Page 48 of Crossroads of Innocence
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Fearand guilt swam together in the pit of Wade’s stomach, making him nauseous. He should have gone to the nursing home first thing that morning to make sure Mama was all right. Instead, he’d been too consumed with Jude and her issues. Too focused on how to fix their problems. And because he hadn’t made time for his mother, she’d been disoriented and out of sorts, causing her to fall and break her hip.
He struggled to keep his composure as he flew up to the information desk with Jude on his heels. “I need to see Velma McKenzie. I’m her son, Wade.”
The older woman with round glasses and gray hair pecked the keys on her keyboard and studied her computer screen. “She’ll be prepped for surgery soon but should still be in her room. Just head down the hall and turn left. Room number 13.”
“Thank you.” He cast a quick glance over his shoulder to confirm Jude followed then raced down the hall. Familiar faces flew by, but a singular focus pushed him forward until he reached his mother’s room.
He rushed inside, the nausea in his stomach hardening to something heavy and cold. The lights were bright, and a steady beeping announced his mom’s vitals.
A tall nurse with kind eyes checked the machine then patted Velma’s hand. “They’re almost ready for you, honey. Won’t be long now. Oh, look! You’ve got yourself a handsome visitor.”
Velma shifted in the bed to get a better look at him and beamed. “Paul? Is that you? Darlin’ you didn’t need to come and visit. The Chill N’ Grill needs you tonight. We’re too darn busy for you to step away for long.”
Jude lingered in the doorway.
He didn’t have time to explain how often his mother saw his father when she looked at him. Didn’t have time to make sure Jude was okay. Right now, there was only one woman he could concern himself with. “You know you’re way more important to me than that darn bar. I had to come and make sure you were all right. I’m so sorry I wasn’t there when you needed me.”
That’s as much of the truth—of reality—as he could expose at the moment. Letting Velma believe he was her deceased husband was better than trying to get her to understand he was her full-grown son. That the man she’d loved was long gone, and her memories couldn’t be trusted. He walked a tightrope of letting her world be what she saw and trying hard not to outright lie.
Velma waved a hand through the air. “Oh phewsh. It was just a little fall. No big deal.”
Wade gripped the bed rail with one hand and rested the other on top of hers. Grief lodged in his throat. He loved his mom so damn much, and playing this role always killed him. He’d do anything for her, but not being seen by the woman who’d raised him brought pain like he’d never experienced. “We’ll let the doctors decide how serious it is, okay?”
She rolled her eyes but couldn’t hide her smile. “Okay. And who is this little lady hovering behind you? A new friend?”
He hesitated, unsure of how to respond. He didn’t want to lie about who Jude was, but telling the truth would only confuse his mom.
“Hi, Mrs. McKenzie,” Jude said. She stepped further into the room until she stood beside Wade. “I’m stopping in to see if there’s anything you need. I just really wanted to see you and make sure you’re okay.”
“Oh, how lovely. You know, there’s something about you that’s so familiar. Have we met before?” She furrowed her brow as if in deep concentration, trying to place Jude’s face.
Wade held his breath. How in the world was he supposed to explain Jude was his old girlfriend that Mom had known since she was a child when his mother thought he was his father?
“You’ve probably seen me around town. I’m a local, just like y’all. And everyone knows the best place in town to get fried chicken is the Chill N’ Grill. Sometimes it feels like I grew up there.”
Velma beamed. “Hearing praise like that never gets old. Paul’s put his heart and soul into that place. And one day, we’ll pass it on to our boy. Wade is the sweetest child, and I know he’ll do right by the bar. I can tell, ya know? He’s always doing what’s right. Always lookin’ out for his mama. I’m a very lucky lady.”
A giant ball of emotion slammed against Wade, and he tightened his grip on the bed rail to keep from collapsing on the floor.
“I hope to be as lucky as you one day. With a loving family and a boy who loves me as much as your Wade loves you.” Jude’s voice shook slightly, the only sign she was affected by stepping into Velma’s alternate reality.
He tucked her statement into the back of his mind. Did she really want a family—a son? Did she want someone to love her like him, or did she want his love back in her life? He couldn’t ask her now, but as soon as he got her alone, he needed to understand what she meant.
“I’m sure you’ll find exactly what you need, dear. In my experience, things always seem to work out in the end. But if you don’t mind, can I have a few minutes alone with my lovely husband? I want to make sure he has a plan for what to do with me out of commission for a while, and you don’t want to watch an old lady embarrass herself when I tell him how much I love him.”
“Not a problem. I’ll step out in the hall,” she said. “I hope to see you soon.”
Appreciation pressed against his lungs and stole his breath. “Thank you,” he mouthed. “I’ll be out in a few.”
Jude walked out and leaned against the wall where he could see her if he glanced over his shoulder.
Love and gratitude spread from his chest and warmed him down to his toes. Jude’s reaction to his mom—and him while dealing with her—meant more than she could ever know. And as soon as his mama was wheeled into surgery, he’d gather Jude in his arms, tell her exactly how he felt, and never let her go again.
20
Leaning against the smooth wall, Jude closed her eyes and let out a long breath. Wade might have told her his mother had a dementia diagnosis, but knowledge of her illness had done nothing to prepare her for the frail woman she’d seen in the hospital bed. Or just how far her mind could wander. Her heart shattered for Wade and the daily struggle he must endure when caring for his mama.
