Page 57 of All We Thought We Knew
LuAnn’s eyes offered sympathy. “The doctor just wants to be sure you and your father, as the caregivers, aren’t overwhelmed. I’vetended to many patients in the final stages of life. There are signs the body is beginning to slow down, like sleeping more. Although that can be attributed to the pain medication in part, it’s also a natural occurrence. So is loss of appetite, becoming forgetful, and losing an interest in the world beyond these walls. Unfortunately, our bodies aren’t meant to last forever. Thankfully, we get new ones when our life here on earth is over.”
I stiffened.
Religious platitudes about death being the beginning of something wonderful was the last thing I wanted to hear just now.
Dad had a question about one of the medications the doctor prescribed, and he and LuAnn rounded the bed to discuss the various bottles on a small table. I went to Mama and studied her pale features. Her cheeks remained puffy, and her lips held a slight bluish tinge around the edges, but she was still as beautiful as she’d always been.
“I’m happy to stay with her, dear, if you have something you need to do this morning,” LuAnn said when she and Dad ended their conversation. “I’ll leave around noon, then be back each morning at eight o’clock. We can adjust that schedule as needed.”
Dad agreed, but I kept quiet. While it would be good to have an extra pair of hands to help lift and move Mama, especially when Dad and Nash were busy, I couldn’t help but feel everything was about to change.
And that wasn’t something I wanted to think about.
I left them and made my way downstairs. Nash and Jake were in the kitchen. I noticed dishes containing leftovers from our Thanksgiving meal were spread across the table.
“Good morning,” Nash said, pausing from his task of placing a scoop of stiff mashed potatoes onto a plate that already contained a lump of dressing and a pile of green beans.
“I know our dinner yesterday was good, but is that what you’re having for breakfast?”
Nash chuckled. “No. I’m going into town to pick up some feed for the horses. I thought I’d check on my buddy, Fred. He doesn’t have family in the area anymore, so I figured I’d take him a plate of food. Your dad said it was okay.”
“That’s thoughtful of you.”
I moved to pour myself a cup of coffee from the percolator. After dousing it with milk and a couple squares of sugar, I leaned against the counter and watched Nash add slices of turkey to the heaping plate, then cover everything with congealed gravy.
Footsteps from the room above reminded me of the nurse’s presence.
I heaved a sigh.
Nash looked over. “Something wrong?”
“I wasn’t expecting to wake up and find a strange woman in the house.”
“Nurse Bradford,” he said with a nod. “I met her. Seems like a nice lady.”
“I’m sure she is, but I wish Dr. Monahan would’ve mentioned his plan to have her start coming every day.”
“You don’t think it’s necessary?”
I wrapped my fingers around the mug, letting its warmth seep into me. My emotions suddenly felt raw and exposed, yet after last night, I believed Nash understood me a little better.
“I’m sure she’ll be a lot of help. It’s just that,” I lifted my shoulders again, “I guess I’m still in denial. If things stay the same, with Mama simply napping a lot and us taking care of her ourselves, it feels like we could do this indefinitely. But having a nurse, a professional, come every day means...” I pressed my lips together. If I finished the thought, I’d end up in a heap on the floor.
He gave a slow nod. “I understand.”
We didn’t say more.
He finished filling the plate and carefully wrapped it with a piece of foil. Watching, I was struck that his lack of a second handnever slowed him down, no matter what he was doing. Whether it was helping Dad with the horses, or working on the tractor, Nash was as capable as any two-armed man.
He returned the dishes of leftover food to the refrigerator, then took his heavy coat from the back of a chair and shrugged into it. Jake rose from where he’d been laying on a rug, stretched, and hobbled to the back door.
Nash picked up the plate, then let his gaze meet mine. “Do you want to come to town with me? Might be good for you to get out of the house, after working so hard yesterday.”
The offer, while unexpected, sounded like the perfect escape. “Let me get my jacket.”
I hurried upstairs and told Dad and LuAnn our plans. Bundled against the cold morning, I met Nash at the truck parked in the yard. Jake was already settled in the middle of the bench seat.
“I hope you don’t mind if he tags along,” Nash said. “Fred, my friend, likes it when I bring Jake with me.”
