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Henrietta: They were incredible.
His sister was warm and welcoming, Rhett was funny, and even though I didn’t get to meet Gage, I knew he’d be just as generous and gracious as Tyler was. And his parents had this quiet agreement about them, like after so many years, they naturally knew how to exist together and keep a home running. I knew they weren’t perfect, but Cottonwood Falls could have been named Paradise and it still would have been accurate.
My phone pinged with another notification.
Birdie: Were? Did something happen?
I closed my eyes, not wanting to admit what I’d done. Because it was stupid; I already knew it was stupid to let Tyler go. But I had to stand true to the people who had given me everything. If that meant saying goodbye to the love of my life, I’d do it. If it meant working a job under a woman I now knew was truly evil, I’d grit my teeth and make it through.
No matter how much it hurt.
I took a breath and sent Birdie another text.
Henrietta: My grandma was admitted to the hospital last night. She’s getting hip replacement surgery. And because everything has to go wrong at the same time, Tyler was fired for... indecent activity on the job site. I ruined his job for him and I feel awful, but I couldn’t stay with him. He’s always said he wants to settle in Texas, and I can’t leave my grandma here.
My vision blurred by the end of the message, and I took a shaky breath as I blinked away the ever-present tears. Three bubbles appeared on the screen, and I watched them, waiting for Birdie to tell me how stupid I was, to chase him down and keep him. But then her message came through.
Birdie: I am so sorry, Hen. That’s so much to deal with. What hospital are you at? I’ll bring you all supper tonight, and I’m sure Mara will help too with anything you need. I love you.
Gratitude poured through me as I typed out my reply.
Henrietta: We’re at RWE Memorial.
Henrietta: I love you too.
The door from the trauma unit opened, and a doctor came out in scrubs and a white lab coat. “Are you the family of Cordelia Jones?”
My stomach clenched with nerves as my mom said, “We are.”
We circled around him, desperate to hear the news, praying that it was good.
“The surgery went well. With her age, it’s hard to tell how recovery will go, but I’m hoping with good PT she can make a decent recovery and walk again with a walker when needed, but it’s more than likely that she’ll be in a wheelchair long term, despite our best efforts.” He frowned, reaching into his pocket and retrieving several brochures. “Our team is recommending advanced nursing care. These are all state-sponsored facilities that Medicare will cover. Once you decide, they typically have someone on staff who will coordinate discharge from the hospital and get her admitted there.”
Mom nodded, taking the brochures. “Thank you, doctor.”
I looked up from the brochures and asked, “When can we go see her?”
“I recommend we let her rest for the next few hours as she comes off the anesthesia, but there’s no reason you can’t go sit with her quietly now until she wakes up.”
“Thank you,” I said.
He nodded, walking back through the doors. Mom, Dad, and I exchanged a glance.
Mom said, “Why don’t you two go sit with her in case she wakes up? I’ll call the boys and let them know she’s alright.”
I took a shaky breath. “I need to talk to you both about something first.”
Mom and Dad exchanged a glance, then Mom said, “Here, honey, let’s sit down.”
I took one of the cramped hospital chairs and looked across the coffee table at them. “A while back, Dad asked me what I was doing with my money. The truth is, I’ve been saving for something like this so Grandma wouldn’t have to go to a home.”
Dad looked dumbfounded while Mom said, “That’s really sweet of you, but in-home care is very expensive. Even ten thousand dollars would only get us a couple months of care, three at most.”
I nodded. “I’ve done my research, and I’ve saved a hundred and eight thousand.”
Now Dad’s jaw was on the floor. “I knew the numbers weren’t adding up, but Hen, this is crazy. You’ve been living at home all this time so you could save for Grandma?”
I felt embarrassed to admit it, but I nodded. “I know it was hard on you and Mom to help Johmarcus, and we didn’t have the money for private care when Grandpa was so sick... I just didn’t want to see Grandma’s life end like Grandpa’s did.”