Page 106 of Too Old for This

“It’s notthatbad. I use the cane as a precaution.”

“A precaution against pain?”

I hold back my frustration. It’s impossible to describe what arthritis is like to someone who has never felt it before. “The pain comes and goes. I like to have the cane in case it gets bad while I’m out.”

“And do you go out a lot these days?”

“Well, I don’t sit around the house all day knitting, if that’s what you’re implying.”

I hear Archie walking, followed by a door shutting.

“I wasn’t implying anything,” he says. “Is it wrong to be concerned about my mother?”

“Of course not. I’m sorry that Morgan has gotten you all worked up about my cane.”

“She didn’t say you were doing bad. She just mentioned it.”

Archie sounds a little defensive. Good. It’s better than having him attack me. “Well, I hope she had a good time while she was here. Though it was a shock to find her at my door.”

“I’m sorry. That was my fault. I should’ve called.”

At least everyone is on the same page about that. “Morgan seemed to get a lot done while she was here. Her pregnancy hasn’t slowed her down a bit.”

“No, it hasn’t. She has a lot of energy.”

“She really likes that hotel, too,” I say. “The new one downtown?”

“I was surprised she didn’t stay at the Harmony.”

A warning bell goes off in my head, but I’m not sure what it means. The Harmony is a well-known hotel around here. Then again, what a specific place for Archie to mention right now. I clear my throat and wait for him to say more.

“So, how are you feeling about the house?” he says.

“Your house? Have you bought another one?”

“No, no. I meantyourhouse.”

“How do I feel about it?” I ask. “I feel the same way I always do, I guess. It’s home.”

“I know, I’m just asking.”

“You know what this house looks like. It’s out-of-date and a bit run-down. I’m sure Morgan told you it still looks the same as it did the last time you were here.”

“No, she didn’t. I was just asking,” he says. “Since you’ve been using your cane and everything. Maybe all those stairs are getting to be too much?”

Did I limp when she was in the house? Or move too slow?

“I’m fine, thanks.”

“Oh. Okay.”

Archie’s mood is all over the place tonight. He started out being accusatory, then defensive. Now he sounds disappointed.

“What is going on?”

He sighs. “Morgan said you mentioned something about looking at retirement communities.”

No. Morgan doesn’t know about that, nor did I tell her about the real estate agent. We never talked about any of it.