Read Online The Good Life by Susan Kietzman - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Susan Kietzman
Ads: Link
appears to be pretty bad.”
“Well, you’re right,” said Eileen, cradling her hands in her lap. “He doesn’t think like you and I think. He forgets what he’s doing in the middle of a task. He loses everything, mostly because he puts things down in illogical places and then can’t find them later. He spends some days walking around the house in circles, looking for this or that. But he’s docile and, except for his hallucinations, relatively content.”
“Tell me more about his hallucinations,” said Ann.
“Well,” said Eileen, “as I said, most of the time they’re people, somewhat troll-like in nature from what he has told me. He thinks they’re spying on him. It’s paranoia gone haywire, really. The doctor recently altered his medication, though, so things should change for the better.”
“I hope so,” said Ann, glancing out the window behind her mother.
“I’d love some tea,” said Eileen. “Selma and I looked in the cupboards, but we didn’t see any.”
“I’ll have her pick some up at the store.”
“That sounds good,” said Eileen. “Do you have any tea here?”
“Of course I do,” said Ann.
“I’d love a cup.”
“Now?”
“Lovely,” said Eileen. “If you have the time. I know you have things to take care of this afternoon.”
Ann retucked her hair behind her ears. “I’ve got time for a cup of tea,” she said. She lifted herself out of the chair and walked slowly to the stove for the teakettle. She filled it with water, ignited the gas burner, and then set the kettle back down to boil. “So,” she asked, returning to the table, “where does he see these people?”
“Outside, mostly,” said Eileen. “They sit in trees or in parked cars. Sometimes they wave or take notes.”
“Good God,” said Ann, closing her eyes.
Eileen reached across the space between them and touched Ann’s hand. “It’s okay,” she said. “Sometimes his hallucinations are good. Sometimes he sees children.”
“You should have told me,” said Ann earnestly.
Eileen’s smile was tired. “He’ll be okay,” she said. “With all of us looking after him, he’ll be okay.”
Ann looked into her mother’s blue eyes. She wanted to see behind them, to know what enabled her to care for such a sick man. What would Ann do if Mike got sick? What would he do if she got sick? The water boiled. Ann removed the kettle from the burner and extinguished the flame. Then she walked into the dining room to retrieve the china teapot she kept in one of the corner cupboards. She returned to the kitchen and rinsed out the dust with hot soapy water. No leaks. She poured in the water from the kettle, dropped in two tea bags, and then watched the liquid turn brown. Eileen studied her from the table. “Do you still drink tea?” she asked her daughter.
“No,” said Ann. “I drink coffee.”
“You used to drink it. Remember?” said Eileen. “You and I had it every afternoon, in the wintertime, when we were preparing dinner.”
“Tea and cookies,” said Ann, bringing the pot to the table. “I’d forgotten.” Ann went back to the china cupboard in the dining room for two cups and saucers. She rinsed them in the sink and then brought them to the table. She sat and again looked out the window at the guesthouse.
“You changed the color of the walls in here,” said Eileen, breaking the silence.
Ann looked back at her mother. “That’s right,” said Ann, pouring out the tea. “You haven’t seen the house since it was just done, have you? We’ve made a lot of changes.”
“Let’s enjoy our tea,” said Eileen, “and then I’d love a tour.”
Ann gave her mother a tour that included almost everything: the home gym, spa, and game room on the lower level; the living room and dining room, Mike’s study, and the family room on the main level; and the master bedroom suite, guest bedrooms, and two of the other four bathrooms on the second story. She avoided Lauren’s and
“Well, you’re right,” said Eileen, cradling her hands in her lap. “He doesn’t think like you and I think. He forgets what he’s doing in the middle of a task. He loses everything, mostly because he puts things down in illogical places and then can’t find them later. He spends some days walking around the house in circles, looking for this or that. But he’s docile and, except for his hallucinations, relatively content.”
“Tell me more about his hallucinations,” said Ann.
“Well,” said Eileen, “as I said, most of the time they’re people, somewhat troll-like in nature from what he has told me. He thinks they’re spying on him. It’s paranoia gone haywire, really. The doctor recently altered his medication, though, so things should change for the better.”
“I hope so,” said Ann, glancing out the window behind her mother.
“I’d love some tea,” said Eileen. “Selma and I looked in the cupboards, but we didn’t see any.”
“I’ll have her pick some up at the store.”
“That sounds good,” said Eileen. “Do you have any tea here?”
“Of course I do,” said Ann.
“I’d love a cup.”
“Now?”
“Lovely,” said Eileen. “If you have the time. I know you have things to take care of this afternoon.”
Ann retucked her hair behind her ears. “I’ve got time for a cup of tea,” she said. She lifted herself out of the chair and walked slowly to the stove for the teakettle. She filled it with water, ignited the gas burner, and then set the kettle back down to boil. “So,” she asked, returning to the table, “where does he see these people?”
“Outside, mostly,” said Eileen. “They sit in trees or in parked cars. Sometimes they wave or take notes.”
“Good God,” said Ann, closing her eyes.
Eileen reached across the space between them and touched Ann’s hand. “It’s okay,” she said. “Sometimes his hallucinations are good. Sometimes he sees children.”
“You should have told me,” said Ann earnestly.
Eileen’s smile was tired. “He’ll be okay,” she said. “With all of us looking after him, he’ll be okay.”
Ann looked into her mother’s blue eyes. She wanted to see behind them, to know what enabled her to care for such a sick man. What would Ann do if Mike got sick? What would he do if she got sick? The water boiled. Ann removed the kettle from the burner and extinguished the flame. Then she walked into the dining room to retrieve the china teapot she kept in one of the corner cupboards. She returned to the kitchen and rinsed out the dust with hot soapy water. No leaks. She poured in the water from the kettle, dropped in two tea bags, and then watched the liquid turn brown. Eileen studied her from the table. “Do you still drink tea?” she asked her daughter.
“No,” said Ann. “I drink coffee.”
“You used to drink it. Remember?” said Eileen. “You and I had it every afternoon, in the wintertime, when we were preparing dinner.”
“Tea and cookies,” said Ann, bringing the pot to the table. “I’d forgotten.” Ann went back to the china cupboard in the dining room for two cups and saucers. She rinsed them in the sink and then brought them to the table. She sat and again looked out the window at the guesthouse.
“You changed the color of the walls in here,” said Eileen, breaking the silence.
Ann looked back at her mother. “That’s right,” said Ann, pouring out the tea. “You haven’t seen the house since it was just done, have you? We’ve made a lot of changes.”
“Let’s enjoy our tea,” said Eileen, “and then I’d love a tour.”
Ann gave her mother a tour that included almost everything: the home gym, spa, and game room on the lower level; the living room and dining room, Mike’s study, and the family room on the main level; and the master bedroom suite, guest bedrooms, and two of the other four bathrooms on the second story. She avoided Lauren’s and
Similar Books
