“No, I’m fine. My heart hurts knowing that Tommy islonely,” Gramps says with a dramatic sigh, clutching at his chest.
I groan, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Gramps, you can’t joke about your heart.”
He waves me off. “Pish posh. I just want my grandson to find someone. Say, Hannah is it?” he asks, pointing at her name badge.
Hannah laughs a little uncomfortably. “Yes, that’s my name.”
“Are you single, Hannah? You’d be perfect for Tommy.”
She coughs, and her cheeks flame red. “Gramps,” I scold, widening my eyes at him and slashing a finger across my throat to try and get him to stop.
He simply chuckles, ignoring me. “It’s okay if you’re not. Do you have any single friends, or a sister, perhaps?”
Hannah chokes on a soft laugh. “My sister is married, and I don’t have many friends, Earl.”
“Does that mean you’ll volunteer?”
“Jesus, Gramps.” I rub my face. “You can ignore him, Hannah.”
Thankfully, Miles saves us both from this awkward interaction. “Well, Earl, if you’re not having any pain, should we help you get standing?”
“Yep,” Gramps says as Hannah takes the blood pressure cuff off.
“Everything looks okay?” I ask her.
She turns to face me, a soft smile on her lips. “Yeah. His blood pressure is slightly elevated, but I think that could be from the stress of the fall. Once we get him settled in his chair, I’ll check it again.”
Miles and Hannah wrap a transfer belt around his waist and help him into a standing position, where he uses a walker to get over to his chair. He doesn’t use his walkeroften, but maybe he should be using it more now. I get him a glass of water, and after a few minutes, Hannah checks his blood pressure, giving me a thumbs up when it’s normal. Gramps declines any new pain with movement, which makes me feel better.
His fall could have been a lot worse, and it has been worse in the past, so I’m glad this was easily handled. “Gramps, I should get back out on the road. Call me if you need anything, okay?”
He waves me off. “I’ll call your dad and bug him. Or I’ll call one of your brothers. You’re working.”
I sigh. “I know, but still.”
Hannah checks in with Gramps one last time before they pack up their things. I give Gramps a quick hug, and then leave him alone in his apartment. I hate leaving him, but I’ll send one of my brothers over to sit with him. Maybe Jase can bring his girls over to spend some time with him.
I pull out my phone and send a message in the family group chat with an update, and already, my dad says he will head over. I let out a sigh of relief and tuck my phone away.
“Thanks guys,” I tell Hannah and Miles as we reach the ambulance and my vehicle.
Hannah smiles, her cheeks turning pink. “It’s our job, Thomas.”
“I know, but still. Thanks for putting up with him asking all about your personal life.” I wave a hand. “He can be… a lot, but he means well.”
She shakes her head. “It was sweet. My grandma is the same with me.”
“Glad to know I’m not alone.”
Miles claps me on the shoulder. “I’m happy he’s okay. The last call I had with him as a patient was not a good one.”
I swallow the sudden lump in my throat. “Nope, that was not a good day.”
“He came back strong though,” Miles replies.
“Yes he did.” The memory of seeing Gramps in the hospital after brain surgery assaults my mind. I never want to see him like that again. I know he’s getting up there in age, but in my mind, he’s going to live forever, even though that might not be the case.
“We should probably get going,” Miles states, gesturing to the front of the ambulance.
