Part 5 (1/2)
After kissing her papery cheek, Carrie rose to join Joyce who was already out in the hall. Leaving the
door open behind her so she could hear Maddie if she did call, Carrie led the way downstairs.
”Your grandmother's a lovely woman. It makes you heart-sick to see a mind going sooner than the body.”
Carrie wanted to hide the tears that suddenly filled her eyes. ”Come on into the kitchen,” she suggested as she turned away and tried to recompose herself. ”There's everything here that you could need. The laundry room's through there. There's a laundry chute from the bathroom upstairs, so you wouldn't have to carry the clothes down the stairs.”
”Everything looks just wonderful. You've worked a modern kitchen into this old house so nicely.”
”Thanks, but that was my parent's work, not mine.”
”They live here in town?”
Carrie explained that her parents had pa.s.sed away several years before. Joyce seemed to digest that
information as she examined the laundry room.
When she'd looked over the back yard, she turned back to Carrie. ”I wouldn't have to mow that big lawn, would I?” A fleeting image of the dark-haired man pus.h.i.+ng the mower Sat.u.r.day morning floated through Carrie's memory. ”No, a service does that along with tr.i.m.m.i.n.g the bushes. Oh, and they shovel the snow, too, when the time comes.”
”That'll be nice not to have to clear the walk.”
”The service sends a bill to me once a month. You won't have to pay for anything. And I've set up a charge account at the grocery store for food as well as at the pharmacy for the medicine Grandma takes.
You'll only be responsible for your own personal purchases.”
Joyce nodded.
”Do you think you could handle everything? I mean, I know you've had training in how to tend to Maddie, but what about the house. That wouldn't be any problem?”
”It would sure mean a lot of stairs. How does Maddie do it? You haven't got a chair-lift for her.”
”Some days she doesn't come down. I've been worried about that,” Carrie admitted. ”Her meals can be brought up to her, but she's a prisoner in her own bedroom when the stairs are too much for her.”
Joyce walked through the kitchen, past the eating area in the bay window where the round table sat, and on into the dining room. ”How about in here?”
”How about what?”
”Why not bring her things down and set up her bedroom in here? You could take out the leaves and set the dining table in the corner of the living room. A little dresser from one of the spare bedrooms with a few of her things could fit right there beyond the china cabinet. I could bring down whatever else she needed each morning. That way I wouldn't be running up and down. But best of all Maddie could move about to the living room and the kitchen.”
Carrie stood by the long table and turned a full circle, picturing the room as a bedroom. Looking back at Joyce, she smiled as she spoke. ”I never thought of trying to move her down here, but that would be perfect. There's a full bathroom off the hall just a few steps away. She would have all the windows to see out and yet the drapes would give her privacy when she needs it.”
”And she wouldn't have to go far to get some fresh air because it's just a few steps to sit outside.”
”Oh, and she wouldn't have just the tops of trees to look at,” Carrie added with a smile.
”It would all be much easier and a whole lot less expensive than putting in one of those elevator-chairs. We could put in an intercom so I can hear her easily when I'm upstairs at night. They're not too expensive.”
”Great! I'll get started right away on setting it up. I'm very glad you thought of it, Joyce. That tells me you can antic.i.p.ate problems and work out solutions. That's high on my list of requirements for the person who takes care of Maddie. In fact, I want to offer you the job, if you'd like it.”
”Well, yes,” she decided quickly. ”I think I'd like that.”
”Wonderful. You can start today or anytime this week, but I hope no later than Sat.u.r.day. I should leave Sunday afternoon at the latest so I can get back to work on Monday.” Carrie found herself instantly deciding that she wouldn't leave until after church.
”Oh, dear. I'm afraid I can't do that.”
The smile flew from Carrie's face. ”What? But... but...”
”I'm going to stay with my children starting this Friday. I told the service I couldn't start for another week. Seeing as I'd be starting a new job that was long-term, I really don't want to pa.s.s up the chance to see my family now before I begin. My grandkids are growing so fast.”
Carrie chewed on her lower lip wondering what she would tell her boss. Joyce was too good to lose. ”I'll have to work out something then.”
”Good.” Joyce held out her thick hand and Carrie shook it, sealing their deal.
Within an hour of Joyce's departure, Carrie had completed all the arrangements with the agency for her to come to work and live at Maddie's house.
Without any feeling of regret, Carrie canceled the third interview appointment. Joyce was a highly-recommended caring and capable person, and she didn't need to interview others to know Joyce's care was exactly what she wanted for Maddie.
By the end of the day, Carrie also had arranged to exercise her power of attorney. Maddie had signed it over to Carrie after her parents died and could no longer act on Maddie's behalf.
”You never know when it might come in handy,” Maddie had said back then, displaying a degree of trust in Carrie that had flattered and pleased her.
Carrie needed it now to access money to pay Maddie's bills. In arranging to do so, she discovered another advantage to living in a small town. Maddie's attorney quickly paved the way for Carrie at the bank so she was able to facilitate using Maddie's checking account.
”All the statements will be sent to your apartment address in Fargo,” the bank officer said as Carrie signed the signature card that would add her name to the account.
Her next ch.o.r.e was the biggest--find someone to care for Maddie until Joyce could move in. But she could think of no one. There just wasn't anyone else who could help her. She would have to do it herself.
Carrie dialed her boss' number, and dreading what she would hear in answer to her request, she clutched the phone with both hands to lift it to her ear.
”This is the end, the last time off I can give you, Carrie,” Carrie's boss said after listening to her request for another week off from work. ”We have to get out the seasonal materials this month. I need you here at your desk. In this business you work during the busy times and take vacations at slack times.”
”This is hardly a vacation,” Carrie interjected.
”I know. I know, but if you can't be back by Monday, I can't guarantee your job will be here when you do get back.”
”But I can't just leave my grandmother here alone and there's no one to stay with her.”
”I'm sorry, but you've got to understand my position. This company is so small that the loss of one person can really hurt. I'd hate to loose you permanently, but I've got a business to run. And frankly, you know there are several other people anxious to move up to fill your job.”
Carrie did know, but she didn't have to like it. She ended the call feeling upset. She was near her limit and couldn't bear thinking that anything else could go wrong. Feeling very much alone, she closed her eyes for a moment and tried to calm her breathing.
Standing here wis.h.i.+ng things would work out well, won't help any. I've got no one to depend on but myself. So quit moping and get to work, she ordered herself. Taking a deep breath, she checked her ”To Do” list for the next item and then reached for the phone to dial another number.
”Bette, it's Carrie.”