Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 105231 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105231 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 526(@200wpm)___ 421(@250wpm)___ 351(@300wpm)
Or perhaps she just wanted to ensure her mother was comfortable in her final years. One visit and she could leave, knowing she’d done her daughterly duty. Knowing that she wasn’t a terrible daughter, in the same way that her mother had been a truly awful parent.
Maybe after this visit she’d finally be able to let go of any residual anger . . . and fear.
There had been no closure with her father, he’d died of a heart attack three years ago. It had been sudden and unexpected. Caren hadn’t even known about it until a lawyer for her parents’ estate had tracked her down to tell her about her mother’s illness.
But she hadn’t been able to bring herself to see her until she’d been informed that her mother had been put in a specialized unit in the nursing home.
God, she’d hate this.
Caren wouldn’t have wished this on her. On anyone. And maybe she would have been better off never coming here.
So why are you here now?
You don’t have to come.
No. But she also thought that she might regret it if she didn’t. She’d certainly wonder if her mother was being treated all right. This place had a good reputation, but you couldn’t be sure until you visited somewhere in person.
Gathering up her resolve, she walked up to the door and pressed the buzzer. She was glad to see that security was being taken seriously. A guard came to the door and took her details before issuing her a visitor badge that she had to return when she left. Then she followed his instructions to get to the special unit.
The woman at the desk looked up with a smile. “Hello, can I help you?”
“Yes, hi. My name is Caren Stanford. My mother, Martha Stanford, is living in the unit. I called to make sure I could visit.”
“Yes, of course! Our director, Mr. Peterson, just wants to meet with you first to talk through your mother’s care.”
“Oh, sure.”
“Please take a seat, he’ll be out soon.”
Great.
Hopefully her nerves didn’t get to her while she was waiting. She perched on the edge of a firm, uncomfortable chair and brought out her phone as it buzzed.
OPN: Yeah, good morning.
To her shock, she found herself smiling. She could just imagine how disgruntled he’d been as he’d typed those words. Lord, she wished he was with her right now.
No. She didn’t need him or anyone else. She could do this alone. Just like she did everything.
“Ms. Stanford?”
She glanced up to see a smiling older man step into the waiting room.
Caren jumped to her feet. “Yep, that’s me.” After shaking his hand, she followed him into a large office.
“Please, take a seat. I won’t take up much of your time. It’s just that this is the first time someone other than your mother’s lawyer has been to visit.”
Was there a slight note of disapproval in his voice? She tensed.
“I was told you were out of the country. Of course, that would make things difficult. But we do find that patients enjoy regular visitations from family.”
“I very much doubt that my mother will care whether I visit or not. I haven’t seen her in twenty years.”
He blinked. “Right, yes, of course. Families are complicated things, aren’t they?”
They sure are, you pompous ass.
Okay, she was probably being unfair. He didn’t know what she’d suffered at the hands of her mother. He probably thought she was just a terrible daughter.
“Sure. Complicated. Was there something you wanted from me?” she asked.
He shuffled around, appearing uncomfortable.
“There’s not a problem with payment, is there? Because my mother’s lawyer assured me that was all being taken care of by her estate.”
“No, no, payments are prompt and we appreciate that. It’s just that your mother has had some episodes.”
She sighed. “Just spit it out.”
“Violent episodes. It’s not uncommon and our staff are well-equipped and experienced. But it’s more that her verbal lashes that are affecting them and visitors.”
Okay.
“But you said your staff can handle it,” she said, feeling confused. “I looked into this facility and you must have experienced this sort of thing before.”
“Yes, of course. I just wanted to warn you because most of her, um, expressions of anger seem to be directed at you.”
Awesome.
Then his words fully infiltrated.
“Wait, so she’s been getting angry and violent at others, likely thinking they’re me? Or it’s about me? And you disapprove of the fact that I haven’t visited more often? Why? So that abuse will be aimed my way and therefore spare everyone else?”
His mouth dropped open. But, was that a hint of guilt in his face? “Well, I, um, wouldn’t put it quite like that.”
“I’m not sure that all of the reviews I read about this place and how wonderful it is are true.”
“You are always welcome to seek alternative arrangements,” he said stiffly.
Great.
So now he wanted her to move her mother? Was he kidding her? She’d only been here a few months. Moving her would surely be stressful?