Good times. Good times.
I pulled up to the driveway of Granny's retirement unit, just as Errol, her neighbour from two doors down, wrestled with the security door, while trying to balance himself against his walking frame. Over his shoulder, a frail looking lady in a nightie wore a look of disgust on her face. As if Errol had just done the unthinkable, and taken a dump in the rose bushes.
I moved to his side. "Good evening, Errol. How are you?" He spun his head around, stopping abruptly before his eyes reached mine, wincing in pain.
"Argh! Put my neck out, damn it."
The lady in the nightie shoved her finger towards his face. "Serves you right, you old coot!"
Ooh, she was ropable.
I ignored her. "Oh no, you poor thing. Here, let me help you get the door shut and I'll walk you back home." I tried soothing him, knowing full well that he hadn’t been leaving, but was trying to get into the unit. I could see Granny peering through the crack in the curtains.
"I was just coming to visit your sweet grandma, hoping to get a slice of her famous cheesecake, but she didn't answer the door."
The old woman grew even more agitated after that statement. "She won't answer the door if she knows what's good for her. You always did think you were 'in-like-Flynn' there, didn't you, Errol? You should be ashamed of the way you carry on like the milkman!" She shook her fists in anger as she delivered her verbal spray.
I peeled Errol’s gnarled hand from the door handle, and gently wrapped it around his walker. "I think she’s at her reading group tonight. She asked if I could get some supplies and drop them off for her." The lie tripped off my tongue, unheeded. Luckily, I had a bag of groceries in my hand. I brought something every time I came because I visited so often, but he didn't need to know that.
I turned him around and headed back to his unit, glancing over my shoulder to throw a wink at Granny. Deep lines bracketed her mouth as she focused on the old woman. I recognised her now as Mrs. McGuffey, from the unit next door between Errol's and Granny's. She didn’t look healthy, at all. I looked back at Granny. Lowering her eyes, she gently shook her head.
Oh.
Errol made it safely back to his unit, regardless of the continuing tirade from the spectre of Mrs. McGuffey. I left them to it, and let myself into Granny's place. Her L shaped unit was miniscule. She sat at the small dining table against the wall between the kitchenette and the lounge room. “Thank you, my darling. That man is unstoppable. The ageing process forgot to notify his libido.”
I placed the bags on the floor, and gave her a hug and a kiss on her weathered cheek. "He has good taste, at least.” Patting Granny’s shoulder, I turned towards the fridge. “When did it happen?"
I put the groceries away, knowing she was shaken, but understanding that she wouldn’t want me fussing. Continuing with the mundane chore while she expressed her sadness was a distraction for her … and me. A reminder that life continued. We’d been through this several times now. I was terrified that she would be next. The carton of milk sloshed and banged loudly against the shelf, as it slipped from my shaking hand. I remained hidden behind the fridge door, trying to pedal back the panic as she answered my question.
"We haven't heard anything official yet, but she showed up here about three hours ago. She's been wandering around the garden, muttering about the dead flowers, and trying to get the hose to turn on. Of course, that was about as useful as cleaning up a flood with a tissue. Then she saw Errol heading this way and got mad as a hatter. Why she ever wanted to stake a claim on that man, I'll never know. He's as randy as a teenager!"
Her arms flailed with the dose of comic relief. I smiled as I watched her, dressed in her fashionable T-shirt and shorts, with the ghastly floral couch that she loved so much behind her. Despite her anachronistic taste in furnishings, she refused to be stuck in a time warp when it came to her fashion sense. Apart from her straight hair, it was like looking at me in fifty years’ time. Slightly withered and weathered, but with a spark in her eye, nonetheless.
"Some women go for the bad boys. I didn't even know she was sick."
"Yeah, she went to the hospital two days ago with a bad chest infection. Darn humidity, breeds the bugs."
"I'm sorry, Granny." I leaned down and gave her a gentle hug. She was so fragile now, I was always afraid of getting over enthusiastic and snapping something when I hugged her.
"Me too, but it's a fact of life. We all have our time."
Her words cut through my heart. My biggest fear verbalized. The thought of Granny leaving me was so painful I had trouble breathing. I loved her to bits. She was my home. She had been my grandmother, my mother and my best friend. My only friend, really. The one positive thing about this curse of mine is that I’d still be able to talk to her after she’d gone. But it wouldn’t be the same.
"Veronica, you really need to let me teach you about your gift, honey. Life would be so much easier for you, if you were able to control it." Granny leaned forward, encasing my hands in her grasp. The love and concern she felt for me transferred through her touch, reaffirming what
