Next Door Neighbors (12 page)

              Brian chuckled a little at the way she held onto her cat and tickled his tummy, talking babyish to him.

              When the scene’s excitement died down a little, Brian again apologized for being careless and leaving the door open.

              “It’s okay. I’m just glad we found him.” Looking deep into Brian’s eyes she continued, “I’m so grateful for you coming to his rescue. That took a lot of guts.”

              Brian smiled, unsure of how to respond.

              But Jill wasn’t done talking anyway. She continued offering her gratitude. “And thank you for looking over my furnace. I guess you could say you were my hero twice today.”

              With those words, she sweetly smiled at Brian as she continued hugging her cat. Then turning around, she went back inside her home.

              Brian watched her go, fully believing things were starting to turn in his favor.

10

             
Jill took out her homemade cookies from the oven and smelled the sweetness. She was confident that Brian would enjoy them as much as she always did. The only thing she wasn’t certain of was if this was a good enough way to show her gratitude for helping her earlier in the week.

              But this was the best she could come up with. And the uniqueness of the cookie, abundance of flavor and time it took her to make them she hoped would count for at least something.

              She carefully took each cookie off the sheet and placed them on wax paper to cool. As she waited, she got herself dressed, choosing a relaxed look of jeans and a plain black sweater. As she applied the least bit of makeup, the smell of the finished cookies made her mouth water. Once or twice she thought about keeping some for herself, but then changed her mind.

              Grabbing an empty container, Jill began placing each cookie into it. Then getting her coat, she headed out the door to deliver the goods. As soon as the door opened, the crisp air hit her skin and she had to hold her coat closed with one arm to keep warm.

              Jill was just about to knock on Elena’s door when it unexpectedly opened.

              “Oh, hey, Jill,” Brian greeted. “How long have you been here?” He too had a coat on and looked ready to go somewhere.

              “I was just about to knock actually. Is this a bad time? It looks like you’re going somewhere.”

              “My mom wants to go check out a couple of places so that’s where we’re headed.” It was written all over Brian’s face that he was not anticipating the experience.

              Jill felt a little sorry for him. “It’s getting more and more real isn’t it? Your mom not staying here?”

              “Seems so.” Brian glanced at what Jill had in her hands and cheered up a little. “Are those cookies?”

              “Yes, sir. And they’re for you,” she smiled, handing the container to Brian.

              “For me? What for?”

              “Oh, you know, just for helping me earlier this week. First with the furnace and then rescuing my cat.”

              “You know you didn’t have to do this right?”             

              “I know,” Jill agreed.

              “What kind are they?”             

              There wasn’t a specific name for them so the best Jill could do was describe them as a cookie within a cookie.

              “What?” Brian chuckled.

              “Yeah, there’s a cookie inside each cookie. You can also do candy bars if you wanted.”

              Brian could tell as Jill described the cookies that she was proud of them.

              “So what exactly is in these cookies?” he asked.

              “I made you a chocolate chip cookie with an Oreo inside.”

              “They look and smell amazing, Jill. Thank you.”

              Elena came to the door ready to go. Once she saw Jill she got a brilliant idea. “Why don’t you come with us, Jill?” she suggested.

              “Oh, I don’t know.”

              She had nothing better to do that day, but a part of her felt that this should just be something between Elena and her son. She didn’t want to be in the way or feel like a third wheel either.

              “I would love if you did, Jill,” Elena began. “Your opinion means a lot to me.”

              “I’d love it if you came too,” Brian seconded. “Because you’d probably know better where to go than we would.”

              Jill thought it over for a brief second, looking back and forth between Elena’s and Brian’s eyes. She could sense that both of them were pleading for her to go. “I guess I can. Let me quick grab my purse and lock my door.”

              “Great! We’ll be waiting for you in the car,” Brian said.

              Jill overheard Brian tell his mom to get in the car as she walked back to her home. She was unsure if she made the right choice to tag along, but if it made them happy then she’d go for it. After all, it beat being alone all day.

---------------

              Elena, Brian and Jill made it to the first assisted living home. It was just outside of Ashwin in a neighboring city. Jill liked that it wasn’t terribly far from her home, but upon pulling up to the place she did not like what she saw. The building looked run down with small windows and an almost jail-like appearance. The landscaping was nothing to brag about, although, given the time of year, there wouldn’t be much anyway.

              A receptionist greeted them once they entered the building, but did not appear friendly. Not once did she smile, and as she gave information it was in a rude tone. Despite all that, Elena wanted to look at an empty room.

              “In order to do that you need to have an appointment. Do you have an appointment?” the receptionist asked sternly.

              “No,” Elena said dishearteningly.

              “Isn’t there a way we can just quick see one?” Brian inquired.

              “Not unless you have an appointment.”

              “All right. Well, thank you anyway,” Jill said, only out of politeness.

              She urged the other two to go. Once back in the car she mentioned everything she didn’t like about the place. Brian quickly agreed, and then flat out told his mom he would not allow her to go there.

              “Well, dear, it is my decision,” Elena reminded him.

              “I know, but it just won’t be here. I mean, you can’t honestly say you want to come back can you?”

              “No. No, I don’t.”

              Brian got the car back on the road while grabbing another cookie. Jill noticed this was now his third one. A part of her wondered if it took some of the stress away from taking his mom out today.

              Or it could be that he just really likes my cookies.

              Either way she was glad they were there for him.

              The other place was in the complete opposite direction. They had to go back through Ashwin to the other side of town to another neighboring city. Jill didn’t know much about where they were going since she didn’t come this way often, but the three of them found it no problem.

              One of the first things Jill noticed was that it was clean. The grounds were well kept, and appeared inviting. There were trails that could be walked, and then Jill found something she knew Elena would love. “Elena, look!” she burst out as she pointed.

              Elena’s face lit up with a huge smile.

              It took a moment for Brian to figure out what the two were looking at, but once he saw, he remarked, “Oh, wow! It looks like they like to feed the birds as much as you do, mom!”

              So far the first impressions of the place were good. Now they needed to find out if everything was as nice on the inside as it was on the outside. As soon as they entered, a cheerful, warm welcome from the receptionist was heard. She was polite, answered all the questions they had and gave them the information they needed.             

              “May I see an empty room?” Elena asked.

              “Sure! Let me find someone to take you, okay?” the receptionist responded.

              As the lady up front searched for someone to take the three of them around, they stepped back and made a few comments.

              “What a difference, Elena,” Jill said. She was liking this place more and more every minute.

              “This place is definitely better, mom.”

              “It is. I really like it so far,” Elena affirmed.

              Just then a man who appeared to be in his forties or fifties greeted them and led them over to an opening. He was friendly and courteous, answering additional questions. The place was very practical and Elena almost felt right at home.

              “I think I’ve seen enough. Thank you, sir, for letting us see it,” Elena said.

              “You’re welcome. Please don’t hesitate to call us if you need anything else.”

              Brian, Jill and Elena walked out with good vibes, although Brian was still not ready to see his mom go anywhere from home.

              As soon as they were seated in the car, Elena said, “This is where I want to be. I loved everything about it.”

              “Mom, don’t you think we should discuss it further? This is a big step and I just want to make sure we’re doing the right thing.”

              “Brian, I’ll be okay. This place is perfect.”

              Not sure if she should chime in or not, Jill at least wanted to make a good point based on something she saw in the brochure they were handed. “It is nice that they handle all levels of care, Brian. That way your mom can be as much on her own as she wants, but then when she can’t, it’s not like she’ll have to move. I mean, they handle everything from living on your own to doing everything a nursing home does. This way your mom won’t have to move again.”

              “That is true,” Elena agreed.

              “I still don’t think you should jump the gun,” Brian insisted. “There are still other choices out there.”

              “This is where I want to be, Brian. My mind is made up.”

              That was the first time Jill heard Elena get stern with Brian. She felt awkward having to be in the midst of it, but also sad. Sad because she didn’t want to see Elena go either, and sad for Brian because it’s hard to have a parent get older and not be able to take care of themselves anymore. She had no clue what she’d do when her own mom got to this point.             

              Wanting to provide some sort of sense of calmness and surety, Jill placed her hand on top of Brian’s.

              He looked at her; her eyes told him everything was going to be okay.

11

              Winter was in full swing in Ashwin with temperatures below freezing, wind gusts that pierced to your core and snow piles almost knee deep. The last couple of months were hard for Jill. They could be summed up much like the weather: lousy.

              Elena had officially been accepted into her assisted living home of choice, Peppercorn Community Assisted Living. Once Elena found out she was able to go where she wanted, she got so excited and made arrangements to quick move her things. Today marked two whole weeks without Elena being her next door neighbor.

              And Jill was taking it hard. Harder than she thought she would. Having Elena gone felt like losing her favorite co-worker, best friend and neighbor forever.

              Brian was still around because not everything had been gone through yet. There were still some repairs that needed to be done in order to sell the home, something that would be done soon Jill imagined.

              But it wasn’t the same.

              Brian wasn’t Elena.

              Today just about put the icing on top of the cake. If something could go wrong, it did.

              The first thing that happened took place in the morning. Just when Jill went to put on her newer winter jacket before heading to work, something caught the side pocket and it completely ripped. There was now no longer a pocket there, but instead a huge piece of fabric that lay hanging off the side.

              Jill was mad at herself for being in such a hurry that she wrecked her coat. The coat she had just bought that cost a pretty penny. Shopping for a new coat was now on her ever-growing list of things to do tonight.

              Work went decent. A lot of it was the same old stuff she did day in and day out. Everything about her job she liked: the hours, the pay, the co-workers, the actual part where she helped people. She was so grateful to work where she did.

              However, occasionally something would happen that made Jill hate being a nurse. Like today when she had to witness a patient dying and his loved ones finding out the news.

              She never knew the patients personally, but each and every case where they ended up dying was hard. It made Jill wonder why anyone should ever love at all if, in the end, all it did was cause pain one way or another.

              The man who had died today of complications from an injury was far too young. It broke Jill’s heart that he left behind his family who she got to see weep uncontrollably and beg for life to be returned.

              Jill was emotionally spent. She was burnt out.

              As her shift came to a close, she looked forward to shopping now. It usually was a good stress reliever for her and so she began to welcome the added activity to her list of things to do.

              Driving to the nearest mall was a bit stressful. Visibility was low with heavy snow fall, as if someone was pouring buckets of it all in one spot. The roads were iced over, and it always amazed Jill that people seemed to forget how to drive in snowy weather. It was as if Ashwin had never experienced snow before.

              Jill was always more cautious though. She made sure to keep her distance from others, drove at speeds below what would be considered safe and made sure to begin slowing down to a stop long before needed in hopes to prevent sliding. And her safety measures were paying off, having kept safe each winter since she started driving.

              Jill took a deep breath as she parked her car, relaxed she had made it. She would leave the dread of driving home part for later.

              The Coat Gallery was Jill’s favorite place to shop for all kinds of jackets. They never lacked on styles for each season, and their prices couldn’t be beat. She never had a bad experience there, and always referred people to check them out.

              Knowing the store in and out, Jill went right to the section she needed and began browsing. She was hoping to find something much like what she was wearing now: a heavy black coat that came down to her waist with a pink stripe down each side and pink buttons. Seeing as it wasn’t long ago that she had bought the one she was wearing, she thought she’d for sure be able to find a match.

              Instead she found something that made her blood run colder than the winter storm outside.

              As she was looking through one of the coat racks, she saw someone that looked awfully familiar out of the corner of her eye. She glanced up hoping it wasn’t true.

              But it was.

             
What is he doing here?

              Barely two racks down was Mark, the man she hoped she would never see again in her life. And he wasn’t alone.

             
Who is that with him?

              Frantically, Jill hid behind a nearby rack so that she wouldn’t be seen. From there, she spied on them, and waited until the coast was clear.

              Mark and his woman companion, who Jill noticed looked much like herself, appeared to be shopping for her. She had overheard Mark suggesting coats to try on, a few of which she modeled for him. The two of them were having a lighthearted conversation, some of which Jill could hear and other things not so much. She was trying to figure out who this woman was, and then came the answer.

              “Should I wear this in our wedding photos?” the woman asked.

              Mark impishly responded, “I want you wearing nothing.”

              The two of them shared a small kiss as Mark put his arms around his fiancé’s waist from behind.

              Jill about puked.

             
Mark is getting married again?

              She couldn’t believe what she was witnessing. This moment right then and there put the cherry on top of all the horrible things that Jill felt her life had recently grown accustomed to experiencing.

              And the worst part wasn’t seeing Mark and his fiancé. Of course, she wish she hadn’t; it would have been better if they were just friends or co-workers or maybe even constantly fighting.

              No, the worst part was that Mark and his fiancé appeared happy.
Really
happy. There was nothing she loathed more.

              Ever since Mark left her life for good, she hoped he would rot to pieces and forever be alone. Instead it seemed as if she ended up with that curse while he ended up the lucky one.

              Jill sighed as she continued to wait for the two to move on.

              Once the couple walked to the front of the store to pay for their merchandise, Jill began to browse again. However, she was no longer in a good mood. She wanted to get home as quick as she could and drown her bad luck in a comedy and moose tracks ice cream.

              Finding a similar coat in her size, she quickly tried it on. It looked fine on her, and appeared to have enough insulation and padding to keep her warm the next few months. She glanced at the tag to see what the damage would be.

             
Eighty five dollars? Ugh! Oh well. I just want to go home.

              Jill made her way to the cashier and checked out. She brought her purchase to the car and began the slow and agonizing drive home. Again she questioned herself on why Mark was even here. Last she knew, Mark was still living in Cedar Rapids, a good hour and a half away from this mall. It didn’t make sense, and Jill chalked it up to the belief that if one thing goes wrong, everything will go wrong.

              She did find one thing to be grateful for, however, and that was that she wasn’t seen. The last thing she needed was to say anything to the man that ruined her life, although there used to be times she wished she could shout out a mouthful.

              As she pulled into the driveway, she was again reminded of how alone she was. Her neighbor’s house appeared vacant. Her friends were all busy with holiday parties to attend. She had no one to cuddle with on a cold, blustery day like today. Even the earth itself lay dormant and bare, a good reflection of how Jill presently felt.

              A depressing sigh escaped her mouth as she got out of the car and grabbed her new coat. She carefully made her way to her house.

              Slipping on some ice, Jill flew backward, landing on her back. The next thing she knew, she opened her eyes with the sky before them, and tiny snowflakes softly landing and melting on her face.

              All of life’s current mishaps played before her mind. First it was Elena moving out. Then she thought of the poor family that lost a seemingly good member. What her mind stayed on, however, was Mark.

             
Mark, Mark, Mark.

              And a little bit of his fiancé.

              If she didn’t ruin her coat this morning, she would have been able to continue her streak of not seeing him ever again.

             
Why even bother getting up? Life apparently wants to knock me down
, she thought dejectedly.

              So there she lay on the ground, the snow accumulating around her.

---------------

              “I think this is it,” Brian told his mom.

              He had just emptied the last box he brought from her home unto her bed. It was the remaining pieces of clothing she had wanted to keep. Anything left over Brian was to bring to the nearest donation center.

              Elena surveyed the items and directed Brian where she wanted them to go. She helped by refolding some of the pieces that had been undone from the shuffling around.

              Brian had remained quiet with his mom. Not out of anger, but out of disbelief. He was struggling with the idea that his mom wanted to be put into a home, although he knew that what had been going on for the past year couldn’t continue.

              But still, to be in a home? She was too young for that in Brian’s opinion.

              “Do you think you could bring some of my books over soon?” Elena politely asked.

              “Yeah.”

              “If you want my help, I can come with you.”

              “That’s not necessary, mom.”

              Brian followed Elena out of the bedroom and over to the living room. It was a small square room, but good enough. He helped his mom down into the rocking chair that she insisted come with her. The rest of the furniture she allowed Brian to figure out if it should be moved or not, but the rocking chair was a must.

              “I’ll be back some time tomorrow,” Brian said as he turned the TV on for his mom. “You’ll be okay until then?”

              “Of course. Go enjoy yourself a little. You seem a little down.”

              Elena gave a look of deep concern for her son, a look he just tried to ignore.

              How does she not understand?

              Grabbing his coat and putting on his boots, he headed out the door with a final good bye.

              He was not looking forward to what had to be done yet at his mom’s house. There was a lot of stuff that his mom and dad had collected over the years that he had to sift through and figure out if it was worth keeping or not. There was furniture that had to be donated and rooms to be completely cleaned out.

              And then there was the whole putting the house on the market ordeal. That meant he had to find a realtor, open the house for showings and actually sell the place. Sell his childhood home. Brian was having an extremely tough time with that concept.

              Driving back to his mom’s house was intense. He had forgotten how bad the roads could get some days in Ashwin. It didn’t help either when out-of-staters decided that snow and ice on the roads didn’t mean a single thing.

              While cautiously making his way home, he thought about how persistent his mom was on leaving her place. He saw firsthand how tough it was some days for her so a part of him understood. Another part of him felt like a failure for not being able to take care of her himself. He tried thinking about making that work, but his life wasn’t here anymore. He had a business to run and a place of his own to take care of down south.

              Torn.

              Brian was torn between two worlds: wanting to stay; needing to leave.

              He drove past the park and a flashback hit him. That was the park that his mom took him to all the time as a young child. She would play hide and seek with him amongst the many trees near the playground, often times jumping out to scare him. She was a fast runner, but allowed Brian to win most of the time when they raced down the path. He also remembered how strong she was when pushing Brian on the swings. He got so high sometimes that he thought for sure he was going to make a loop around the pole.

              So many good memories of his mom being strong, fast, tough and young ran through his mind. He smiled thinking about them, but it was a sad smile. A smile of things that once were and would never be again.