Page 30 of Capri

I smile wide. “Nah, I don’t think so.” Although I’m almost positive the couple to our left might have, but she doesn’t need to know that.

“Good. Next time, I’m coming inyourmouth.” Capri smiles wide.

“Fuck yeah, you are.” I smirk at the incorrigible little minx before me.

“Glad we cleared that up.” She pecks my lips and pulls me off the table. “Let’s go find everyone else.”

I swat her ass and let her lead the way.

At this rate, she can lead me anywhere.

9

JONES

“Thankyou for calling Paloma Memory Care. How may I direct your call?”

“Yes, I’d like to speak to Dolly Archer, please.”

The woman on the other line types something on her keyboard before responding, “Of course, Mr. Archer. She’s been waiting for your call. Let me transfer you.”

“Thanks.”

The phone rings, and the ache in my chest picks up, causing the pain to internally cripple me. I never know what side of my mother I’m gonna get. Will she be in a good mood or hate life and berate me?

Not knowing what to expect never gets easier.

“This is Dolly,” she answers in a monotone voice.

“Hi, Mom. It’s Jones.”

Seconds pass before muffled sounds come over the line—she’s trying to transfer me to the speakerphone. I hear the moment the line echoes, projecting my voice through the nine-by-nine dimensions of her room.

“What do you want?”

There it is.The side of her I was hoping to save for another day.

“How you doing, Ma? I miss you.”

She scoffs. “Yeah, sure you do. I’ll believe it when I see it.”

I do my best to be positive. “You wound me,” I tease.

“What can I do for you, Tucker?”So formal.

But cut me wide open. She thinks I’mhim. My father. The man she has always had a love-hate relationship with.

“It’s me, Mom. I’m flying out to see you soon,” I tell her, hoping to get her hopes up.

“Don’t bother. I’ll be heading back home.”

She’s already home.“Oh, yeah? That sounds fun. Where’s home?”

I’ve learned to play along with her stories. Living with dementia is already enough of a hurdle for her to navigate on her own. Let alone being confused every second of every day. It’s unnecessary to argue—it’s how I keep the peace.

“Tucker, you know I live in Greenville.” I can hear the annoyance in her tone.

When my father, Tucker, was alive, she lived in Greenville.

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