Page 14 of Tossing It

“Be right back,” she whispers to me. “Come on Mom. I’ll get you on the computer. You can scroll through some pictures. Doesn’t that sound like fun? Maybe you’ll get tired and we can try for a nap again.”

“I’m not tired, I’m mad! I raised you to be better than this, Malena Louise!”

Sighing, I sit on the edge of the bed and run a hand through my hair. Reaching behind me, I find my shirt and slide it back on. Their conversation fades off as I check my messages. According to my texts, Eva is at my house right now. The next message is a photo her disgruntled face with the caption.Because you refuse to give me a house key.

I tap back.I will be home soon. Check on Mr. Olsen or something. HE will love your company.

She texts back.Where are you at?!

Malena walks in, eyeing the phone in my hands. “Sorry about that.” She shrugs. “Seems she’s not going to let me live that mistake down today. Probably not tomorrow either.” Her eyes are sad, a touch haunted.

“It must be hard,” I say, sighing to show my frustrations for her. “To have to relive things you don’t want to. To have to maintain the patience of a saint.” Of a God. Of a Deity. More patience than I’ll ever own throughout the duration of my life.

“That obvious, huh?” she asks, sitting next to me. “Dylan was around the longest and I guess that’s why she remembers him the most or repeatedly remembers him I should say.” I set a hand on her leg. “You put your shirt back on,” she says, frowning. “I liked it when it was off.”

Tilting my head back, I laugh. “I liked it off, too. But I have to get going. My sister is waiting for me at home. She’s liable to break a window trying to get into my house. Then she’ll go through everything I own in an effort to discover new things about me that she thinks I’m keeping from her.”

Malena winces. “Eeek. Sounds like a personal problem to me. Not my circus,” she replies, shaking her head. “Rule number three. Not my monkey, right?”

“You’ll thank me later for rule number three,” I reply. “They’re a lot to handle. My family.”

“No complications,” Malena says, setting her hand on top of mine and squeezing. “This has to go down in history as the worst first date known to man. I bet even the cavemen would cringe at this awkward attempt to get to know one another.” She flops back on her bed and stares at the ceiling. “You can call me, you know if you still want to call me after this disaster, and I’ll try to work on a time to meet up with you again. Probably sometime in the next century at the rate in which my schedule fills up with…life.”

Trying my best to keep my gaze directed above her neck, a hard feat, I keep my voice low. “I have to ask because it seems like a logical solution, and logistical planning is one of my things, have you thought about finding a place that could better care for her? Full time?”

Her face belies little emotion. I can tell this is a subject that’s been broached and considered many times before. “Care for her better than her own daughter? Is that possible? Even if those places didn’t scare me, I don’t have the money for something like that long term.” Malena sits up. “Spilling too many details again. Sorry. Have you seen what happens to the elderly in those group homes? Horrible, awful things. I wouldn’t be with her. Imagine what could be accomplished to an old woman who doesn’t remember anything! They could neglect her or be cruel to her one day, and she’d forget about it the next.” Malena swallows hard, and her eyes shine with threatening tears. I regret my choice in question.

“Hey, you’re doing the best you can. I’m sorry for bringing that up.”

She shrugs, tells me about a facility she’s toured a couple of times. She says she knows eventually her mother will end up there, and she likes to keep track and make sure it’s kept up well when she pops in. The way she talks about it tells a story all of its own. The hesitance wars with what she knows is the right thing. I make a mental note to do research about the facility later. My sister Celia is a nurse and might be able to help me. She’ll have information about Ms. Winterset’s diagnosis at the very least. I’m clueless.

I follow Malena out and into a den where Ms. Winterset is scrolling through photos on an old desktop computer. After the welfare check is complete, Malena walks me to the front door. After a longing look at the table covered with lunch, she turns her attention back to me. I halt whatever she’s about to say by speaking.

“I may not be a good man, Malena, but I think I can be good for you. Thank you for letting me in today.”

She folds her arms across her chest. “I don’t see how you could possibly mean that, but I hope you do. Today was a bright spot for me.” Malena’s lips are taunting me, but the chance to own her lips is gone. Not today. I can’t kiss her now. Timing is everything, and this would mar anything I’m trying to prove to her. Take the high road, Leif, I remind myself.

“Thanks for lunch. I’ll probably go eat the rest of the wings right now.”

“I’ll call you,” I say.

She leans against the doorframe, a smirk in place. “You’re that crazy, aren’t you? I thought your rules were a little nuts, but you’re actually going to call me after what you’ve seen today.”

Pressing my lips into a firm line, I keep my face stoic. “Only because I want to see more of you,” I tease, flicking my gaze over her body.

She nods. “That’s believable,” she deadpans, puffing out her chest a bit. “Until we meet or chat again then.”

I smile.

She smiles, then closes the door on my face.

---