And I couldn’t handle the thought of him slipping away from us… fromme.
I thought I could take care of him myself—I owed him at least that much—but I soon learned I couldn’t.
They say Alzheimer’s is a slow disease, but Granddaddy never did slow well, and Alzheimer’s would not be the exception.I can vividly recall the day our cook, Judy, sat me down and told me I couldn’t go on like I was anymore.She said there was a nice place twenty minutes west of Saddle Ridge I could put him in.He’d have round-the-clock care, and I could focus solely on the ranch.
I shut her down.
At the time, Granddaddy was still having his fair share of good days, and I knew deep down he wouldn’t want to be anywhere other than the land he loved.I compromised, and that’s when Betty became a lifeline.
Tyler snaps his fingers in front of my face.I blink, my eyes narrowing as he sighs.“Yeah, that’s the reason,” he says.“You don’t want to leave William.”
“It’s one of them.”I angle my head, arching a brow as I stare him down.“What about you?Shouldn’t you be getting ready to go with them?”
He shakes his head.“I got Dash, man.”
Tyler is a single dad, and while he always puts his son first, there are times when his sister pitches in and gives him a hand.I don’t know why I assumed she’d watch Dash so he could accompany the guys on a night out.
“Speaking of which…” His voice trails as his eyes shoot to the watch on his wrist.“I better get him something to eat.”He pushes off the railing and starts for the steps, pausing as he passes me to pat me on the back.“If you change your mind, I’m around.It would be no skin off my back to bring Dash over here and keep an eye on William.”
“Appreciate the offer, but I’m good.”I jut my thumb over my shoulder.“I’m sure Judy cooked plenty of food.Why don’t you grab some dinner for Dash?Better yet just bring him over.”
I wouldn’t mind the company.
Eating alone is fucking depressing.
He scoffs, defeat weighing heavily in his eyes.“Brother, I can’t get that kid to eat anything other than processed mac and cheese, and Judy would die if I brought that shit into her kitchen.I’ll catch you later.”
I nod, and he shoves his hands into the front pockets of his jeans, then leisurely strolls down the stairs.When he pulls away in his truck, I turn to the front door, bracing myself for a moment before entering the only home I’ve ever known.
The savory aroma of pot roast wafts through the air, and I don’t bother to remove my boots before making my way into the kitchen.A man has to find the silver lining whenever he can, and the promise of Judy’s pot roast might be the one thing that turns this day around.
“Smells like heaven in here, Miss Judy,” I praise, flashing her a grin.
She’s aged over the years with a lot more gray sprinkled into her signature bun.The fine lines on her face seem to have doubled too, but her eyes still go soft when they land on me, just like they did when I was a young boy stealing her freshly baked cookies before they even had a chance to cool.
Movement from outside the window catches my eye, and I tear my gaze away from Judy, the grin on my face quickly vanishing when I spot the new aide pacing on the back porch, her cellphone glued to her ear.
“Jesus Christ,” I hiss.“Does that woman ever put the phone down?Has she even tended to Granddaddy at all today?”
“Language, Maddox,” Judy chastises with a sigh as she unties her apron from around her waist.Her gaze follows mine, and I don’t miss the way she slightly flinches when she spots the aide outside.“She’s young and apparently going through a breakup, from what I’ve overheard.”
My fingers involuntarily curl around my hat.
“Yeah, well, I don’t give a fuck.I’m not paying her to fight with her boyfriend.I’m paying her to take care of Granddaddy.”
“Her name is Abby,” Judy supplies, hanging her apron on the hook next to the door.
I don’t care what her name is.I care about her being competent, which she clearly isn’t.
“William seems to tolerate her just fine,” Judy continues.“She took him out back and gave him a haircut before the boyfriend called again.”Her gaze flits back to me, and she frowns.“You’re going to break a tooth if you keep grinding your molars, boy.It’s only for a couple of days.Betty will be back before you know it.”
I unclench my jaw.“He’s only tolerating her because he thinks he’s twenty-five and single.”
She chuckles softly.“Not true,” she says, touching a hand to my shoulder.“He said she reminds him of Della.”
My gaze wanders back to the window, and I take in the side profile of the young woman still chatting away on the phone.Aside from her petite stature, I can’t spot any similarities to my sister.
“I don’t see it,” I mumble.
