Caring for Nan

“Has anyone seen my baby?” cried Nan, hysterically jerking up from her recliner.

Looking up from his doodle Jaden closed his book and said lovingly “Yes Nan, she’s sleeping right now and has a clean diaper. If you’d like to nap I can wake you up when she’s hungry.”

“Thank you sweet boy, I think I will just have a little rest while the baby is sleeping,” said the elderly woman as she laid back into her chair closing her eyes peacefully.

Now of coarse there wasn’t a baby and Jaden knew that, but Nan didn’t. She had suffered a stroke the year before that had transformed her from the proud matriarch of a large family, into a toddler who was constantly searching for a mythical baby. A baby that seemed always to be in need of a bottle, diaper change, or burping. It hadn’t taken the family long to figure out what to say to ease her worries.

Jaden reopened the little black note book that he kept as his diary and continued with his doodle. His mother insisted on everyone keeping a journal since Nan came to live with them and he found it comforting to have a place that was all his own, no matter how small a space it was.

“If Mr. Hawthorn lets me wash Buckey one more time I’ll be able to get one of the Babies So Real for Nan,” he said without looking up at his big sister who was busily doing calculus homework at the table.

“I bet he will let you, I saw that ridiculous dog rolling on something dead on the sidewalk earlier while he was taking him out for a walk,” Liza said with a chuckle.

She had given up her bedroom when Nan came to live with the family. The girl of eighteen had given up a lot of her senior year experiences also, coming home to help Nan take a shower when other girls her age where at the mall, not even asking to go on the senior ski trip because she knew money was tight. She hadn’t told her friends that she was now sharing a room with Jaden, she wasn’t embarrassed, she just didn’t want to talk about it.

Just then their mother, Nicole, walked in carrying grocery bags, a box of chicken tenders and fried okra. “Will you two please put up the groceries, I’m going to take Nan for a walk before dad gets home. You can eat when everything’s put up.”

The kids got up, drawn by the smell of the tenders and hastily began putting things away.

“Nola, Sweetie,” said Nicole gently patting her mother in laws hand. “Do you feel like taking a stroll outside with me, I noticed some cardinals at the feeder when I came in, I think they might still be there.”

Nan opened her eyes. “I’d love to, but I’ll need to get the baby wrapped up before she can go outside.”

“Liza has said she will stay here and watch the baby so there’s no need to wake her.”

“Sounds good to me, I’d love to get out of the house for a while.” Nan said as Nicole knelt in front of her, sliding shoes onto her feet.

After bundling Nan up in a fluffy sweater the two women set off for a walk around the block.

“How about I will put everything away and you go see if Buckey is needing that bath.” Liza said with a smile as she handed her brother a fat chicken tender.

“Yes! Thanks Liza.” Jaden exclaimed as he crammed the meat into his mouth. He jogged out the door and across the street.

Knock, knock, knock…

“Hello,” came the croaky voice of the white haired Mr. Hawthorn. “Oh hello Jaden, I was hoping you were going to come over. Is there any chance you would feel up to giving Buckey a bath for me? He found a nasty dead toad on the sidewalk today and I just can’t bend over the tub anymore to wash him off.”

With a smile that seemed to extend beyond his face Jaden exclaimed “Yes, Sir! I was actually on my way over here to ask you if you might be wanting someone to give him a bath.”

“Well come on in.” said the old man opening the door. “He’s on the back patio for now, I couldn’t let him in, he smells something awful.”

Jaden didn’t need to be told where the dog was, he could hear him whining at the screen door. “Yuck-O Buckey you are a stinky rascal.”

“I’ll pay you extra this time because he’s so bad. He just flopped right over on that toad before I could stop him.” Mr. Hawthorn said as he handed Jaden the leash.

“How much extra?” asked Jaden with a gleam in his eye.

“$15 sound fair?”

Jaden nodded his head in happy assent, took the leash, buckled it onto the overfed beagle’s collar, and led him to the bathroom.

Washing a fat beagle who prefers to stink isn’t an easy task, but Jaden loved doing it. The dog made him laugh and the job well done gave him pride.

“There now, don’t you feel better?” The dog just stared up at him with a despondent look from under neath the towel.

“Whatever, now you can get back on the couch.” At the word couch the dogs fat little tail began to wag ecstatically.

“Thank you Jaden,” laughed Mr. Hawthorn as the two stood watching the old dog jump around on the couch rubbing his face into the cracks like he was a puppy with endless energy.

“You’re welcome. There is this baby doll at the store that eats, poops, and makes noises I want to get for my Nan. I have enough money now, with what you’ve given me today.”

“Well, she is one lucky Nan to have a boy like you, come back and see us any time Jaden.” He said pulling the money out of his pocket and handing it to the boy.

“Thank you Mr. Hawthorn, and I’ll see you later Buckey.” With a wave Jaden skipped back across the street to where his dad, Jesse, was just getting home.

“You washing Ol’Buckey again?”

“Yes and I’ve got enough for that doll!”

“Jaden you don’t have to spend all your money on Nan.” Even as Jesse said it, his heart burst with pride at his young sons generosity.

“I know but I want to.”

Hugging his son to him, Jesse said “I sure am proud of you Jaden.”

Jaden beamed up at his dad with a smile that went on forever.

“Y’all going to eat today?” came Nicole’s voice from inside the house.

The two walked hand in hand toward the house. “Phew Jaden, you better go shower off before your momma catches a whiff of you.”

“Haha I will.”

Stepping inside Jesse watched his son sprint off toward the bath room, he was excited to stay up with Nicole tonight bragging about how wonderful their children were. He took off his work boots and headed toward the kitchen where his mother stood drying and stacking plates as she pulled them from the dishwasher. She stopped when she saw him and gave him a hug, “We saw cardinals today and the baby took a good nap. I think she’ll sleep well tonight.”

Jesse, still had a hard time seeing the woman that was once the cornerstone of his life wander around the house in search of something that did not exist. He and his wife, Nicole, had decided that they would take care of her at home for as long as they were able. It was hard at first but after a period of adjusting, his family and his mother were both happy.

“Oh really? That sounds great,” he said. “Have you eaten?”

She shrugged her shoulders, “You know I could always eat again.” She said with a smile on her face.

Thats what made this whole thing possible, he thought, she was happy here.

“Liza” he called to his daughter “If you’re not busy I would love a hug.”

She came around the corner with a smile. “Well, I’m busy but I guess I’ll hug you anyway.”

After a hug, he kissed the top of her head, “I needed that, thank you. How’s your weekend looking?”

“Well I’d like to go look at Prom dresses with my friends, if y’all don’t need me at home.”

“That sounds like fun. Your mom and I decided we could do a budget of $100 for a dress if you find one you like. Anything more than that will have to come out of your savings though.”

She had hoped for more but was glad for that much. Some of her friends’ parents had spent over $1,000 on their prom dresses, while others had to pay for it all themselves. So with a grateful smile she said, “Thanks dad.”

He knew $100 wouldn’t get her the dress she wanted but between life and Nan’s medical bills they were pretty strapped. He offered her a plate but she waved a hand. “I ate earlier and I have a bunch of homework I want to finish tonight so I’ll be free for the rest of the weekend.”

With that she turned to go back up stairs, “Oh, Mom is checking her work emails and said she would be right in.” Satisfied at having delivered her report she turned and walked off.

He turned back to the table and set out 4 plates. He smiled as his mother instantly started piling chicken on her plate. Some things change he thought but being an eater never does.

“You need to sit down.”

He looked up to see his wife standing in the hall completely flushed with shaking hands. Without hesitation he sat.

“Oh my God, you’re pregnant.”

Her sudden burst of laughter filled the kitchen and instantly broke all the tension. She shook her head.

“No, I’m not pregnant. You remember how I made a big deal that everyone starts keep a journal when Nan moved in? I got each of us one of those little black note books?”

“Yes, I keep mine in my glove compartment.”

“Well, this lady came into the office looking for a studio to rent a couple weeks ago, she has an architect firm and was wanting a downtown office. Well we got to talking and she started telling me all about how her mother had suffered a stroke and how now her world is upside down because she’s having to take care of her. She was telling me how she’s feeling wore out and exhausted. I told her about nan and I just handed her my journal. I didn’t think anything of it other than, you know, this has helped me. I hope it helps you.”

“Yeah.”

“So I just got an email that said Thank you for the little black book, the words inside have helped me more than you will ever know. I hope this helps you. With a Venmo receipt for $20,000!”