Memories

Shuffling around in his room, Joe tried his best to be quiet. He laced up his boots, then tiptoed to the side of the bed. He studied Nancy’s face as she slept. I wish I could stay, but work… He leaned down and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek.

Walking to his daughter’s room, he liked to make sure all was well before he left each morning. Even in the darkness, the bright pink walls reflected little Melissa’s personality. Once he saw the rise and fall of her chest he could leave.

He slipped out, walked outside, and locked the front door. Joe turned to go to his car but found he was standing in a dimly lit hallway. The carpet had a strange pattern that bothered his eyes, and only one of the many lights above was actually on. It lit the hallway with an unnatural white-blue hue. The air felt damp with a smell of bleach. Where am I? What is going on? He turned back to the front door, but it was not there. Now replaced with a clean white door. He reached out and touched the number Seven in the middle of it. That’s not my address, my address is…

Joe’s heart began to race as he looked at his hands, now wrinkled and withered. They began to shake trying to open the door, but he didn’t have the strength.

“Hello? Where am I? Is anyone there?” he shouted into the dark hallway. He shuffled along holding the plastic handrails attached to the walls. A strange woman turned the corner.

“Joseph, what are you doing out here?” She asked, her voice soft, but laced with annoyance. Joe took a few steps backward.

“Who are you? Where am I?”

“It’s me, Kim…” Placing a hand on Joe’s shoulder. “Let’s get you back to your room.” Gently she tried to lead him back to his door.

“Where is my house? I need to go to work… Where are Nan and Melly?” he shouted.

“You are home, Joseph.” Kim opened the door to his room. The room felt familiar to him, but it was not his home. Why do I know this place? He walked in and looked at the mirror by the door. No. What is happening? His reflection displeased him immensely and his heart sank. He turned, looking at the mysterious woman’s badge on her uniform. A picture of a genuine smile on her face, making the false one she held now more noticeable, and the text: Kimberly RN Charge Nurse.

“How did this happen? How old am I, Kimberly?”

“Call me Kim.” She said placing a gentle hand on his back, preparing for a conversation these two had many times. “You are 85 years old, Joseph.” Joe shook his head and walked away from her.

“No, you are wrong, I just left the house. I was on my way to work.” Sitting down in a recliner that had been worn into the shape of his body, he pointed a gnarled finger at the nurse. “This is your doing, you must have done this… you, you kidnapped me or something.” With tired frustration, the nurse approached him at his chair and knelt to his level.

“I know this is hard for you, Joseph, but you have Alzheimer’s Disease, you are a patient at Restful Oaks.” Her words wounded him deeply and he scowled at her. That name, Restful Oaks, I have heard that name before. “Why don’t you rest in your chair, and I’ll see if I can get you something to eat an early breakfast?”

He leaned back into the recliner, pretending to be comfortable. I’ll rest here for a minute, but then I need to get out of here and back to Nan and Melly. After a short rest, he got up from the recliner and snuck to the door. Listening carefully, he could hear the voice of Kimberly talking on the phone. Feeling she was distracted, he opened the door and shuffled down the hall. Holding to the handrail, as quickly as his frail body could move. He found multiple neighboring doors. 6, 5, blank? The blank door looked promising. His spirit soared. This must be the exit. He slipped in the doorway backwards watching for Kimberly. The door closed and he chuckled to himself.

“There you are. We need your help.” He heard a familiar voice shout. He turned to Nancy. She was rapidly approaching him wearing an ornate blue dress. She grabbed him by the arm, rushing him somewhere. He looked down to his hands, looking much younger now. He noticed he was in a tuxedo, with a blue tie matching Nancy’s dress.

“Nancy?” He asked, confused. A streak of silver hair fell in front of her face. Joe brushed it behind her ear. She is beautiful as ever. “How can I help?”

“It’s Mel, she’s locked herself in there and won’t come out.” She pointed at a large wooden door. “Father Jacobs has tried everything to get her to come out, but she said she will only talk to you.” Joe walked to the door, a very frustrated priest was saying something. Joe smiled and nodded as he knocked on the door.

“Melly, sweetie it’s Dad. Can you let me in? I just want to talk.” He could hear footsteps behind the door as it unlocked, opening just a crack. He slipped into the room, looking back at Nancy, giving her a thumbs up as he closed the door behind him. There stood his daughter, grown up, wearing her wedding dress with tears and mascara running down her cheeks. He walked up giving her the biggest hug he could manage. His heart was breaking seeing his daughter so upset on the happiest day of her life.

“Melly, everything is going to be ok. Tell me what’s wrong.” They sat down on a cushioned bench. The room smelled of flowers and perfume and was filled with a warm light from the stained-glass window.

“I’m scared Papa, I love Henry, I know I do. This is just such a big step, how do I know if this is right? What if I am making a mistake?” Joe rested his hand on his daughter’s.

“It’s ok to be scared. I hear you; marriage is a massive step. Just take a deep breath with me.” The two sat in silence for a moment.

“How did you know that Mom was right for you?”

“The day I met her, I knew we were going to be married. She was funny, smart, and beautiful. She was the girl of my dreams. I knew it, I could feel it in my heart. I couldn’t imagine my life without her. Seeing her smile, hearing her laugh, or holding her hand.” Joe placed his hand over his heart. “You just know.” His heart swelled with emotion, and he had a hard time holding back the tears.

Melissa hugged her dad. “Thank you, Papa.”

“Henry is a good man, he loves you, but whatever you decide I will support your decision.” Joe stood up and held her hand. By the door he stopped and hugged Melissa again. He couldn’t be prouder of his beautiful daughter. “I love you sweetie.”

“I love you too Dad. Let’s see if Mom can work her magic and fix my makeup. I don’t want to keep Henry waiting.” Joe reached out and opened the door. Walking through he looked for Nancy, but she wasn’t there.

“I don’t see her.” He looked back at Melissa, who had also vanished. His heart sank. “NO! NO! NO! Dammit!” He stood in the hallway once again. Anger and frustration surged through him. Angrily, he walked as fast as he could down the hall. He had to get out. Turning the corner, he made his way to a door labeled exit. He pushed on the door, but it didn’t open. Shaking the door harder it did not budge.

“Come on, open!” The door refused. Joe noticed a keypad next to the door, he started pushing the buttons, but the door would not unlock. Frustrated, he started hitting the keypad with his palm. “LET ME OUT!” Tears began streaming down his face.

Nurse Kimberly shot out of an office and jogged over, where she found him crying and begging to be let out. The pity she felt overrode her frustration. She slowly approached him with caution.

“Joseph, its Kim, can we talk?”

Joe’s hand was bleeding from hitting the keypad. Giving in, he walked with the nurse to have his hand bandaged. Kimberly explained to him again where he was. Heartbroken and defeated, he walked with her into a sitting room and sat on a couch. “Maybe you should enjoy the sunlight in here and talk with some of the other residents.”

He sat there for a while in silence, until the peace was broken by a heavy-set man in a wheelchair coming back into the building.

“Room, Attention!” he shouted as he approached. Kimberly rolled her eyes and warned him to keep it down. He rolled his way into the meeting room and parked next to Joe. “What’s your deal? Injured in battle soldier?” He said pointing to the bandage on Joe’s hand. Joe stared at him for a moment. The man’s face was hidden under unkept beard and long hair held in place by his Korean War Veteran hat.

“No, I hurt my hand on the keypad over there. They won’t let me out.”

The man looked at the keypad and nodded. “I understand. I’m in the same boat; they won’t let me go home either.” Whispering he added, “She’s up to something for sure, just look at her, scheming in there.” Joe looked and saw Kimberly on the phone in her office.

“You can call me Sarge.” He reached out to shake Joe’s hand.

He shook his hand, “Joe. Nice to meet you.”

“I think I’ve got a plan to escape; if we work together.”

“If you are so good at planning, why haven’t you done it before?”

“Because I needed a partner. Can I trust you to have my back?”

“Depends, what’s the plan?” Looking around to make sure no nurses were listening to their conversation, Sarge leaned in close.

“They let me go out to smoke. Only if a nurse comes with me. I can’t be out there alone, but if you came with me instead… who knows what could happen.”

Joe nodded seeing the possibility. “Kimberly said she wants me to talk with other folks in here. I could just tell her I made a friend and want to join you… Maybe that would work. When do we do it, now?”

“We need to do it tomorrow; I’ve already been out for my smoke breaks today.”

“Ok, tomorrow morning, meet here?” The two shook hands.

“Let’s escape and get home.”

Later Kimberly walked Joe back to his room. She waited outside his restroom, to put him to bed. He hadn’t been much of a fall risk, but she didn’t want to have two incidents in one day. Joe finished up in the bathroom, Kim humming outside the door. Joe opened the door, but he was not in his bedroom at the care facility, he was in a hospital.

Joe looked around the hospital hallway; the colors were brighter here and there was a happy feeling in the air. The nurses all seemed to walk with an extra pep in their steps. A voice came from behind him.

“It’s this way Joe…” Nancy said holding a present and flowers. “Will you hold the flowers for me?”

“Sure.” He said taking the flowers, reading the card attached to them. Congrats to Mom and Baby!

They walked to the Labor and Delivery section of the hospital. Walking into a room quietly. A lullaby played softly. The room smelt of baby powder and fresh linens. On the bed was Melissa, snuggling her new baby boy. Henry was asleep on the couch, oblivious to Nancy and Joe.

Melissa looked up, her face glowing as she saw her parents.

“Grandpa… Grandma… Meet Baby Joe.” She waved his tiny hand at them. Nancy sat down next to Melissa and hugged her for a long time before Melissa handed the baby to her.

“You did so well, I am so proud of you.” Nancy said. “Look how perfect he is.”

Feeling choked up with tears in his eyes, Joe took a moment before coming closer. “He has my name? That’s very kind of you.”

“I hope someday he can be a good man like you.”

Joe just nodded and wiped his tears. He came close to hug her. “You are amazing, my sweet Melly.” He kissed her on her head.

Nancy spoke up, “Oh, you softy. Collect yourself so you can introduce yourself to baby Joe.”

Joe reached out to hold the baby. A grandson! Joe could not believe his eyes. He remembered holding Melly like this just a few years ago. He walked around the room a little before handing him back to Melissa.

“Got any tissues?” Joe asked.

“In the bathroom, Hun.” Nancy said as she talked with Melissa about the delivery. Joe walked into the bathroom, blew his nose and wiped his tears. He had no idea his heart could feel so much love. He walked out wanting to have more time holding baby Joe. When he entered the room again, it was dark. He was back in room 7 at the care facility. Joe fell to the ground and wept. His cries were so loud the nursing staff heard and came running.

They helped Joe back into his bed. Worried that he might have fallen, they assessed him but found no sign of injury. He refused to talk to any of the staff, other than to tell them he had not fallen. In the morning Kimberly came to check on him. He was excited to see her; he knew that Sarge and he would escape today.

“Nurse Kimberly, I wonder if you might let Sarge and I go out together when he has his smoke break. I could use the company today.” Kimberly’s face turned grim. She didn’t say anything right away, trying to find the right way to tell him.

“Joe, you won’t be able to do that today… Sarge passed away six months ago…” As if he could not feel any lower, any deeper in despair, he looked to nurse Kimberly with his eyes full of tears.

“Six months ago? But we just talked yesterday.” Tears filled Kimberly’s eyes as well.

“I know, you two were good friends in here. It was difficult to wrangle you two with all your schemes. He was a good friend to the end.”

“Kim, can I have a hug… I… I’m scared.” Kim held the man as he sobbed. They stood there, strangers in a warm embrace. Joe felt some comfort knowing he had not been alone there and that he had a friend.

“I do have some news that will hopefully cheer you up. Nancy is coming to join you for dinner tonight.”

“Tonight? That’s wonderful.” Joe gulped, wiping his tears.

“Why don’t you let me get you cleaned up and ready for your date with Nancy. I know she is excited for your weekly date night.”

Joe started crying again. “We still have weekly date nights? You know we started doing that back when…” He couldn’t remember when they had started it.

“Back when you met in college. You’d take her to the Italian place and act like a bigshot… I love that story Joe.” Kim said rubbing his back.

Later, the moment had arrived for his date with Nancy. He waited in the main entry of the building. Nancy arrived and he stood holding a daisy for her. He opened the door for her. As she walked in, he was now in the doorway of the Italian place. He knew the night, the most important date night he ever had, when he proposed to her. She was beautiful in a black dress with polka dots. He was wearing the pinstriped suit his father gave him, that didn’t quite fit yet. He handed her a daisy, and she took him by the arm as they walked to their favorite booth. Joe waved to the waiter, and he took their order. Joe and Nancy talked about their future.

“I don’t want many kids, just one or two. If we have a daughter, I want to name her Melissa. Kevin for a boy.”

“Oh, you’ve got it all planned out then, do you?” Joe chuckled. “Well, if things are getting that serious, I suppose I’ve got a question to ask you then.” Tears began to form in Nancy’s eyes. She knew the question that was coming, and she knew her answer to it.

Kneeling down in front of her, he pulled a little black box from his pocket. He had put all the money he had into this ring. It wasn’t much, but it was perfect all the same.

“Nancy, would you make me the happiest man on the face of the earth, will you marry me?”

Nancy stood and said, “Yes, forever and ever, yes.” He placed the ring on her finger. And he tried to stand but was struggling. Kim came to his side and helped him stand. Thanking Kim for her help, he looked to Nancy’s hand, now wrinkled and as old as his own. He kissed her hand seeing the same wedding ring now many years older, worn with love. He looked at his wife in the eyes, seeing the same beautiful woman she was back then, had been, and would forever be, and gave her a big hug and kiss.

“Thank you for making me the happiest man who has ever lived. I love you forever and ever.”