Grace

Grace

By Cynthia Brennan

           Grace walked in her garden for what was likely the last time. Sunflowers dipped and reached toward her for one final embrace. Hydrangeas in shades of pale blue and pink huddled close to comfort each other at the loss of their dear friend and caretaker. Bright red roses clung to their trestles for support. The usually happy-looking yellow and white daffodils drooped their heads in sadness.

Grace was leaving her home of fifty five years today and moving into a retirement home. It was breaking her heart to leave her petaled companions whom she had nurtured and loved over so many springs and summers. She sat down on the bench that her late husband Warren had made for her a few years before he died. It was worn and faded and warped in spots, just like her. They used to sit together in the early mornings, sipping coffee and reading the paper while inhaling the intoxicating aroma of the many blooms opening to greet them. Her rational mind understood that the impending change of residence was necessary, but her emotions wanted nothing to do with common sense. This had been where she and Warren had raised their three children. Their son Robert was now an airline pilot and lived in Chicago with his family. Sabrina, the oldest girl worked as a chef in an upscale restaurant in Boston and had not met the right man to settle down with just yet. Charlie (short for Charlene) lived close by, but didn’t have the free time needed to devote to keeping her mother safe and secure if she continued living on her own. She was a nurse at the local hospital and often worked long hours, even double shifts, leaving her very little in the way of flexibility with her schedule. Grace was becoming less stable on her feet and had fallen more than a few times. There had been some near misses with minor head injuries and she had fractured a hip twice. They had tried having caretakers move in with her, but she didn’t like having someone hovering over her and taking away her privacy. When she began forgetting to eat, or take her medication, Charlie decided it was time to look into other options.

One evening when she was working in the emergency department, a woman she remembered from her childhood came in with a fever and chills. The name on her chart said Rose Stevens and her address was listed as that of the retirement community a few miles away. Rose had been one of the family’s neighbors when the children were young. She and Grace had been close friends for many years. While Charlie examined her, she asked if she remembered her mother.

“Of course, I do!” the elderly woman said with a wide smile. “How is she?”

“Well, she’s starting to have some challenges. I noticed your address says that you’re living at the retirement development over on Lincoln Avenue. I hope you don’t mind me asking, but do you like it there?”

“I don’t mind at all, dear. I love it there. There are so many people to socialize with. The staff is so nice and attentive, and they keep us busy with lots of activities. Oh, and the food is wonderful!” Charlie placed the blood pressure cuff on her tiny arm and began to pump it.

“Is your mother thinking of coming to live there?”

“Well, I think we need to consider that, yes. She doesn’t want to leave her home, obviously. But it’s starting to become too dangerous for her to be on her own.”

“I felt the same way, of course. But after my husband died, I just couldn’t live alone. My eyesight became so bad I couldn’t drive anymore and was struggling to cook and take care of the house. My daughter did all the legwork and got me a spot over there. Just like you’re doing for your mother. We’re both lucky to have such good daughters looking out for us.”

Charlie took a blue and white hospital gown out of cabinet and handed it to Rose. “Well thank you, but I’m not sure my mother would agree with you. We’ll see what happens I guess. Can you please put this on? The doctor will be in shortly. I hope you’re feeling better soon Mrs. Stevens. It was nice to see you.”

“Thank you dear. It was lovely to see you, too. Tell your mother I said hello.”

“I will.” She started to open the door. “Mrs. Stevens, would you mind if I told her where you live? Maybe it would make her more agreeable to considering it for herself.”

“Oh no, you go right ahead. Tell her I’d love to have her join us. We’d have such nice times together again, just like the old days.”

“Thank you very much. I’ll discuss it with her. Take care, Mrs. Stevens.”

“Rose, please.” She said from under her shirt as she began pulling it over her head.

“Rose.” Charlie repeated and left the room.

After a few weeks of wrangling back and forth, Grace finally relented and agreed to the move. Luckily, there was a spot open and things moved quickly. Quicker than she would have liked, truthfully. The house was put up for sale, and within three weeks it was sold.

Grace adjusted to her new life reasonably well. It certainly helped to find her old friend among her new community. She did all she could to make Grace feel comfortable and safe. One sunny afternoon some of the ladies were enjoying lunch outside when a young woman approached the table carrying two large bouquets of flowers. She leaned over and kissed a woman sitting across from Grace on the cheek.

“Hi Gran, how are you doing today?”

“Oh, Erin. So nice to see you! Ladies, this is my granddaughter Erin. Isn’t she beautiful?” The girl blushed and said hello to everyone. “Of course, I used to look just like that when I was her age. Except I didn’t color my hair blonde like this one.” She winked at her lovingly. “Erin, I don’t think you’ve met Grace. She’s new here.”

“Nice to meet you Grace.” She handed one of the bouquets of flowers to her grandmother and then quickly turned back around. “Wait. Grace, did you live on Elmhurst Drive?”

“Yes, I did.” She replied, a little sadly.

“Well, then these are for you.” She handed Grace the other bunch of flowers.

“I don’t understand.” said Grace.

“My husband and I bought your house. These are from your garden.” Grace regarded the future corpses of the flowers for which she had so lovingly and painstakingly worked to ensure their long-term survival in their cozy little beds in the back yard. She began to cry. Erin looked at her horrified that she had caused such a reaction. That had surely not been her intention. Grace got up from the table and walked as quickly as her swollen arthritic knees would take her.

“Oh gosh, I feel terrible. I certainly didn’t mean to upset her.” Erin said, still holding the bouquet.

“Oh my dear, you didn’t do anything wrong. Grace was just so attached to her home, and especially her garden. I’m sure it was just a sad reminder of what she had to give up when she moved here. She’ll be fine, don’t worry.” One of the other ladies volunteered to take the unwanted flowers off her hands.

Over the next few months, Erin visited her grandmother a couple times a week. While she was there, she made it a point to say hello to Grace. After their rocky introduction, Grace warmed up to the girl with ease. After all, it was a sweet gesture. How could she have known it would cause any pain?

As the two women grew closer, Erin wanted to do something to give Grace back a bit of what she had lost. She hatched an idea that she thought would bring some comfort to her new friend. One day, at the beginning of the following spring, she asked if Grace would like to take a walk outside with her. She brought two coffees and two donuts to sweeten the offer. Since it was a warm day and Grace was tired of being cooped up inside, she agreed.

“So Grace, I wanted to run something by you.” Erin began.

“Ok, shoot.”

“Since spring is here it’s time to tend to those wonderful gardens at the house.”

“Yes….” Grace took a sip of her coffee, waiting to be assaulted once again by an inconsiderate remark. The girl was sweet, but so many of them were not all that self-aware.    

“Well, I’m not really very good at gardening. In fact, I’m rather clueless.”

Here it comes, Grace thought. “Uh-huh.”

“And I was wondering if maybe you’d like to come over sometime and help me?” The words hung in the air for a few moments while Grace tried to work out whether she was offended or flattered.

Erin continued, desperate to fill the silence. “No pressure, of course. If that’s not something you’d want to do, I understand. It would just be such a shame not to see them return to their usual glory.”

Grace thought it over. Would she be able to “visit” her own home and not feel sad? Would it just be a reminder of everything that she had lost? She imagined herself working in the soil, coaxing new life from it, but not being able to look out the kitchen window each morning and gauging the progress. The new owners would have that pleasure, not her. She wasn’t sure she would be able to take that.

“I was thinking maybe this Sunday, if you’re up for it.” She waited, hopefully.

Finally, Grace decided that her boredom and desire to be outside making things grow overrode her reservations. She agreed to try it and see how she felt. They made a plan for Erin to pick her up the following weekend.

It only took a few minutes for Grace to realize that this was a gift that she had been given. She walked around inspecting the condition of all the plants that had been slumbering and were now waking up. She patiently showed Erin what to do to get things started for the season. After a couple of hours, she grew tired and ready to go home. Erin parked the car and walked her to her room. Grace thanked her and told her she’d see her soon.

The same thing happened the following week, and the one after that. After a while, Erin would pretend she had something pressing to do in the house and leave Grace to spend time alone in the place she loved. Grace knew the truth, but never said so. She just made the decision to be grateful, and savored every moment spent with the blooms that had been her constant companions for over half of her life. That spring the blossoms were brighter and larger than they had ever been. It seemed they were as glad to see her as she was to see them.