Page 59 of Awaiting
“No, there’s not,” Alex confirmed.
“I’ll just make her some,” Bexley said, closed the door, and began rooting around in the cabinets for tea bags and the pitcher.
“Can I help?”
“No, I’ve got it. Thank you, though.”
“She’s worse than you led on about, isn’t she?” Alex asked.
“She was fine up until this year. I noticed her forgetting things once or twice, but nothing like this. I thought she was being ridiculous asking to move into assisted living.”
“I’m glad we were here,” Alex told her.
“Me too.” Bexley pulled the pitcher from the cabinet and added, “I doubt she’s packed. I thought she’d have everything together by the time I got here, but she seems almost dazed.”
“I can help you pack for her.”
“You didn’t come here for this.” Bexley sat the plastic pitcher on the counter and faced the window over the sink, which showed the backyard’s too-tall grass. “Stan was supposed to come over here and cut this for her.”
“Hey, I came here to see where you grew up.Thisis part of that,” Alex said, and she sounded really close.
Bexley pulled out her phone and turned around, finding Alex right behind her now.
“I need to call Stan to find out why he didn’t mow the lawn.”
“Okay,” Alex replied. “I’ll make the tea. Where’s the kettle?”
“Oh, you’re funny.” Bexley shook her head. “Stan?”
“Hey. You’re here?” he asked on the other end of the call.
Bexley nodded for Alex to open one of the cabinets.
“I’m here. I’m at Grandma’s. I thought you were going to cut the grass for her while I was gone.”
“Iwas, but she called me and told me she hired someone to do it for her instead.”
“She did?”
“Yeah. Did she not get someone to do it?”
Bexley sighed and said, “No, I don’t think it’s been cut since I’ve been gone. She probably forgot.”
“I can come over on Sunday to do it,” he offered.
“I’ll cut it while I’m here,” Bexley said. “Thanks, though.”
“I’ll take care of it when you leave again until the place sells,” Stan told her. “I won’t let her talk me out of it even if she offers me those oatmeal cookies I love.”
“Thank you. And don’t let her cook or bake anything.”
“What? Why not?”
“I’ll tell you when I see you later, okay?”
“Yeah, okay. I’ll see you later.”
“I can cut the grass,” Alex volunteered once Bexley hung up the phone.