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He waved goodbye to us and turned all his attention to the therapist as she adjusted his bed and talked about the treatment she would be doing today.
“You’re taking good care of my family, thanks.” I moved a little closer as we walked down the hallway.
He snaked his arm around my waist. “They’re my family by association and soon will be by law. I will do whatever I can to look after them, to stop you worrying about them.”
“Can a person ever stop?”
“No but there are different levels of worry.”
“You’ve got to get back downtown.” I pushed the button for the elevator.
“Not immediately. I still have time to visit your mother. Wayne bought flowers and chocolates for me to give her, and I promise they aren’t poisoned.”
* * *
Mom was alonewhen we got to her place. I left Simon in D2’s suite and crept upstairs to where she was sleeping in her recliner. An untouched cup of tea sat on the table beside her and the TV was on the weather station, muted.
“Mom?” I gently touched her shoulder.
She spluttered to consciousness and looked around wildly.
“Sadie, I’m so glad to see you.” Her voice was tiny, childlike.
“Simon’s here. He wanted to say hello.”
“He flew out from Vancouver?” Now her voice was a blend of annoyance and distrust.
“I told you he was coming today. Did you forget?”
She rubbed her chest. “Man, my ribs are killing me. Give me one of those pills.”
I handed her one of the prescription painkillers and she washed it down with cold tea.
“Simon. Yeah. I remember now. Why did he have to come?”
“Because he loves me and cares about me and everyone who is important to me.”
“You mean he doesn’t trust you on your own.”
Sometimes she knew me too well. It was almost like she’d been there when I expressed my doubts to Simon. Too bad she hadn’t heard his declaration of love in response.
“I mean he cares about me, and therefore, he cares about you too.” I stood in front of her, blocking her view of the TV. I hated her attempt to make me choose. Whenever presented with an ultimatum, I liked to choose whatever would most annoy the person trying to force me into a decision.
“Don’t make me choose between the two of you,” I said quietly, not wanting Simon to overhear. “I’m going downstairs now and inviting Simon up to say hello. You will be polite to him, or I’ll join him on his flight home tonight.”
“You wouldn’t do that to Dad,” she said.
“You watch me.” My voice wasn’t much more than a growl now. “Besides, D2 likes Simon. He even wants to walk me down the aisle.”
“The old man has lost his faculty of reason. He should know better than to perpetuate the tradition of a woman being given away.”
“Give it a rest, would you? I think there’s room for traditional and modern thinking in this world. D2 can have this one chance to stand up for me. It’ll make him happy. And it doesn’t infringe on my rights at all. If I want to, I can refuse Simon at the very last minute.”
“You’d better refuse that nonsense about promising to obey before you go much further with this charade.”
I threw my hands in the air, “End of discussion. I’m not asking you to live with Simon. All I’m asking is for you to be polite for five minutes while he visits.”
Mom frowned, a bulldog face. “Well don’t come crying to me when it all goes south.”
