Page 38 of Something Unexpected
I smiled. “Your grandson is very handsome, and tonight he was even good company. But I don’t think pairing is wise, for more than one reason.”
Louise waved me off. “I think you two could do each other some good. He needs to relax a little, and you could use someone to take care of you.”
“He lives in New York. I’m moving back to California at the end of the summer. Plus, it’s not the right time, Louise.”
“Sometimes we find the right person at the wrong time. And we just have to trust fate.”
CHAPTER 10
Beck
TWO DAYS LATER,we went to the courthouse for Gram and Nora’s scheduled hearing. I was happily surprised when things went smoothly. They both pleaded no contest, and we paid a fine and were out the door fifteen minutes later. But I noticed Gram coughing a lot. Last night at dinner I’d noticed it once or twice, but it was more frequent today and had turned into a dry hack.
“You okay?” I asked her when we emerged from the courthouse. “Maybe we should go see a doctor?”
Gram cleared her throat and shook her head. “What for? We know what’s wrong with me.”
I pursed my lips. “Because there might be something they can give you to help. I know you don’t want treatment, but that doesn’t mean you can’t take some medicine to ward off an infection or something.”
Nora nodded. “Beck is right. You have a little wheeze going on, too. They might be able to give you a nebulizer treatment or an inhaler. Maybe even a cough suppressant or something.”
“Fine. But we’re going to a clinic here and not some hospital back home.”
Nora shrugged. “Works for me.”
I looked at my grandmother. “I say something, and you immediately fight me on it.” I thumbed at Nora. “She says it, and it’s a good idea.”
“I’m sure it’s because your grandmother is used to you trying to control her, so she automatically gets defensive.”
My eyes narrowed. “I wasn’t asking you.”
Nora rolled her eyes. “Let’s just go find a clinic.”
Two hours later, Nora and I were in the waiting room of a packed urgent care. They’d taken Gram back almost a half hour ago.
The receptionist slid the glass window open and leaned to the opening. “Eleanor Sutton!”
Nora stood and went to the window. I followed.
“The doctor and your grandmother would like you to come back.”
“It’s not her grandmother,” I said. “It’s mine.”
The woman looked me up and down. “You don’t look like an Eleanor Sutton.”
“I’m not. But the patient is my grandmother, not hers.”
The woman shrugged. “Well, they asked for her. Not you.”
“Maybe she’s not dressed or something,” Nora said, putting her hand on my arm. “Let me go back and see what’s going on.”
Left with no choice, I nodded.
Fifteen minutes later, I was growing impatient when Gram and Nora came out from the back. I stood. “I thought you were going to come get me?”
My grandmother rolled her eyes. “Oh, take a chill pill, Beck. The doctor just wanted to make sure Nora knew the Heimlich maneuver in case food gets stuck. The tumor in my esophagus likes to catch things. It’s why I’m coughing. Little pieces get stuck and irritate my throat.”
“Can they shrink it?”