Jo Dereske

ALL OF US AT THE SAME TIME

©Jo Dereske 2014

Chapter 27

Fate Intervenes

The calendar year wound toward its end, and not only did our departure loom, but so did Louise and Mike’s move from the farm into a care home. Ray and Barbara had investigated nursing homes and made arrangements for their transition to a small, well-staffed facility with an excellent reputation to be as painless as possible, although we all accepted it would be anything but.

We strategized the logistics of their move, tried to prepare ourselves for the approaching upheaval. It was going to be a treacherous journey and every aspect of it was weighted with dread. There weren’t enough words we could tell ourselves to make it any easier.

But as frequently happens, when an ending is superficially imposed, Fate steps in and provides another ending. As if by stating your plans, you’ve invited the world take it out of your hands.

In the morning, as I poured Mike a cup of coffee, he sneezed. At lunch, I noticed his face had developed ruddy spots high on his cheekbones. He wouldn’t let me take his temperature, but I felt his forehead and confirmed he was feverish. He hadn’t been off the farm for three weeks, so we knew either one of us or one of the social services people had brought him a contagious illness. Louise was fine and so far, so were Kipling and I.

Mike had always been healthy – I couldn’t recall seeing him with a cold or sniffles. Mysteriously, his fever appeared to clarify his mind. For one long joyous day, despite his fever and a deepening huskiness in his voice, he was tender with Louise, calling her “Weezie,” responding to her conversation, and speaking in simple but coherent sentences. It was a small beacon of light.

But that night, I was awakened from a dozey sleep by Louise’s distressed voice over the intercom shouting “Operator, operator. Send an ambulance. I need help.”  Read More