“We can just walk to Shady Pines,” Baylor says as I dash away a rivulet of sweat from my forehead. “And you’ll get used to the heat.”
Two hours later, I know Shady Pines is the place for Gramps. The staff is friendly and almost annoyingly energetic, but you can tell they have a deep affection for their guests. No, they don’t call the people who stay therepatientsorresidents. They refer to them asguestsbecause they want them to feel pampered and cared for.
The rooms aren’t luxurious, but they are very spacious and clean. I took Gramps out of a place in Colorado because the room he shared with another man was barely big enough to turn around in. He was constantly agitated and uncomfortable, so I found another facility where he could have his own space, and his demeanor almost instantly improved.
I meet with a team of nurses and doctors with impressive resumes and caring attitudes. They also introduce me to Crystal, their social activities director, a lovely lady in her forties with an easy smile and soft voice. I gawk at the calendar printout she gives me detailing the various activities and events at the facility. Almost every box is filled.
“I understand your grandfather is a veteran?” Crystal asks, and I nod.
“Yes, ma’am. He was in the army.”
“Excellent! Our local VA provides military flags for those who want one in their room. They also come here to honor our guests for their service on Memorial Day and Veterans Day. It’s a nice ceremony, and we welcome families to attend.”
I’ve heard that phrase more times than I can count since I’ve been here.We welcome families. That sets my mind at ease more than anything. In Gramps’s current facility, I have to make an appointment to visit him. The care he gets there is fantastic, but if I want to see my grandfather, I damn well want to see my grandfather without going through some gatekeeper. I completely understand the need for me to check in with security, but I’d like to be able to pop in and not have to make an appointment like I’m going to the fucking dentist.
I step outside into a pretty courtyard and give my mother a call, telling her everything I’ve seen, and she agrees that it sounds like the place for Gramps. She may be his daughter-in-law and not an actual blood relative, but she loves him like he’s her own father, making her opinion just as important as mine.
So I go back inside and sign the paperwork.
“Will your grandfather require medical transport from Colorado?” the admissions clerk asks, tapping the thick stack of papers on her desk to straighten them.
“No, my mother and I will drive him. His current doctor approved it already. Gramps does pretty well on car trips, but we’ll make it a two-day trip so he’s not stuck in a vehicle for so long.” I smile, remembering our trip to California last year. “He loves stopping at every cheesy sightseeing spot we can find, so it might actually take us three days.”
The lady laughs. “My mother is the same way. I can’t even tell you how many giant balls of twine or fake dinosaur statues we’ve had to have our picture taken with. And there was a fifty-foot Budweiser can in Arkansas that she was obsessed with when I took her to the Ozarks.” She shakes her head fondly. “All those beautiful mountains and caves, and my mom’s favorite place was a big beer can.”
“Sounds like she would get along well with Gramps. I think it’s good for them to get out and travel a bit while they still can.”
“I agree, and we encourage that. You’re welcome to come and get Arlo any time you want. We do require that you check him out due to security reasons. And if there are any medical reasons that would preclude a trip, we’ll let you know.”
“Of course.” Glancing at the nameplate on her desk, I say, “Thanks for all your help, Flora.”
She places the paperwork in a blue folder and smiles at me. “No problem. I’ll contact his current facility and get his records transferred here. Just let me know your expected departure date so I can fill inall the blanks.”
I walk out of the facility feeling about a million times better. Finding a safe and welcoming place for Gramps was my number one priority. Now to locate housing for Ma and me…
“Everything good?” Baylor asks when I step onto the front porch of Shady Pines. He’s sitting in a rocking chair with a glass of lemonade among some of the guests and nurses who are wearing scrubs in a soothing sky-blue color.
“All set up. Thank you for recommending this place. It’s perfect.”
“No problem. Anything I can do. We’ll look at real estate tomorrow.”
That evening, I recline back on the bed in my room and stare at the whirling ceiling fan. I like Pine Tree Falls a lot. Maybe it’s because I can literally picture Juliette here in this town. It just seems like…her. The grassy spot beneath a tree in the town square where she can lay back with a book. The unassuming coffee shop. The beautiful library.
Yeah, my dream girl would fit right in here.
Chapter 29
I’m moving to Pine Tree Falls.
ThenextdayinPine Tree Falls goes as well as the first. The apartment building where some of my teammates live is more luxurious than I would have expected.
The complex sits on the edge of town, and the units are enormous and tastefully furnished with marble countertops, hardwood floors, and top-of-the-line appliances. I sign a year-long lease before Baylor and I meet the real estate agent, Keri, who I learn is also the town’s mayor.
The first house she shows us is a Tudor style that’s just way too much house for Ma. The second is the perfect size but is a bit of a fixer-upper. With hockey season approaching, I nix that one since I won’t be around much to help.
“I think this next one has a lot of potential,” Keri tells us, driving onto a pretty street with old-fashioned iron lamp posts.
“It’s a good neighborhood,” Baylor adds. “My sister—the one I was telling you about yesterday—lives around the corner.”
