Page 11 of All The Ways to Miss You

Thursday after work, I stop at Veruca Salt’s Chocolate Shop on Oak Street. With a box of chocolate-covered salted caramels tucked under my arm, I knock on the door of room 444 at Saint Agnes’s assisted living building in the Gold Coast district.

“Come in,” a deep voice calls from the other side.

Pushing the door open wide, I find Ozzy in his chair near the picture window. A twisted wood cane leans against the wall at his side. Today, he’s entertaining a pretty nurse. Her blue-eyed gaze is tethered to his quick, fluttering hand gestures. He’s performing one of his dazzling magic tricks, which typically ends in a thirty-minute harmonica serenade. He’ll show off his wide range of talents for anyone he can corner.

The nurse claps and cheers when he finishes, and the heaviness I’ve been carrying on my shoulders lifts as soon as I step inside.

Ozzy owns a tiny home on Astor Street in one of the nicest neighborhoods in the city. I fell in love with it the moment I ran past it a month after I moved here. It was abandoned, in need of love, and I went on the hunt to find the owner. That’s when I found him.

I’ve been determined to make it mine since. We’ve grown to know each other well during these past months, and I’ve happily adopted him as a grandfather. He’s been better family than my own, and is my voice of reason compared to Aggie’s crazy.

“And I thought I was your only gal.” I say hello to the nurse and drop my things on the nearby table. I kiss Ozzy on his brown balding head, right between two large age spots.

“You know I have to fight them off, but I only have eyes for you, sweet pea.” His eyes burn bright with the playful lie.

Truth be told, the only woman he has eyes for is his late wife, Ada. A silver-framed photo of her sits on a side table, watching over him. She’s lovely with dark hair rolled in soft curls and a string of pearls around her graceful neck. It’s an image taken around the time they were married.

“I’ll be back at nine with your meds, Mr. Elliot.” The nurse closes the door and disappears.

“How are you today?” I drag a chair close and sit.

“Any day I’m here is a great day. And any day I get to see you is even better.” He pulls a pair of gold wire-rimmed glasses from his shirt pocket, opens the arms, and slides them onto his face. Behind thick lenses, his brown pupils magnify to the size of quarters, which brings a smile to my face.

“But more importantly,” he says, “where’ve you been off to? I haven’t seen you in four weeks.”

I glance at the floor, feeling guilty for not returning sooner. For this week, I can blame the late nights spent at work. “You have a better memory than me.”

“I have something that helps.” He reaches to his table and picks up a flat rectangular box. He lifts the top, revealing a layer of protective wax paper. Underneath is a grid of plastic compartments, all of them empty except for one, where the final chocolate salted caramel lives.

“It’s my candy calendar. I eat one a day, making that goodness last. I know you’re visiting soon when there’s only a few left. Looks like you got here in the nick of time.” He removes the last one and pops it in his mouth.

“Lucky for you, I have a new box.” I reach for my bag and extract an identical box. He accepts it with a big smile.

“I may just give you my house. You’ve practically paid for it in candy already,” he says while chewing.

“You know that’s not why I’m here. I can’t resist your charm.”

He laughs with shaking shoulders that make his entire body jiggle, including his belly. “Don’t I know it? How’d you think I talked Ada into going out with me?”

“I’m sure all you had to do was smile.”

“Ha! If only it was that easy. She liked what she saw, of course, but she couldn’t be coaxed. She said I was a rebel, and she didn’t have time for that.” His slender fingers swing in wild gestures.

“You? A rebel?” I lean closer, preparing for the story.

“In my youth, I was what you call today, um . . .” His gaze wanders as he searches for the correct term. “A player.”

“I should have guessed.” I laugh.

“Now hold on, let me explain. I liked courting the ladies, and they liked me well enough, but my best friend, Eli, didn’t have the same luck. He was a funny-looking fella—lanky, chipped tooth, and shy—but real nice. Anyway, I’m not sure how, but one day he talked Ledie, one of Ada’s three sisters, into a date. The catch was Eli needed to bring a date for Ledie’s older sister Eugina. Not one to turn down a woman, I agreed to help. But when we arrived to pick them up and I laid eyes on Eugina for the first time, I knew I wouldn’t be able to follow through.”

“Oh no.” I cover my mouth to hide a smile.

“Did I mention how my bad manners and stupidity far surpassed her lack of beauty? I can say that now, but back then, it was all I could do to get out of that house as fast as possible.”

“You didn’t.” I slap my palms on my thighs.

“Excused myself to the restroom and promptly climbed out the window to escape.” He clucks his tongue.