Deeply Personal

Chapter 4

Paul

“Mr. Brady? This is Wanda Simmons from The Harbors. How are you?”

Paul was sitting in his office when he received the phone call. He’d been waiting to hear from her, and a shot of anxious expectation ran through him. Outside, the clank and clink of weights hitting the floor resounded as someone called, “That’s right, my man! You can do this!”

He was in between clients and it was close to 11 a.m. The studio was busy with the post-Thanksgiving workout frenzy.

“I’m great. So what’s the news?” Paul’s muscles tensed. He was expecting the worst—that there still wasn’t room for his grandparents at The Harbors. The impressive facility had a stellar reputation, with all levels of assistance—from free-standing cottages to complete nursing care—and it was the only assisted living facility in Tampa Pops and Gran would even begin to consider moving to.

“Ah, it’s good, good news, Mr. Brady.” Wanda was in charge of new-resident acquisition and her voice chimed like a bell. “An apartment in our Azaleas Two, Section C, has just opened up, and we’d be happy to have your grandparents with us if they’re still interested. They’re number one on the list.”

“Oh, that is excellent!” Paul said. It was as if a bottle of champagne uncorked in his mind. “I’ll call them tonight and tell them. I’m sure they’ll want to take it.”

Honestly, however, he wasn’t sure at all. Maybe the champagne would have to wait. Pops and Gran had been reluctant to move out of their old house in Seminole Heights for years. But it was obvious that they simply couldn’t stay there any longer.

Their place was as ancient as they were, breaking down—roof, plumbing, wiring—just like they were breaking down—eyes, ears, and worse, their hearts. Pops had developed a choking problem lately, too. But even if their place was in top notch shape, it still wasn’t right that they were living on their own. About a week ago, while trying to swallow a piece of steak, Pops had nearly died. Thank goodness for Gran, who’d saved his life by helping him to swallow some soda, which sluiced the meat down his throat at just the last moment. And who said the elderly didn’t live exciting lives?

“Okay, then,” Wanda said. “All you’ll have to do is sign the papers and put down the deposits and we’ll be good to go. The opening isn’t available until January twentieth since we have some repairs to do on it. We’re renovating that entire section, you see.”

“All right. Good. Let me talk to them tonight. I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.”

“By the way,” she said, “we do have counseling available to make the idea of transitioning out of their homestead to the facility easier. In my experience, letting go of the past tends to be the biggest obstacle in moving for seniors. Would you like me to send it your way?”

Convincing them to move out of their beloved house and into assisted living was proving a challenge of extreme proportions. Gran was halfway swayed. It was Pops who was the real holdout.

“Please do. You have my email.”

When the call ended, Paul just sat there and took a long breath. The truth was, he wasn’t crazy about packing his grandparents off to assisted living, but what other choice was there? He needed to do his best to take care of them. But he worried whether his best would be good enough. If they didn’t listen to reason, he’d have to fly down to their place and try to convince them in person as soon as possible. But taking off from work and finding the time was a problem in itself.

Paul clenched his fists and sighed as he turned to his computer screen. He started looking up flights to Tampa. Very expensive. Damn. And then, after jotting down some flights and costs, he wandered over to other pages on the Internet. He’d been looking up Eva, the Maximizer, and Ethan on social media lately. He just couldn’t help it. And ever since he’d seen that woman walking her dog at the Trot, the one who resembled Eva, the urge had grown more intense.

There was a video of Ethan sitting on a couch, playing a video game. He missed that kid so much, he could feel it in his gut.

Paul folded his arms across his chest and watched the video again. He scanned other photos—Eva and Ethan at a park; eating Chick-fil-A; at a bowling alley. There was a video of the Maximizer washing his pickup as Ethan stood by, watching. Then Ethan picked up a brush and helped his step-dad, scrubbing down the wheels. The two of them didn’t talk to each other, and Paul wondered how close they were.

Did Ethan ever still think of me?

Paul clicked out of the screen and went out on the floor of the studio, forcing a smile. But inside, regret was walking all over his heart.

The truth was, he had let them both down, Eva and Ethan. Maybe he could have made it work if he really tried. Maybe the flaws he saw in Eva were nothing more than excuses to leave. After all, that was who he was—the man who always got away. Why couldn’t he change?

There was just something about him when it came to relationships. When the going got tough, he got going—out the door and down the road. Now, he was wary about starting a new relationship if this would be the result: missing in action and hurting everyone in the process.