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The Last First date

They wouldn't let me open it

By Candace GomezPublished 3 years ago 6 min read
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The Last First date
Photo by Micheile Henderson on Unsplash

Both widowed for some time now, Richard and Lauren had been getting to know each other really well since the beginning of the pandemic. Richard had been residing at 3102 Brightside assisted living community since 2014 when his wife of 46 years passed. Lauren hadn't been there that long, but it was becoming more comfortable, especially since finding a true friend in Richard.

Let's go back a few years and really paint the picture of what Richard’s life was like before he became the jester of Brightside.

Richard grew up in a small town, his parents did what they could for Richard and his five, yes five sisters, but it wasn't much. Richard couldn't finish school, he had to help his father around the farm to make sure there was enough food on the table. Most nights him and his pa didn't get but a burnt biscuit. They did the right thing making sure the ladies were satiated. Richard didn't get an education, he didn't have money, he wasn't that charming and he wouldn’t make it as a model, but he had his jokes. That's what he says landed him the most beautiful Louise in all the world. Louise had a laugh that made Richard feel like he was walking on water. It helped that Louise never stopped laughing at his jokes. Sometime in the early 90s Richard fell ill. He lost most of his eyesight due to the illness. Louise was there every step of the way. Richard had a plethora of medication to take morning and night. He needed assistance in the transition of becoming blind.

After they had worked hard at their routine and finally felt like they had it down. Louise had a stroke. It was too big to overcome and she passed. Richard transitioned pretty fast in to Brightside after that, thanks to their daughter. She helped sell her parents house, and put her own house up for collateral to begin a savings account needed for the luxurious living of Brightside. It would be nicer than Richard had ever seen in all his lifetime.

Back at Brightside Richard and Lauren were at Bingo, Every Monday they sat across from George and Stella. George and Stella always won. Richard and Lauren looked at each other every time one of them called out bingo, they were cheating and everyone knew it.

Back into another painting of the past…

Lauren lived a life of luxury. She married a dignitary of wall street. She had it all. The dresses for the dances that were held in their ballroom. She had several maids at her side at all times. Her husband was not that attentive, dealing with his career and extracurricular activities. There was though, one special night for the two of them every year. Lauren didn't care that it was the anniversary of her husband’s family’s big investment. At least she got her wine. A very rare and expensive merlot. Always pairs with the best filet mignon or oxtail. This night was special for Lauren, her lackluster life otherwise faded into the background as she sipped her wine. She gazed into her husband’s eyes as he talked frivolously about the stocks. She loved her life, but only because she had money, she could buy her troubles away with a new sun dress or go in to town and pamper herself. She knew she was missing something, but she wasn’t going to search for it. She was content, she was scared of what may be if she didn’t have her maid, her chef and her Maltese Milly. One foggy night her husband was headed home from a networking event, a car hit his straight on. Instantly killing him. Lauren received the call, she was devastated, I'm not sure if it was for the loss of love but more for the anticipated loss of her materialistic life. She never quite recovered from that night. Something needed to be done sooner rather than later. Funeral was over, will was read and Lauren, still in shock was in such a stupor she did not realize she did not receive a fair share of the estate. Her 14,000 square foot mansion was taken in the midst of a family scandal. The maids were fired. It all dwindled right before her eyes. The one saving grace of it all, it seemed her husband knew she wouldn’t be strong enough to get through this on her own and appointed Brightside as the caretaker and had enough money put in to a trust so that Lauren could live out her days in luxury, just not to her standards.

Today is Thursday, Richard has several appointments on Thursdays, Lauren kept herself busy with the ladies knowing she won’t be able to see Richard until late, if at all. This Thursday though, Richard had different plans. He asked in advance if he could skip his Physical Therapy session so that he could set up a special evening with his lady friend. All the nurses, and aides loved Richard, they all were in on this extravagant date he was planning. Richard knew that Lauren would be in the lounge area with her friends at 4 that afternoon so he arranged for the exact same wine she so adored all those years with her husband to be delivered at 5pm. Of course, Brightside did not allow alcohol on premise so Richard had to lay it on pretty thick, and he did with the corny jokes, and the wit since he had no charm. At five o’clock Lauren was headed back to her room to rest after an afternoon of laughs, a sudden interception came as a surprise. A nurse had asked Lauren to come with her, she needed her help with something. Lauren was caught off guard, but more than willing to help. As they got closer to the dining hall, Lauren could make out Richard, and they were headed right to him. Lauren was flabbergasted and didn’t know what to think. Richard had dressed the table with white linen, silverware was wrapped up in satin cloth napkins with navy blue rings. It was a replica of her table in her house years before. She could feel the tears swelling her eyes. He had been listening to every detail she ranted about this past few months. She then looked at Richard, dressed in his best suit, he was holding the bottle of wine she so coveted. Lauren drank more bottles than she could count of that Merlot. She wasn’t about to question how he got his hands on such a rare bottle, and with a price tag he couldn’t have afforded. She was taken back to that one night she got a year that meant the world to her. Only this time she had it all. She felt complete. Richard was the thing she had been missing this whole time, someone that cared for her deeply and was attentive. A best friend. Lauren sat down and took the stem of the glass with her right hand, swirled it and took a big sip. Richard, took her hand and grinned.

“They wouldn’t let me open it, I hope grape juice is fine.”

friendship
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About the Creator

Candace Gomez

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