before she caused any more of a scene. The guy behind the counter had been kind enough not to call the cops, and I didn’t want to give him more time to think about it.
Where the hell was Zach? Of course the one time I actually needed him to pop up, he was MIA. Then again, if he knew Mimi was gone and in this state, he would be in full-on panic mode.
I needed to call him, but it would have to wait until I got Mimi in the car. I racked my brain trying to figure a way to get her there. Then it hit me.
Mimi didn’t just make chicken parmesan. Oh no. It was a production. An all-day production. Her sauce alone took six hours to cook. “Made with love and a lot of patience,” she used to say with a wooden spoon in one hand and the lid to the pot in the other. The mouthwatering scent would hit you before you even got to the porch steps.
“I bet you make your own sauce from scratch,” I said, in a last ditch effort.
“Of course I do. There is no other way to make sauce.” She took the bait and I just had to build on what I started.
“Then I bet you need to get that going so dinner will be ready in time. Did you know they now have a delivery service?” I flashed my eyes to the guy behind the counter giving him his cue to jump in.
“Oh yes, yes we do,” he responded. I looked to the ceiling, feeling as if I had to thank someone up there.
“So why don’t I take you on home.” I squinted to see the man’s name tag. “And Marcus here can deliver it when it’s ready.”
She adjusted her bag on her forearm. “Oh, well, okay. If you don’t mind,”
“No,” Marcus and I both blurted out. “Not at all,” I added.
“That would be wonderful, thank you. I don’t know what I was thinking walking into town this late.”
I held the door open for Mimi and when she was out I glanced behind me and gave a smile to Marcus for being a good sport, mouthing “thank you” before placing my hand on Mimi’s back to guide her towards my car.
“Right over here,” I said.
During the car ride I tried to keep conversation going, but talking about a past I wasn’t a part of was difficult. So I kept it basic and let Mimi do most of the talking while I pushed on with questions. It was enough to get us through the ride.
It wasn’t until I pulled up to the assisted living facility that I realized I had forgotten to text Zach.
“I’ll help you inside,” I said to Mimi as I took her hand.
“Aren’t you just the sweetest thing,” she said, her blue eyes back to their usual tranquil state.
I guided her into the facility, hoping she didn’t realize it wasn’t her house. Inside I heard the voice I associated with so many different things as of late. Except instead of his usual calm, casual tone, he was yelling.
“What do you mean you can’t find her?” He ran both hands through his hair, interlocking his fingers behind his head.
I wanted to yell out to him, but I was scared of startling Mimi. She was in a fragile state and I didn’t know what to do other than stay calm.
I let go of Mimi’s hand and walked towards him.
“Zach?” I said, tapping his shoulder. He turned, his hair sticking up in all directions.
“What are you doing here?” he asked. But when he spotted Mimi it was as if I didn’t exist. The tension that pulled tight across his face loosened as he turned. “Mimi! What happened?” He raced to Mimi’s side. “Are you okay?”
“She’s fine. I, um, found her in town.”
Zach’s eyes widened. I let my eyes speak for me. I didn’t want Mimi to overhear us. I didn’t want to confuse her any more than she already was.
“Mimi, it’s me Zach. You know, your grandson.” He bent down to eye level and took her small hand in his large one.
“Do I look old enough to have a grandson?” The wrinkles in her forehead deepened as her eyes narrowed.
Zach pinched the skin on the bridge of his nose. God only knew what was going through his mind. When he told me her spells were happening more often, was it possible he meant every day?
Emotions flickered through his eyes, and he rubbed his face as if he could wipe them away. But it would take more than that. I wanted to hold him again, if just to let him know it would get better. It had to. Didn’t it?
“Of course not,” I chimed in. “You’re a timeless beauty.”
“As are you, dear.”
Zach shot me a sideways glance. I was already in deep. Why not submerge myself completely?
“She is. Isn’t she?” Zach placed his hand on Mimi’s shoulder. “Why don’t we get you to your room?”
“Okay, it’s dinnertime anyway. Liz, do you want to stay for dinner? It’s meatloaf tonight.” Just like that she was back, completely unaware of what had transpired. I didn’t want to be rude and not answer but I couldn’t seem to form words. My mind went blank from shock.
“She has to get going,” Zach answered for me. “Big show tonight. Her boyfriend’s making his debut.” His steady gaze made me shift from one foot to the other. It was as if he had more to say. Lips parted and an unsteady feeling passed through me.
“Oh, that’s right. Your friend’s band is playing tonight. Well, have fun. I’ll see you soon, I hope,” Mimi said and walked away from us and towards her room.
The tension around Zach’s eyes eased, his posture no longer stiff as he gave my shoulder a tender squeeze. “I was losing my mind. Thanks for bringing her back.”
“Is she going to be okay?” I asked, knowing he didn’t know any more than I did, but needing to have some hope to hold on to.
“I think so. At least today she will be.”
It was enough. The future didn’t matter yet. What mattered was what was happening right then and there. Mimi was safe and as far as I could tell she was back in the present.
“You going tonight?” I asked.
“Not now. It would feel wrong to leave her.”
I nodded in understanding. While I was disappointed, I got it. I didn’t like what was happening to Mimi and I knew how Zach felt.
“Besides,” he said, “you’ll be cheering on your boyfriend.”
Confusion looped through my mind. Of course I’d be cheering on my boyfriend. That was the sole reason I was going. It definitely wasn’t because the band was good.
“I’m sure you won’t miss much anyway.” I had yet to hear the band play as a whole, but I assumed it wouldn’t be anything to write home about.
“Thanks,” he said and with a last look of gratitude, he headed towards Mimi’s room.
And like Mimi’s memory, he was there one minute and gone the next.
Chapter 11
Josh was due for another visit in two weeks, and I decided to finally cross an item off my bucket list. It was time to throw a party.
And while I was checking things off my list, I decided it was time to finally turn in my v-card too. Joe and I had been together long enough. The Monday after the party, Sadie would be babysitting overnight and I’d have the place to myself. It was perfect.
A party and the demise of my virginity. It was going to be an amazing week. I just had to be patient.
Monday in class Joe wasn’t there. Ever since he became an official member of the band he’d been blowing off classes more and more. I texted him, but he never responded.
“Where’s Joe?” Zach’s voice was hot against my ear. I whipped around, our eyes instantly connecting as if
