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“Um, do you want me to go in your place, dad?” I ask, concerned. “You must be really tired.”
He looks at me with heavy eyes, stretches, and accidentally cracks his back as he does.
“Are you sure, Harvey?” he asks.
“Absolutely. Go to bed!” I leave my half-finished beer bottle on the table and stand to accompany him inside. “I’ll just change and head on out.”
Dad accepts gratefully, and after leaving him at the door of his and mom’s bedroom, I go change. I get rid of my shirt, shorts, and flip-flops, and instead put on sneakers, jeans, and a button-down shirt.
I get in the car and leave the windows open to enjoy the cool breeze of the night air. I listen to the crickets and frogs as I try to clear my mind. I remember driving down these same streets as a teenager, where I first learned to drive.
Then my thoughts turn back to grandma. I feel a pang of guilt because I haven’t seen her much lately. In fact, it’s been years. Ever since I got drafted into the NHL, my life became hockey. Most of my memories with her were back when I was a kid.
I feel a bittersweet smile cross my face when I remember those cross country trips we’d take in the summer to go visit grandma in California. My eyes tear up when I remember eating her deliciously famous peach and blueberry pie. My summer wasn’t complete without one of those.
She’d also been the one who got me into hiking. We’d get up early and explore nearby trails. Kiera would always sleep in, so it had been good bonding time for grandma and me.
The hospital is just fifteen minutes away, and it’s not long before it comes into view. I take a deep breath, park, then walk in, making sure my eyes are dry. I introduce myself at reception to be let in. Grandma has been transferred to her own room by now, and mom is there, sitting by her bedside and looking devastated.
“Mom…” I go to her and lean down to hug her. “Dad wants you to go home and rest.”
“I can’t, Harvey. I need to be here,” she says. It breaks my heart that she looks so tired and is still in the wedding clothes and uncomfortable shoes.
I crouch down to be at mom’s eye level, and holding her arms, look tenderly at her and say, “Come on, mom… Nothing will happen if you at least go home for just half an hour to change and take a shower.”
She sighs painfully and averts her gaze from me.
“Your father took the car,” she says, running out of excuses.
“Take my truck,” I dangle my keys in front of her. “But rest a little, mom…”
She sighs and takes the keys but doesn’t move from her spot yet.
“Where’s Kiera and Grant?” I ask.
“We didn’t tell Kiera anything,” she confesses. “Let her wedding day be a happy one. And Grant will be here in the morning. He went to drop Donna and the little one at home.”
“Nobody else asked about grandma?” I ask, weirded out.
“Oh, they know she’s here. They just think it’s not serious and I told them that her wishes were for them to visit after they rested,” she says.
I reach for my phone the moment she finishes speaking. “I’m calling your siblings at least; you can’t take this on all by yourself!”
Mom opens her mouth, about to say something, but then joins her curled fists under her chin in an exasperated act.
“What good would they be here, Harvey?” she says in a tearful loud whisper. “They’ll just stay in the waiting room losing sleep like us.”
I swallow a dry gulp of air and curl my fists as well.
“They mightwantto be here, mom,” I say. “Tell you what: go home and rest a little. Then in the morning, you tell everybody, okay?”
“Oh, Harvey, you can’t be this spent. You have a game to play…” mom says, caressing my face.
“The game is a week away, mom,” I smile, kissing her hand. “Grandma will be home way before then.”
I say it with confidence, but of course I have no idea what is going to happen.
Making her decision, she stands to leave, and I follow her. I hold her tight and kiss the top of her head, and she lets out a single sob before parting ways with me for the night.
