“I’m from Nebraska.”
Another cramp appeared to leap across June’s spine and she bentforward in a rush, nearly losing her footing. Melanie reached out to steady her.
“Here, let me get you to the couch.” Melanie stepped inside and began to slowly move June toward the living room. The downstairs rooms were empty, near as she could tell. Unless Elwood was around the corner in the kitchen, perhaps.
June gritted her teeth in pain as they walked. “I can do it.”
Melanie ignored her and continued to lead her farther into the room, then helped June lower herself to the couch. Once she was situated, Melanie turned to the staircase that led to Elwood’s bedroom and office and then back to June.
“I insist you let me send Eva over to give you a hand. You can’t possibly take care of Elwood like this. You wouldn’t make it up the first step to his room.”
June gazed at the staircase, too. “He won’t want a stranger in the house. It will upset him.”
“Then let me help,” Melanie said. “I’m not a stranger. And it’s not like I have anything else to do.”
“He won’t want that, either.”
“Too bad, dammit. It’s either Eva or me.”
“El’s having a really rough time right now and I—” June began but Melanie cut her off.
“Elwood’s having a rough time?Elwoodis? Have you looked at yourself in the mirror? Is he even coming downstairs these days? Will he be able to get his own meals? Or is he going to be up there starving himself to death while you writhe around on the couch?”
“We’ll be fine,” June sputtered.
Melanie made a move toward the staircase. “Elwood?”
June sprang off the sofa with a yelp. “Will you please just leaveus alone?! Please? This is not your problem. We will manage just fine. We always have. I’d like you to go now.”
Melanie turned back to her. “You call this managing just fine? Elwood’s not been outside inyears. Have I got that right? Years! How is that managing just fine? That is not normal.”
They were words Melanie had been wanting to say for weeks. June made it seem the way she and her brother-in-law lived was perfectly acceptable. Maybe the march of time had made what was not normal normal to June, simply because it was what happened every day. But it wasn’t normal. Healthy people didn’t live the way Elwood was living.
“Look,” June said carefully, as if she’d heard Melanie’s unspoken thoughts. “I understand Elwood’s condition.Ido. I’ve been caring for him since you were still in bobby socks. Now, please: Go home.”
Melanie stood silent for a long moment. “So you admit he’s sick. You admit there’s something terribly wrong with him.”
“That’s not what I said. I—”
“You said I don’t understand his condition. Explain to me what I don’t understand.”
“He was in a car accident,” June said wearily.
“I know about the accident.”
“It was bad, all right? Someone got killed and he was at the wheel. He felt responsible. It…it messed with his mind. His sense of safety. Home was the only place he felt safe after that. And he doesn’t have to answer to you for the way he feels. You’re not family. We barely know you.”
Melanie was quiet for several moments as she took June’s words in.
“That may be true,” Melanie said calmly when she finally spoke. “But you need help. And, yes, I’ve only known Elwood a little while, but he’s the only friend I have right now and I care about him. Youlet me send Eva over until you’re better or I’m calling whoever it is that makes sure caregivers aren’t causing more harm than good. There’s got to be somebody to call. A county person or something. I’ll find out who it is and I’ll call them.”
June’s eyes flashed anger and she opened her mouth to perhaps tell Melanie to go to hell but then shut it.
The woman closed her eyes for a second to formulate better words, no doubt.
“I’m sorry,” June said a moment later. “You’re right. I do need help. No one’s ever offered and frankly Elwood wouldn’t have allowed it. And I never really needed it before. I know I do now. You may send Eva over to let me talk with her. If I feel she’s a good fit for us I will allow her to help me with the meals and housekeeping and such until my back is better. And I’ll need to know how much to pay her.”
“You don’t have to pay her anything.”
