Theresa appreciated the easy conversation, but she wanted to continue dispatching her weighty thoughts, and plowed ahead. “When I was finally allowed into the building, they took me down a long hallway with the residents behind enclosed glass. My aunt was hooked up to hoses and machines. They wouldn’t let me into the room. Said it was a precautionary measure to prevent infections. I had to communicate through a speaker on the side panel. Of course she didn’t respond. Not even a flinch.”
“Oh, that’s such a shame.” Frida shook her head.
“You haven’t told us about you and ‘the other guy’.”
“Sorry?” Then Theresa remembered what her face looked like. “Yesterday, as I was leaving, a dump truck sideswiped me, and I ran into a pole.”
“Oh for!” Frida exclaimed. “Are you alright?”
“That all depends on the subject. Physically I’m fine. They did tests at the hospital, and then I went back to the hotel. I took a taxi here today.”
“And what happened?”
“It’s all very strange.” Theresa took a deep breath. “Dottie passed away while I was there.”
“Oh, my! That’s dreadful!” Frida’s hand flew to her mouth.
Henry patted Theresa’s arm. “I am so sorry. Are you alright?”
“Yes, and no.” This was where the rubber was going to meet the road. “Can I tell you something?” She leaned in closer to the couple.
“Of course.” Frida was sympathetic and encouraging.
Theresa dug through her purse and pulled out the photo. “This is a photo of my mom and Dottie.”
“Sweet-looking girls,” Frida said.
“You see the ring on Dottie’s finger?”
“Oh, yes. I had something similar. Art deco. Was all the rage at one time.” Frida looked closer at the photo.
“Here’s the thing.” Theresa had no idea who these people were, but she felt they could be trusted. At the very least, they were the only people who had been nice to her since she arrived. Granted, Smiley Face was nice, but Theresa knew it was an act. She continued her story. “The woman, who they told me was my Aunt Dottie, was not wearing the ring. They said she didn’t have any jewelry. But my mother told me that Dottie swore she would never take it off.”
“Well, dear, a lot of years passed. She may have lost it, gave it away?” Frida suggested.
“Then how is it that another woman a few windows down was wearing the ring?”
“Oh, goodness. Do you think she stole it from your aunt?”
“No. I think the woman wearing the ring might actually be my aunt. She looked a lot like my mother. Her face was slack, but there was definitely a family resemblance.”
“Did you tell the staff?”
“I went to the front desk and asked about the woman in the wheelchair, and they told me therewasn’ta woman in a wheelchair. They even walked me back to the window where I swore she was sitting.” Theresa waited a moment to see how the two would react to her story. Neither said anything in response, but they also didn’t show signs that they thought Theresa was crazy.
“Today, when I stopped to see the woman named Dottie, she was ashen. I ran to the door and got someone to check on her. It took a few minutes, and when they returned, they told me the woman had passed away.” She paused again. “I asked if I could see her one more time, and they brought me to the window and quickly pulled a sheet over her.”
Theresa tilted her head. “Here’s where I start to sound like I’m suffering from heatstroke.” She took another deep breath. “As they were shuttling me down the hall, I purposely dropped my phone in front of the window of the woman in the wheelchair. Nurse Ratched quickly got between me and the window, but I managed to snap a photo as I fumbled with my purse.” Theresa took her phone out and showed them the picture.
Henry and Frida peered at the screen. Then Theresa pulled out the old photo of her mother and Aunt Dottie.
She tapped the phone. “I really believe thatthisis my Aunt Dottie.”
Frida and Henry listened intently to Theresa’s story. “You must think I’m nuts,” Theresa said as she gulped more water.
Frida shot a glance in Henry’s direction. “Not at all, dear. Some people hallucinate from the heat.” She grinned at her newfound friend. “I’ve met people who claim they’ve seen strange lights at night.”
“Well, we are in the land of UFOs,” Theresa replied.
