Page 12 of One Good Reason

“A lot happened today so I decided to cut my day short and spend some time with my favorite girl.”

“A lot?” she reiterated, questionably.

“Yes ma’am but nothing for you to worry about.” Placing a kiss on her cheek I turned to her nurse.

“Mrs. Jessie, you can cut out if you want. I’ll still pay you for the whole day.”

“You sure? Me and this old thang was getting ready to watch a few episodes of Matlock.”

“I’m sure,” I laughed. “I’m in for the rest of day.” I let her know.

“Well in that case, Bertha, I’ll see you in the morning.” Mrs. Jessie kissed my granny on the forehead before grabbing her things to leave.

“Gema, give me a sec. I’m going to walk her out.” Trailing Mrs. Jessie out of the room I whispered, “How was she today?”

“A little agitated this morning.” Looking over my shoulder at my granny’s room door, she waved for me to follow her down the hall. “Your mom called and got her stirred up so for a few hours, she just sat there staring at the walls.”

Shaking my head, I groaned. “I swear she just doesn’t stop.”

“She was saying how Mrs. Bertha had missed her appointment with the cardiologist. I tried explaining that you’ve secured one locally and that did nothing but set her off even more.”

“They thought I was playing when I said I was switching all of her providers. We are here now; I see no reason for either of us to have to chart her all the way to Warner Robins to see a doctor when there are plenty of good ones out here.”

Staying true to my word, after I locked down my new job, I got right on the search for me and Gema a house. Because I was familiar with the Douglasville area, I settled on a subdivision at the Douglas and Fulton County line. The five bedroom, three and a half bath was more than enough house for the two of us, but I wanted the extra rooms in case I had to move a caregiver in.

Mrs. Jessie came highly recommended from someone at my old job and after meeting her for the first time, her and my granny hit it off. It was a win-win in my book, and she had been with us since the day we moved into the property. Gema loved her and I adored her for the way she cared for my heart. Mrs. Jessie lost her husband a few years ago, and her kids had gone off to college and now had families of their own. Besides her Thursday night bingo games, she was available any time I needed her which was only during workdays.

My new role had me so exhausted on most days, I barely had enough time to do anything for myself. As long as my granny was happy, then so was I. My mother on the other hand had been a complete pain in my ass since we moved. I had learned from Uncle Meat that she took it upon herself to rent out my grannies house. I could’ve taken her ass to court because her name was nowhere on the deed of the house but what good would it do. I was over arguing and fighting with her. That shit did more harm than it did good.

Since we had been living in Douglasville, Betty Jo, Louise, and Uncle Willie Earl had all come up to visit. Hell, Betty Jo had even taken her back to Warner Robins for a weekend. Jalitha on the other hand hadn’t shown up one time and I had made it clear that the door was open for her to visit if she wanted. Her ass was purposely staying away to spite me not realizing the only person she was hurting was granny. Every so often she called to talk shit that I refused to entertain so she was either met with the phone being hung up in her face or the voicemail.

“She claims she’s coming up on Friday. Told me to have her bags packed for a week’s stay.”

“If she comes, you have my permission to let her go. I’ll make sure you receive your pay for the week. But I seriously doubt that she will.”

“So do I,” she confirmed. “But I still wanted to run it by you.”

“I appreciate that. Are you good? Anything you need?”

“I’m fine darling.”

“Good. I’ll let you get going. I need to get out of these clothes and get comfortable.”

“Yes cause she’s been talking about Matlock since she came out of her funk,” Mrs. Jessie laughed. “If your mom does come and get her for a week, I need you to do something other than go to work.”

“I do other things Mrs. Jessie,” I lied.

“Honey, no you don’t. Work and here with Bertha is the only things you give your time to. I’ve been here since the beginning and I’ve yet to see you entertain friends, hell, a man even.”

“Well. I don’t have any friends,” I laughed.

When I moved back home to take care of Gema, I didn’t keep in touch with anyone. If I saw them on campus, we talked but other than that, my main focus had been finishing my degree, securing a job, and taking care of my granny. Outside of that, I didn’t have much time.

I dated my first year of college, but he was a frat guy so nothing serious ever came from it. It had been so long since I had sex, the thought of a man even touching me would probably have me blasting off in mere seconds.

“Everyone has friends Tali,” Mrs. Jessie chimed in. “Hell, even I have a few good ones that I do bingo with every week.”

Lifting my shoulder in a shrug, I sort of pouted. Not that I was sad or regretted stepping up for my granny, this is what it was. “When your life stops being your own, it’s kind of hard to have any human interactions.”

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