Page 9 of Find Me in California

“A wonderful plan.” Julia despises the relief that floods her forced calm. She’s curious about the book and wouldn’t mind helping her grandmother search for it later, but a visit to view Rosemont’s gardens is the distraction Mama Rose needs. Some days, Julia can’t derail her grandmother from her quest for some random object or herdetermination to break out of Rosemont until her frustration violently escalates and her caretaker has to medicate her.

“Hurry. The sun is setting.” Mama Rose pads to the wheelchair with Julia at her side.

Julia drapes a blanket over her grandmother’s legs once she’s settled in the chair and wheels her to the common room the memory care unit shares with the assisted living wing that overlooks lush gardens of roses, geraniums, and fuchsias in full bloom. The sun has all but set, blanketing the flowers in shadow. But it’s the scents of violets and begonias her grandmother loves.

She parks Mama Rose before an open window beside a rocking chair already occupied by Liza Holloway. The sight of the willowy woman reminds Julia of Matt’s call and that she needs to update Lenore before she leaves for the evening.

Upon noticing Mama Rose, Liza lifts her chin so she’s looking down her nose at Julia’s grandmother. “I don’t want company. Put her elsewhere.”

“The common room is for everyone, Mrs. Holloway.” Julia winks at the surly woman.

“Doesn’t it smell lovely?” Mama Rose asks.

“Do be quiet. I’m trying to read.” Liza flips a page in her hardback with enough flair to prove her point.

Julia pulls up a chair on the other side of Mama Rose. “We’re here for the sunset; then we’ll go.”

“Have I told you about the garden I tended in Beverly Hills one year? The roses were magnificent. I’d just moved to California and had never seen a multicolored floribunda until then.”

“Not this story again.” Liza snaps her book closed. “Can’t you talk about something else? And what’s with that you’ve got on? Weren’t you wearing that yesterday?”

Mama Rose glances down at her maroon tracksuit with a confused smile. Julia bought her several sets in various colors when her grandmother insisted on wearing them daily. Maroon is her favorite, and shehas two in that color. Julia doesn’t think it’s the same set she wore yesterday until she notices something crusted on Mama Rose’s chest, a dribble of food alongside the zipper. It looks like yesterday’s corn chowder.

Julia touches her grandmother’s knee. “I like this story.” She’ll listen to anything Mama Rose says, even if it’s the same tired story she repeats each time she gazes at the garden. Julia knows that the day will soon come when she aches to hear her grandmother’s voice.

Upon Julia’s smile of reassurance, Mama Rose prattles on about every plant varietal she recalls from Rosemont’s garden and compares them to that mysterious Beverly Hills garden. It always strikes Julia how much her grandmother remembers about her earlier life and her present surroundings, yet she can’t recall who Julia is to her.

Julia blinks away a flash of hopelessness when Liza barks, “Would you shut up?”

Mama Rose turns to the woman beside her, startled to see her sitting there, so consumed she’d been with her storytelling. She never seems to recognize Liza, which gives Julia a perverse sense of pleasure. She isn’t the only one her grandmother can’t place.

When the sun has set, casting the garden’s far corners into darkness where the landscape lights don’t reach, Julia rises to wheel Mama Rose back to her room. Even she has her limits when it comes to spending time around Liza. But before they depart, Mama Rose’s caretaker Trevor appears. He grasps the wheelchair handles. “Time for your meds, Ruby Rose.” Soft, tender eyes fall on Julia. “Get yourself home, Jules. I’ve got her.”

Julia suddenly feels the full weight of her weariness. She’s been up since four thirty this morning. She touches Trevor’s arm. “Thanks.”

“Got plans for tonight?” He unlocks the wheel brakes.

Had her ex-boyfriend Nolan not run scared a few years back, she might have been meeting him for dinner. She certainly wouldn’t be as paranoid about running out of money if he’d stuck around. He paid half the monthly mortgage when he lived with her.

“Does a hot date with my laptop count?” She intends to spend the evening trying to mold their minuscule savings into a workable solution. An impossible feat that only magic could accomplish, a talent—aside from money—she sorely lacks. Still, she needs to do something, and staring at their account balances may coax forth an answer.

Trevor offers her a sad little smile. They both know she works herself to the bone and has a nonexistent life outside of work, volunteering, and spending time with Mama Rose.

“At the very least, pour yourself a glass of wine.” Trevor swings Mama Rose’s chair around.

“I will.”

Mama Rose looks up behind her. “There you are, Trevor. Looking like the sexy hunk you are.”

Despite how many times he’s heard it, Trevor still blushes. “Now, now, Ruby Rose. You know I’m already taken.” He grins at Julia, and she secretly hates him. Mama Rose always recognizes him.

“Well, you’re still good looking. Just not as handsome as my Matty.”

Beside her, Liza hisses, “He’s not yours.”

“Testy, testy.” Julia clucks her tongue, sharing a look with Trevor. From the day she moved in, Liza’s always had something against Julia’s grandmother. Julia’s never been able to define what, and Liza wasn’t forthcoming the single time she had the courage to press her on it.

Trevor starts to leave with Mama Rose when she snatches Julia’s wrist with startling strength. With a soft gasp, Julia lifts her gaze from her grandmother’s veiny hand to her faded blue-gray eyes. They shine with focus.

---