Shine Your Love on Me (23 page)

“Of course. First, a nap. Is that okay?”

“You’ve been tired a lot lately,” Brooke
said, her brow knitting. “Are you okay?”

“Too much excitement.”

“Never too much for you.”

“I’m not made of steel. I have my
limitations.”

While her grandmother slept, Brooke made
lists. First, she made one for groceries then one for movies. It
was a crisp day in late October. The leaves in the park were just
beginning to change. Halloween was only a few days away. Brooke had
already thought about a special Halloween menu and a film to match,
but nothing too scary.
Maybe a Halloween-themed cake?

Thanksgiving’s coming. We could have a
holiday dinner and movie for everyone. Maybe even do it twice.
She opened the window to let in some fresh, cool air. Buddy napped
at her feet. Since Pres was gone, he’d become her special pug,
following her everywhere. She had welcomed him into her bed. He
slept at the bottom. On cooler nights, he cuddled up next to her,
warming her and sharing body heat. Brooke smiled when she reached
over, her hand connecting with his fur.

She made a cup of tea and sank into the
comfortable cushions of the couch. Thinking back to a couple of
months ago, when her life had been so empty, she smiled. Now, it
was too full. She had a bunch of new friends, adored some of the
seniors, was challenged creatively through her cooking, and had
found love. She sighed. Although some days she was too crazed with
deadlines to relish her existence, when she slowed down, strength
flowed through her.

Although Pres was drifting away, their
communications more disconnected than smoldering, she refused to
give up. Encouraged by the Dinner Club, Brooke stayed true to Pres,
conjuring up memories of their times together walking in the park
or making love, when remembering how special he is was all she had.
She needed to believe he still loved her and was also overwhelmed
by the excitement and frustration of his life. She had a picture of
him shirtless on her phone. Every night, she kissed it before going
to sleep.

Everything was falling into place, including
negotiations on the lawsuit. Then, it happened.

Brooke would never forget the date, October
Thirtieth. She was returning from her morning walk with the dogs
when she saw Nan slump against the table. She rushed over to her
grandmother. “Nan! What is it?”

Nan opened her mouth, but it was a few
seconds before anything came out. Brooke propped her up. “Weak.
Can’t stand,” Ruth said, leaning heavily on her granddaughter.
Brooke pulled a chair over with her foot. She eased Nan into it and
whipped out her phone.

“This is an emergency. I need an ambulance
right away. I think my grandmother’s having a stroke.”

Then, she called downstairs to Rocky at the
door, to alert him. And she phoned Ruth’s doctor. “Get her to the
hospital as fast as possible. I’ll make a call,” Dr. Cohen
said.

The next hour was like a movie in fast
forward. The ambulance arrived in ten minutes. Rocky sent them up
right away. Ruth and Brooke described the symptoms to the EMT’s,
who put her on the stretcher and whisked her away. Brooke rode
along, holding Nan’s hand the whole time.
She can’t die. She
can’t. No, no, she can’t die.

At the hospital, Nan was wheeled into a back
room and attended to immediately. Brooke had read up on strokes.
She knew the symptoms and that you had to respond quickly to give
the victim the best chance of recovery. When Nan was moved out of
emergency and put in a room, Brooke camped out in a chair, watching
over her grandmother, available to help when needed.

The next two days were crazy. Brooke slept on
a cot in Ruth’s hospital room and ran home to walk the pugs three
times a day. Sometimes, she forgot to eat. She called Harry and
Bess. Unable to reach Pres, she simply sent him a text that Nan had
had a stroke.

The Dinner Club ladies, along with Rocky,
took over walking the dogs. Harry alerted the seniors.

Nan’s stroke had been caught early. It was an
ischemic stroke, caused by a blood clot. The doctors were able to
dissolve the clot, enabling Ruth to regain some of the abilities
she’d lost, like speech. But her left side was still weak. Plans
were made to send her to rehab then to an independent living
facility. Brooke didn’t want Nan to move out, but knew she couldn’t
give her grandmother the care she needed.

When Nan came home, Brooke arranged for
physical therapy and some nursing care. Working with a social
worker, Brooke made arrangements to move Nan to the Hudson
Apartments. She was fortunate to find a vacancy. Nan would start in
assisted living then move up to an apartment, when she was able to
be on her own.

Brooke took her grandmother via taxi to a
rehab facility about forty blocks away every other day. The work
was hard, but Nan had a good attitude. She needed a wheelchair now,
but the doctors predicted she would be walking normally in a few
months. They assured Brooke that Nan had a good chance of
recovering enough to be independent again.

Brooke met with Mike to discuss all the
legalities that went along with checking Nan into the facility and
making Brooke her guardian and executor. Papers were signed.
Clothes were packed up. Brooke arranged Nan’s things in her room
while the older woman gave instructions.

Nan was stoic, but her granddaughter knew she
was afraid. Brooke reassured her she’d visit every day. She
regretted that she couldn’t care for her grandmother properly and
give her the therapy she needed at home. She hugged Nan, who clung
to her for a moment longer. A lump formed in Brooke’s throat, and
tears threatened when she headed for the door.
Don’t cry, you’ll
upset her.
Turning her grandmother over to strangers wasn’t
easy.
What would my mom do? What else can I do? Nana, I want to
take you home.

She slumped down into the backseat of a taxi,
her eyelids heavy. Her heart hurt. Fear iced her veins as the
concept of her grandmother’s mortality became real. She’d never
thought about going on without her beloved Nan, and the idea
chilled her to her soul. During the trip south, a thousand
frightening scenarios swirled through her mind.

Will we have to sell the apartment to pay
for Nan’s new home? Where will I live? What about the dinner and a
movie group? If Nan sells the apartment, I’ll be on the street
again. What will I do if she dies?

Before ten minutes was up, the cab had pulled
to the curb, and Rocky was opening the door. Brooke braced herself
to elbow through the crowd in the lobby of her building.
Who are
all these people? A gas leak and they’re evacuating the building?
The dogs!
Before she could panic, she looked around and
recognized faces. Harry pushed through the crowd to greet her.

“Oh, crap! It’s Friday night!” Her hand flew
to her mouth. She had totally forgotten about the guests coming for
dinner and a movie.

“Don’t worry, don’t worry. We brought Chinese
and
Mrs. Doubtfire.
Thought you could use a good meal and a
laugh.”

It took several seconds for Brooke to process
the fact that the seniors were there to help. “Harry, did you
organize this?”

He blushed and gazed at his shoes. “Thought
you could use a friend.”

Brooke hugged him. Tears she couldn’t cry
before streamed down her face. She fell into his arms.

“Don’t cry, sweetheart. We’re here.
Everything’s going to be okay. Ruth’ll recover. She’s strong.
You’ll see.” Brooke indulged in a few more moments of comfort in
Harry’s embrace before she faced the crowd.

“We didn’t know exactly what you like,” Mary
said. “So, we got some of everything.”

Together, they went upstairs. The pugs
greeted everyone at the door. The seniors knew where everything
went, so they set up the Chinese buffet in the dining room. White
cartons were opened and the aroma of pepper steak, sweet and sour
shrimp, Mu Shu pork, and other Chinese delights filled the air.

Harry’s grandson, Mike, was there to handle
the DVD player. They insisted Brooke sit in the best chair and do
nothing. John handed her a glass of Cabernet, and she sat back and
let them do the work. Despite her situation, she couldn’t stop
smiling.

* * * *

After a discussion on the phone with Mike
about Nan’s future, they moved on to Brooke’s case. She sat back on
the sofa, curling her feet underneath. Freddy joined her, resting
his head on her leg. Buddy was at her feet.

“That jerk you used to work for wants to
settle.”

“Yeah?”

“He’s making a reasonable offer. A job in the
London office, to make up for the one you lost here, or one-hundred
eighty grand, equivalent to three year’s salary.”

Brooke was silent.

“Brooke? You still there?”

“I’m here.”

“What do you want to do?”

“What do you suggest?”

“I don’t know anything about your life. You
have to decide. But if you’re not dating anyone, personally, I’d
sure love it if you stayed in New York.”

“Thanks, Mike. I don’t know if I’m dating
anyone. Do I have to decide now?”

“Take your time. Let this bastard twist in
the wind for a few days. Won’t hurt him. Call me when you know what
you want to do.”

Brooke closed her phone. She petted Freddy
and sipped a cup of tea.
Pres, where are you? What’s going on?
When are you coming back? Are you coming back?
With a deep
sigh, she pushed to her feet and grabbed her purse. It was time for
a visit to her grandmother. With a heavy heart, she entered the
lobby. Rocky flagged down a taxi. Brooke didn’t relish telling Nan
she had to sell the apartment.

Nan was glad to see her. The older woman had
more color in her cheeks. She walked slowly with a walker, but,
obviously in a good mood, she smiled at Brooke. They sat in the
sunroom on the first floor. Brooke made tea for them then joined
Nan on a loveseat. Putting her arm around her grandmother’s
shoulders, Brooke gave her a hug.

“I’ve met with my lawyer, Mike…you remember,
Harry’s son? We’ve gone over finances and such. We have to sell the
apartment to keep you here, Nan.”

“Sell? No.” She shook her head.

“That’ll bring in enough money to pay for
this place. You need to be here.”

“Not forever.”

“It’s lovely here. We can fix up your
apartment with some of your furniture. They said we could paint
whatever color we want.”

“What about you? This is only a one-bedroom.
Where will you live?”

“I’ve got some choices.”

“What choices?” Nan trained a stern look on
her granddaughter. “Don’t bullshit me, now. Give me the truth. Are
you moving in with Pres? Where is he, anyway?”

“He’s still in California.”

“That would be my wish for you. But I suppose
nobody’s asked me.” Nan smiled.

“Don’t worry about me. Let’s take care of you
first.”

“But I do worry about you.”

“Mike got those creeps from my ad agency to
settle.”

“That’s wonderful.”

“They’re offering me a hundred eighty grand
or a job in their London office.”

“You’re moving to London?”

“I haven’t decided yet.”

“What about your dinner and a movie
business?”

“We don’t have to sell for a year. There’s
enough money to cover your costs until then.”

“So, you’ll continue?”

“Of course. I love it. You know that.”

Nan grinned. “You have a ton of fans.”

“They’ve been amazing.”

Nan patted her hand. “Your mother and father
would be so proud of you.”

Tears stung Brooke’s eyes.

“Thank you for taking over, getting
everything done,” Nan said.

“You don’t mind it here, do you?” Brooke’s
brow creased.

Nan sipped her tea. “I don’t have your
cooking, but it’s okay. I have some nice tablemates. The room is
fine. I do miss Freddy and Ginger.”

“As soon as you get the okay, I’m bringing
you home for a visit.”

“Can you bring the dogs next time you come?
They’re allowed here.”

“Of course. I know they miss you, too.”

“Stop avoiding the subject. What about Pres?”
Nan narrowed her eyes.

“He’s fine, I guess.”

“You guess?” Nan shot a sharp look at Brooke.
“What’s going on?”

“We haven’t kept in touch, lately.”

“Damn. You’re not splitting up, are you?”

Brooke looked down at her hands. “I don’t
know what we’re doing.”

“Poor baby.” Nan took her hand and squeezed
it.

“I’ve got a zillion things to do,” Brooke
said, pushing to her feet. She didn’t want to continue this
conversation.

Nan turned a concerned gaze on the young
woman. “Of course, sweetheart. I understand.”

They hugged, and Brooke escaped in a taxi.
When the cab stopped at the curb, Rocky opened the door.

After she swung her legs out of the car, a
deep voice drew her attention. “Kitten.”

She whipped her head around to see Pres, arms
crossed, lounging against the building. A lump lodged in her chest,
closing her throat. Tears pushed through, and her breath stopped.
She mouthed his name and flew into his arms. He gripped her tightly
as she cried. As soon as she could, she moved back and stared into
his eyes. “What’re you doing here?”

“Ruth had a stroke. I came as soon as I
could.”

She smiled at him. “You came for me?”

“Of course. Didn’t you think I would? Did you
think I’d ignore your texts about her condition?”

“I didn’t know what to think. It’s been so
long. We haven’t been connecting much, and I—”

He brought his mouth down on hers, cutting
off her words.

“Come upstairs. I have to get ready. It’s
Friday.”

“Geez, yeah. I forgot.”

She snuggled against him in the elevator.
“How long are you here for?”