The two of us laughed, but I stopped when I realized Monroe didn’t join in. “Roe?” I leveled a stare at him.
“Grandma, Ezra and I aren’t together. You know that, right?”
“Why not? You love each other, don’t you?”
Uh-oh. Now I understood. “Nettie, we’re very good friends.”
“Friends, schmends.” She waved her hand around. “You have your whole lives ahead of you to find friends. Love?” Her fingers curled around the bedsheets. “Not everyone is so lucky to find what you have.”
“Grandma, Ezra came back after all these years, and we’re learning to be friends again. We aren’t dating.”
“I don’t understand. You love each other.” Her voice turned fretful, her words a bit more slurred, and the beeping on the machine sped up.
“Nettie, it’s okay. Don’t worry about it.” I tried to soothe her with a smile and a pat on her hand, but she continued to shake her head. Helpless, I allowed Roe to take my place.
“Grandma, just relax. Don’t get all excited.”
“I’m not excited, I’m annoyed. It’s hard enough for you to find someone you can be yourself with. You were so sad and shy before you met Ezra. Now you say you’re not together? Why not? You belong together.”
A nurse hurried into the room. “What’s going on here? Mrs. Friedman’s heart monitor went off.” Shouldering us aside, she attended to Nettie, who continued to mumble about Roe and me and how much we loved each other.
Guiltily, Roe and I shared a glance. “She got upset because we told her something she didn’t want to hear.”
Remaining silent, the nurse continued to minister to Nettie, speaking to her in a calm, soothing voice. When Nettie quieted down, the nurse faced us, lips pressed together. “Why did Mrs. Friedman get so upset? We won’t allow you to see her if this is the outcome. She’s in a frail state right now. What did you say to her?” Her hands rested on her ample hips.
Nettie called out from the bed, “They belong together. They’ve been dating all through high school and now they want to break up? Monroe, you know you love him.”
A quick glance at Roe, and he ducked his head, but not before I saw his cheeks turn a fiery red.
I waved the nurse over. “She’s confused and thinks we”—I pointed to Roe—“are still seventeen and together.”
“And you’re not?”
“No.” Not from lack of trying on my part, but I couldn’t say that to her. “We haven’t even seen each other for over twenty years until recently. Maybe that triggered something for her.”
The nurse’s expression softened. “Oh. Well, too bad you can’t fake it. Just for a little while until she’s strong enough and regains her memory.”
She left us with an admonition to not upset Nettie and to talk only about cheerful, pleasant things. Roe texted his mother, and I sent a quick message to Sunny, letting him know what was up.
“My mother’s on her way into the building. She said she didn’t feel right staying away so long.”
“Mmhmm.” I was busy thinking.
“Everything okay?” Roe’s eyes searched mine. “If you have to go, I understand. My grandmother isn’t your problem, and you have a business to run. I appreciate your taking time out—”
“Shut up. You’re being an ass. I’m not going anywhere.”
His eyes widened, and I could swear his cheeks tinged red. “Okay, but I don’t know what we’re going to do about Grandma. Every time she sees you or even me, she thinks we’re in high school and still together.”
Obviously troubled, Roe paced the room, and from beneath lowered lashes I studied him, ideas and arguments swirling through my mind. By the time Deborah rushed into the room asking about Nettie, I’d devised a plan.
“How is she? Any change?” Her cheeks were flushed from the cold, and I hated seeing the worry and strain in her eyes, as well as Roe’s.
“She was awake and talking, but she got upset again when we told her Ezra and I weren’t in high school anymore and together. She’s persisting in this state where she thinks it’s over twenty years ago. Maybe it’s triggered by seeing Ezra, or she prefers to concentrate on that time, I don’t know.” Roe threw up his hands in obvious frustration.
As Roe spoke, Deborah walked over to Nettie, who continued to sleep. “She looks okay and seems comfortable enough. I’m going to speak to Dr. Robinson about how long she needs to stay here. She already said being home in her familiar surroundings will trigger her memory to more recent events.”
“I have another idea.” I slipped my phone into my pocket and waved Deborah and Roe to a corner, although I was certain it would take longer than a huddled conversation to convince Roe, at least, of my plan. But before I could do that, the doctor walked in.
