you.”
He’d been standing in the doorway during their tense exchange. Now he walked back out onto the sun porch, dragged a wicker chair closer to Allison, and sat down. She needed comforting, and he wanted to hold her and tell her that everything would be all right. He wanted to, until she gritted her teeth and glared at him furiously.
“So, how did you manage it?”
“I’d rather Simon explain it to you.”
“I’d rather you explain it to me.”
She wasn’t going to make it easy. But then he hadn’t expected it to be. He’d hoped he could at least take her hand. Touching her would have cushioned the blow. But it wasn’t to be. He sighed and stood up, turning his back as he walked toward the window. Maybe if he gave her the space she needed, she’d listen.
“When I found Miss Lenice collapsed on the kitchen floor, I took her to the hospital. She’d had a stroke. For weeks she couldn’t move her right side or speak, but her mind was clear, clear enough to know that she wasn’t going to be able to stay here alone.”
“I would have come home,” Allison interrupted.
“She didn’t want to ask you. She thought there was someone you were committed to, and she knew you were dedicated to your career.”
“But I should have been told,” Allison argued.
“Her doctor tried to contact you, and found out you’d just undergone surgery on your knee. Miss Lenice hadn’t known, and they didn’t want to tell her how serious it was. You weren’t in any position to come then. She thought you’d recover and continue skating, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. It was your grandmother’s decision.”
Allison knew he was right. There was no reason for Gran to believe that she’d ever want to come back home to stay. She’d certainly never given her any indication of how she felt about the place. She hadn’t known herself, until recently.
“They told me that she’d fallen, but I didn’t know she’d had a stroke.”
“You’re two stubborn ladies, neither wanting the other to worry. At any rate, the only answer was to move Miss Lenice into the nursing home, where shecould recover, and later when she was able to care for herself, move her into an apartment in the retirement section.”
“But I still don’t understand. Why did she have to sell Elysium in order to do that?”
“You’ve just been through an operation and a long siege in the hospital. You must know how much things cost. Your grandmother had used up her savings and there wasn’t enough coming in to cover her expenses. She’s a proud lady. She didn’t want to be a burden to you.”
“But what about Medicaid?”
“As I understand it, they make all kinds of crazy rules about eligibility. Owning Elysium kept her from qualifying. She’s a lady who’s always made her own way, so she made the decision to sell. Simon approached me. He knew how much I cared about the estate. If I bought it, it wouldn’t be destroyed. Miss Lenice was very grateful, and he drew up the papers.”
Allison stared at Joker’s stiff back. The reality of his words came crashing over her. All the time she’d been worrying about skating again, about her own crippled body, her grandmother had faced the worst time of her life—alone. What kind of granddaughter had she been?
“I see.”
Her sorrow came through in her voice. Joker turned and came back toward her. He cared very much what her opinion of him was. He’d bought the house because there hadn’t been any other solution. He’d thought he could find a way to make it right with Allison.
“Ah, Beauty, I’m very sorry. I told you I’d protect you, and all I’ve done is hurt you. What I did at thetime seemed the right thing for your grandmother.” He gazed at her for a long while, his expression a reflection of the pain he saw in Allison’s eyes. He reached out and touched her cheek with one finger.
“Don’t. I know I should thank you. But I can’t—not yet. I have to go and pack.”
He’d been standing in the doorway during their tense exchange. Now he walked back out onto the sun porch, dragged a wicker chair closer to Allison, and sat down. She needed comforting, and he wanted to hold her and tell her that everything would be all right. He wanted to, until she gritted her teeth and glared at him furiously.
“So, how did you manage it?”
“I’d rather Simon explain it to you.”
“I’d rather you explain it to me.”
She wasn’t going to make it easy. But then he hadn’t expected it to be. He’d hoped he could at least take her hand. Touching her would have cushioned the blow. But it wasn’t to be. He sighed and stood up, turning his back as he walked toward the window. Maybe if he gave her the space she needed, she’d listen.
“When I found Miss Lenice collapsed on the kitchen floor, I took her to the hospital. She’d had a stroke. For weeks she couldn’t move her right side or speak, but her mind was clear, clear enough to know that she wasn’t going to be able to stay here alone.”
“I would have come home,” Allison interrupted.
“She didn’t want to ask you. She thought there was someone you were committed to, and she knew you were dedicated to your career.”
“But I should have been told,” Allison argued.
“Her doctor tried to contact you, and found out you’d just undergone surgery on your knee. Miss Lenice hadn’t known, and they didn’t want to tell her how serious it was. You weren’t in any position to come then. She thought you’d recover and continue skating, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. It was your grandmother’s decision.”
Allison knew he was right. There was no reason for Gran to believe that she’d ever want to come back home to stay. She’d certainly never given her any indication of how she felt about the place. She hadn’t known herself, until recently.
“They told me that she’d fallen, but I didn’t know she’d had a stroke.”
“You’re two stubborn ladies, neither wanting the other to worry. At any rate, the only answer was to move Miss Lenice into the nursing home, where shecould recover, and later when she was able to care for herself, move her into an apartment in the retirement section.”
“But I still don’t understand. Why did she have to sell Elysium in order to do that?”
“You’ve just been through an operation and a long siege in the hospital. You must know how much things cost. Your grandmother had used up her savings and there wasn’t enough coming in to cover her expenses. She’s a proud lady. She didn’t want to be a burden to you.”
“But what about Medicaid?”
“As I understand it, they make all kinds of crazy rules about eligibility. Owning Elysium kept her from qualifying. She’s a lady who’s always made her own way, so she made the decision to sell. Simon approached me. He knew how much I cared about the estate. If I bought it, it wouldn’t be destroyed. Miss Lenice was very grateful, and he drew up the papers.”
Allison stared at Joker’s stiff back. The reality of his words came crashing over her. All the time she’d been worrying about skating again, about her own crippled body, her grandmother had faced the worst time of her life—alone. What kind of granddaughter had she been?
“I see.”
Her sorrow came through in her voice. Joker turned and came back toward her. He cared very much what her opinion of him was. He’d bought the house because there hadn’t been any other solution. He’d thought he could find a way to make it right with Allison.
“Ah, Beauty, I’m very sorry. I told you I’d protect you, and all I’ve done is hurt you. What I did at thetime seemed the right thing for your grandmother.” He gazed at her for a long while, his expression a reflection of the pain he saw in Allison’s eyes. He reached out and touched her cheek with one finger.
“Don’t. I know I should thank you. But I can’t—not yet. I have to go and pack.”
Similar Books
