Page 80 of Share with Me

“Dad, go enjoy your time with Mom. Life is short, you know.”

Sniff. Boy, this sunroom is dusty!

“Yeah, since my stroke I’ve been thinking of that.”

“Tell you what, Dad. Aunt Ella’s going home the day after Christmas. How about I catch a flight out to see you and Mom for New Year’s?”

“I’d like that, Brin.”

“So meanwhile, it’ll be only Dill, Aunt Ella, and me for Christmas here.”

“I’m glad you’re not alone. And I love you, Brin.”

“Love you too, Dad.” Brinley heard women’s voices and they sounded like Mom and Zoe talking at the same time.

“Your mom’s done shopping, so we’re going to go back to the chateau now,” Dad said. “Mom said she bought you something. I’ll tell her to wrap it up and she can give it to you when you get here.”

“Sounds good, Dad. I’ll ask Dill if he wants to fly out with me to Paris.”

“He might not. Tell him I’m upset he’s working too hard.”

Brinley found that ironic. Dad was the one who had decided to leave the entire company in Dillon’s hands. Brinley was only working in the sales department. Sadly, the more sales she brought in for Brooks Investments, the harder Dillon had to work. She wondered now whether she should even broach the subject of her departure from the company. How was that going to affect Dillon?

She decided to talk to him when he came for Christmas.

I hope he doesn’t cancel it too.

Brinley and Dad said their goodbyes and the usual “I love you” and then she swiped her iPhone to look at her calendar.

Eleven days more with Aunt Ella.

It wasn’t that she minded being with Aunt Ella, but Brinley wasn’t cut out to be a full-time caregiver. The nurse who came to administer the daily meds only came for half an hour a day. It was ridiculous how expensive she was.

So this was how it could be if Brinley ever ended up alone in her life. She wondered how Aunt Ella felt being elderly and dependent on other people’s mercy and time and, possibly, decisions that affected her well-being and care.

She heard the pattering of heavy clogs on the slate floor. The clop-clops sounded louder.

“I’m not going home after Christmas.”

Aunt Ella.

Brinley tried to remain calm. “Have you been listening the entire time?”

Aunt Ella shuffled forward. “Most of it.”

“Where were you? Outside the door?”

“Behind the wall. It’s sturdy so I could lean on it.”

“Okay. But you heard my voice, and not Dad’s. So you didn’t hear the entire conversation, not truly.” Brinley pocketed her iPhone. “Didn’t Grandpa Brooks say it’s not good to eavesdrop?”

“Willard is dead and he doesn’t care.”

Brinley laughed.

“Bottomline. I’m not going home to West Palm.”

“I heard you.”

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