She gives me a soft grin. “Thank you. I’ve tried really hard to put my own stamp on the place. It’s one of the things that I love about my aunt. She encourages all the residents to make the rooms their own.”
I frown and think of the director with her colorful office filled with the fuchsia beanbag and lime green chairs and white shag rug. I’ve never met someone so vibrant and full of life.
“Wait,” I say, “is Elaine, the director, your aunt?”
Lauren swallows a bite of pizza. “Yeah, she is. My mom had some problems, and she couldn’t take care of me and my brother. She dropped us off here when we were young, and my aunt Elaine took us in despite the fact that she was also busy running the retirement center.”
“Wow,” I say, “so you have lived at the center your whole life?”
“I know it sounds kind of crazy, but I loved it. I went to school and played in the marching band and took part in extracurricular activities. The only thing different was my aunt was my mom, and I have a bazillion people that I consider my grandparents.”
I can’t help thinking of my cold parents and the way they would rather not see me. I take a small sip of my wine. “That actually sounds kind of wonderful.”
Lauren pulls the pepperoni off of her pizza and pops it into her mouth. “It was amazing. I know that most people would feel like they missed out by having their mom abandon them, but I never did. Elaine stepped right into the role and because of her, my brother and I didn’t go into foster care. She’s kind of my hero.”
“She’s definitely amazing,” I agree.
When I see that Lauren has taken the last sip of her wine, I stand and go to the kitchen to grab the bottle again. Lauren follows behind me with our dishes and puts them in the sink. I pause in front of her kitchen window.
“Wow,” I mutter as I stare out at Dalton and another bearded man. They’re both so big. They’re working together to haul away some large branches. I heard from the residents that a tree fell on the grounds during the last storm. But there’s something about watching Dalton lifting the heavy wood that has my stomach fluttering. He’s not even breaking a sweat as he carries them effortlessly.
“It’s quite the view, isn’t it?” Lauren laughs softly when she catches me staring.
I hesitate and wonder if this is why she really wanted to hang out after work. Did she want me to know that Dalton is taken? Is she in love with him? She’s probably known him her whole life. They might even be a couple for all I know.
Lauren sighs. “He’s never noticed me. Or at least if he has, he’s never made a move.”
“Maybe Dalton just needs a nudge in the right direction,” I tell her around the lump in my throat. He’s so cute, and I could have sworn he’s been flirting with me. But maybe I’ve been misreading the signs all this time. Maybe I only saw what I wanted to see with him. Just like last time.
“No, not him. The cute one, Bronco.” She says his name like it’s the most romantic word in the world. “He’s my brother’s best friend, and he feels some sort of stupid loyalty to him.”
I don’t know anything about having a sibling or how families are supposed to work. I only have experience with my parents and their loveless union. They didn’t really want me. They only had me because it was what all of their friends were doing. My mom told me once that if she’d known how much work I’d be, she never would have had children. So yeah, I guess you could say our relationship is a little strained.
Still, maybe things are different between Lauren and her brother, so I suggest gently, “Maybe you should talk with your brother. Maybe you could help him see that Bronco is holding back because he wants his blessing.”
She rinses the plates in the sink. Her motions with the sponge, jerky and uneven as if she’s furious with the dishes. “Vale is dead. He went missing in action three years ago. You’re supposed to always hold out hope, but I know my brother. If he had a way to contact me, he would have by now. He’s gone. I just can’t stand using the past tense when I’m talking about him. Vale is my brother. The fact that he’s dead doesn’t change that. No one really gets that though.”
She pauses with the sponge, shoulders slumping. “Bronco is all I have left of him now. They became best friends in the military, and they had plans. They were going to buy a local farm together when he went missing on a mission. Bronco got discharged not long after that and bought land here. I think some part of him believes he’s keeping my brother’s memory alive by running that ranch.”
I put my hand on her shoulder and give it a gentle squeeze. “I’m really sorry.”
She finishes washing the plates in silence then heads back to the couch. “I stay busy. It helps, you know.” She taps the coffee table. “This is my weekly project. I make letters for all of the residents.”
“What do the letters say?” I ask, thinking of the rows of mailboxes in the post room.
“They’re just little encouraging notes. I noticed one day that a lot of the residents at the center don’t get mail. I can’t fix everything wrong in the world, but maybe I can help make some of them feel loved by putting sweet notes and letters in their mail so everyone gets something each week.”
“That’s a cool idea,” I say, settling back on the other end of the couch. “Can I help?”
“I’d love some help,” she says. “I don’t really have themes or anything. I just do whatever I want.”
For the next two hours, Lauren and I work together on making cards and notes for the residents. While we do it, we sip wine, play girl power songs from the 90s, and sneak glimpses of Dalton and Bronco through her windows. It’s exactly the sort of girl bonding that lifts your spirits and makes you feel seen and understood.
When we’re done, we take our letters down to the mail room and sort them into cubbies. As we work, I hear the soft click of the door. The retirement center is quiet at this time of day. There’s only a few sounds like the low hum of TVs and radios, the shuffle of boots against carpet as Ryan does his rounds for the night. He’s checking in on residents to make sure they’re safe and cozy.
Through the thin walls, I hear Elaine chatting softly on the phone with her boyfriend. Lauren tells me she’s been dating a man she met online for a few months now, and they seem completely in love. He’s planning to fly out and see her soon.
After hearing Lauren tell me about how Elaine raised her and Vale, it makes me admire the retirement home director even more. Not only is she a fierce advocate who loves these residents and fights hard to make sure they have beautiful, fulfilling lives here, she also raised two kids that weren’t even hers when they were dropped on her doorstep. According to Lauren, she never made them feel like burdens. Instead, she welcomed them with open arms and showered them both with love.
