She nods and I can’t leave her posh office fast enough. Everything in this building reeks of luxury in a perfect mix of exclusive spa and five-star hotel, dashed with a bit of stately charm. I never really thought about it before, but now that I’m broke…money stands out a lot more than it used to.
It screams at me from every corner as I make my way to Nana’s suite. The halls have a sort of timeless grandeur, with high ceilings supporting ornate chandeliers that cast soft, golden glows. The air is scented with delicate notes of bergamot and sandalwood that offer a subtle sense of tranquility. The walls are an elegant blend of light blue, white and gold, trimmed in white wainscots.
I pass one of the common areas. A grand piano sits before a large three-sided window. A woman sits on the bench, her fingers perched over the keys as if she wants to play but has forgotten how. An attendant sits beside her, takes her hand and places it gently on the keys. After a few seconds, a tentative tune resonates from the piano.
My heart squeezes. This is why I love it here. The staff really care and strive to make the residents happy.
I can’t let Nana down. I’m going to feel the weight of every passing second until the next payment is due like it’s the beat of my own heart.
Knocking lightly on my grandmother’s door, I push it open and peek inside.
“Nana? It’s me.”
Stepping in, I leave the door cracked behind me and walk into the sitting room. She’s in a brocade chair by the window with an open book on her lap and a steaming mug of tea beside her. A coffee table before the settee holds the Monopoly game we’d been playing the last time I was here, weeks ago. The pieces are the same as they were when I’d left, waiting for us to resume our game.
Her eyes flutter as if she’d been dozing and light up when she sees me.
“Piper! Right on time to play our game!”
Moving the book from her lap, she slowly rises from the chair to give me a hug.
“How are you, dear? You look thin. Aren’t you eating? Don’t you let those dance teachers convince you that you need to lose weight. You’re perfect.”
She takes my arm and I help her to the settee where she settles into her corner spot with lots of embroidered pillows arranged behind her back to help her sit upright better.
“I’m fine, Nana. Really.”
She's skeptical, I can see it in her eyes. But she doesn’t press as she reaches for the gameboard and pulls it toward us a little more.
“I’ll have Betty bring you some tea. Do you want a sandwich? I’ll have her bring you a sandwich.”
I’m about to refuse, but don’t. Truthfully, I’ve barely eaten because I’m so knotted up with nerves that it’s nearly impossible to get anything down. She takes a handheld device from the pocket of her white cardigan and presses a button. Someone from the nurse’s station answers and she orders me tea and cucumber squares, then, looking satisfied that I’ll soon be eating something, tells me to roll the dice.
I do, and the game resumes. My snack arrives and Nana won’t stop staring at me until I take a few bites. Satisfied, she takes her turn at the game. I can tell there’s something on her mind as she rolls the dice. The diamond from her wedding ring glints in the sunlight as she reaches for one of the red hotel game pieces. I watch the sparkles from the diamond play over the surface of the table.
Did she love my grandfather, or was theirs a marriage of convenience? He died before I was born, so I never knew him. I’ve heard stories, of course, but they’ve always had the gloss of legend about them that is often ascribed to the lives of charismatic figures who have passed long ago.
“Are you excited to be returning to college this fall, Piper?”
My stomach drops. How can I tell her that there won't even be any money for groceries, not to mention my higher education? I’m already past the deadline to apply for financial aid or scholarships.
“I’ve decided not to go back just yet, Nana. I’m going to take a gap year and figure out what I really want to do with my life.”
She waves a hand. “What’s wrong with your dancemajor? A girl like you should be encouraged to follow her dreams. You’ve got the talent, and the business minor should be enough to appease your father’s conservative sensibilities, not that it should matter. I’d give anything to know what my own dance career would have been like if I hadn’t gotten pregnant and started a family.”
Her eyes narrow.
“Do you have some news to share?” she asks.
“No! It’s nothing like that. I’m not pregnant. I just…I’m not sure I want to pursue dance in the long term. I need to think it over some more.” The lie feels heavy on my tongue.
Nana is silent for a moment. “I don’t believe that,” she says quietly, taking my cold hand in her warm, soft ones. “Are you afraid to fail? You needn’t be. You’re a Barclay, after all. If you tire of the life of a dancer, you can always open your own studio.” The smile lines beside her eyes deepen.
“I guess that’s true,” I say. I can’t tell her the truth. That if I don’t figure out a real career path for myself, I’ll be destitute with nowhere to go.
“And then you’d be able to use that business minor after all,” she adds. “I’m sure your father will want to see a proper business plan drafted before he invests in a dance studio.”
I cough. “I’m sure you’re right.”
