sleep last night.

“He wasfeeling better,” Alan says, using air quotes when he says it.“Who needs meds when you have good old-fashioned home cooking.”

“He seriously did not say that.”

“Fraid so,” Alan says, and I feel the heat rising to my face.

“Right, well best I be filling the old codger in on how many home-cooked meals he’s going to get if he ever pulls this shit again,” I say, and Alan laughs, and it’s the first time since I walked in this place that he looks like himself.

“Oh, I’ve gotta see this,” Kelly says and holds open the door for us both to go in first.

The fire in me settles a little when I see Don in the hospital bed. He’s got wires sticking out the top of his gown attached to amonitor at the side and he looks old, like really old. Older than he ever really looked, anyway.

“Ahh, young Mr Tanner,” he starts, but I interject before I lose my cool to say anything. I respect my elders, and I love my granny to bits, but what Don did was just plain stupid and careless and I can’t stand what it’s done to Alan, and he has to know that.

“Nope. You just listen. Now, Mr Beaker, I just heard that you decided that home cooking was better for you than the medication they prescribed to keep your heart working properly.”

He goes to open his mouth, but the blush to his cheeks begins to darken, and he closes it and purses his lips a little without replying.

“Now you listen here. I will not be cooking even a scrap of anything for you if you ever pull this shit again. And yes, I said shit, because what you’ve gone and done here is so far beyond politeness. Look at these two. What you did to them. Now sure, you’re old and one day we are going to have to say goodbye one last time, but no way in hell or high water will it be because you decided to do something stupid.”

“I felt better,” he says, and I shake my head.

“Ever think that was because you were on the medsandgetting good food?”

He frowns, like that thought never occurred to him.

“Well, now I can see that I may have been wrong.”

Kelly steps up beside the bed.

“Wait, what did you say?”

“You heard me,” he replies.

“Nope, don’t think I did,” she repeats, and he shakes his head and takes a deep breath, letting it out slowly like he’s trying to prolong the inevitable.

“I was wrong.”

“Yep, got it,” she cheers, tapping her phone.

“What are you doin’ there?” he asks.

“I recorded it. Needed proof. No way are Nial and Dean ever going to believe you said that.”

“Cheeky girl.”

“Love you, too, Gramps,” she says, then Gramps spots the bag in my hands.

“What have you got there?”

“I grabbed a few of your things. I wasn’t sure how long you would be staying.”

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