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Elena snuffed out her cigarette and motioned for her to come into the house. "Mrs. Donnelley is still sleeping. She had a rough night. She's having more and more of them. She's sundowning."
"Sundowning?" she asked, following her into the kitchen. "What's that?"
"It's where a patient gets anxious, irritated, and confused in the afternoon or evening hours. Mrs. Donnelley has had this for a while now, but it's getting worse."
Holly took a seat at the kitchen table while Irena put on a pot for tea.
"It's incredibly difficult for everyone. Eli pays us very, very well, but it's time for her to go to a facility where she has more people that can give her the care she needs. She can get very aggressive, or she wants to wander, and that isn't safe for her or us. A facility will be much safer all around."
"I didn't know she was that aggressive," Holly murmured, shaking her head. "Have you talked to Eli about her aggression?"
"We had a talk recently about a few things, so he knows that her condition is worsening. I know how busy he is, so he doesn't have a lot of time to discuss these things at length. Once the playoffs are over, we can have a more detailed chat."
"You recommended a facility to me on the phone yesterday. Is that the best one? I'm willing to research if necessary."
"No, that's the one she should go to. It's top notch, and I know that's what Eli would want."
"Okay, good. I'll get in contact with the care facility and do my own interview with them. I figure the best way to get Eli on board as fast as possible is to present him with as much information as I can." Holly paused. "Irena, do you think you can manage until after the playoffs? It may end tomorrow, or after another round. If not, I'm sure he would be willing to get more staff in here to help."
"I think we can manage until then, even if it's a bit rough."
"As long as you feel confident that you can handle things. I know Eli would feel terrible if something happened and he didn't offer what help he could to improve the situation."
Irena poured the tea and slid a cup over to Holly. "Nope. We're okay. I'd tell you if we weren't."
"So, the facility is excellent, then?" Holly asked. "Can you tell me more?"
"Absolutely. It's the best in the state. I have friends that work there, and I believe it's the best possible place for Mrs. Donnelley. I would go as far to say that if I had to make this decision for my own parents, I wouldn't hesitate to choose this place. Maybe there are other places across the USA with more to offer, but this will let Eli be close enough to visit. I know that's important to him."
"So it's very clean, no patient abuse claims, stuff like that?"
"Nope, nothing like that. They're very good at securing excellent staff. Any incidents they've had have been dealt with swiftly. I believe it's been two years since they've had any complaints on file."
"That's good," Holly said, making a few notes on her phone. "He's just got so much guilt about moving her from her home."
"Oh, I know it," Irena said, waving a hand. "He's all about the guilt, that one. That's why he had this house brought in from New York. Who does that? I can't imagine the expense. But he wants the best for her, and he'll do anything to make sure she has the best."
Mrs. Donnelley entered the kitchen a moment later, her gaze landing on Holly. Her face lit up. "I know you, young lady. I know that I know you."
"Yes, you do." She smiled at his mother. "I'm Holly, Eli's friend. We talked on video chat the other night. It's nice to see you again, Mrs. Donnelley."
"Hello, sweetheart. Please call me Katherine. Where is my son?"
"Hockey practice."
Mrs. Donnelley stood next to her while Irena prepared another cup of tea.
"I'm so glad you're here, Holly," Katherine told her. "In fact, I have something for you."
His mother left the room and came back a few minutes later holding a stack of envelopes tied with a blue ribbon, and a small metal box.
Holly set down her teacup. "What are these?"
"Letters."
"Katherine, I can explain all of this to Holly," Irena said, picking up the teacup she'd prepared. "Do you want to watch your shows in the living room while I make you breakfast?"
"Yes, that would be nice. I think I'll do that." She glanced at Holly with a curious look on her face. "Who are you?"
