I stepped forward and gave him a hug. “I can do that,” I said. “Of course. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pressure you.”
His hands rubbed up and down my back. “I know, Tee. You’re my one safe place, and I love that about you.”
I swallowed around the lump in my throat, grateful that he recognized that I didn’t mean to pressure him. I simply wanted to be with him the way I’d anticipated for so long.
He pulled away and tapped me on the nose. “Now. I’m starving. You make the eggs, and I’ll start the coffee.”
After a nice breakfast, I headed home to shower and change before heading to work. As had been happening more and more lately, my workday turned quickly from consulting input on current projects to keeping an eye on Grandpa Banks. It took three instances of being asked to come get him out of Chris and Mike’s meeting with the lawyers before I finally decided to duck out early for our visit to see Hattie.
At Wilton Manors, everyone at the senior care facility greeted me with big smiles and a warm welcome. I’d made a point to stop by and visit with my favorite patients and coworkers as often as I could, but it hadn’t been enough. A lot had happened since I’d left my job there. Mrs. Singh had passed away, leaving Mr. Kelly devastated. The Johnson twins had been forced into separate rooms when Judy’s dementia had turned a corner into violent behavior toward Jackie. And my favorite nurse tech was pregnant with twins.
We knocked on Hattie’s door and walked in when she called out.
“What’s that?” she asked, nodding toward the little pot of daffodils I’d brought her.
“First sign of spring. Thought you could use it,” I said, setting the pot down on the table next to her recliner. Her face lit up with a smile, and she reached hands out to both Grandpa Banks and me.
“Sit and tell me everything that’s happened since I saw you two last,” she said.
I let her brother take charge of the conversation, but when he began to tell her about the German deal the company was signing, my ears perked up.
“Marie’s parents are buried in Wiesbaden,” he explained. “She always wanted to go back someday for a final visit, but she declined too quickly to make it.”
His wife had passed away after having several strokes while Chris was in college. I remembered her as being very quiet but extremely kind. “I forgot she was German,” I said.
His smile was full of memories. “Yes. She grew up outside of Frankfurt. Her nephew is one of the administrators at the hospital we’re talking to there. That’s how this consulting opportunity started. I keep explaining to Mike and Chris that if I could just go meet with him in person, it would make a difference. I met him several times when he was growing up. He’s always had a good head on his shoulders.”
Hattie asked more questions about his trips with Marie to visit family, but it didn’t take long before Grandpa Banks and I both noticed her fading.
“We’ll head out and let you rest before lunch,” I told her, standing up to help Grandpa Banks out of his chair. “I’m going to make this guy earn his lunch with a walk first.”
She snickered at her brother. “I finally got the Teo monkey off my back and onto yours, hm?”
He leaned over and kissed her cheek. “He’s good company. Takes excellent care of me too. Your loss.”
She winked at me. “And that’s the truth. Come back soon, all right?”
“Of course,” I said, leaning in for a gentle hug. She smelled so familiar, like the body lotion I’d spent hours rubbing into her skin when I’d worked there. The scent pulled back memories of how good it had felt taking care of her. I remembered overnight shifts where the woman in the suite next door to Hattie’s would wake from nightmares and ask me to sing the Happy Birthday song over and over again to help her fall back to sleep. After several nights of hearing me singing, Hattie had finally asked me why Mrs. Cohen wanted that particular song. “Because it reminds her of being around her family,” I’d told her. “And they haven’t been to see her in over six months.”
Sometimes I’d gotten a stern reprimand for spending so much time in with the patients rather than letting the CNA’s handle some of those tasks, but I couldn’t help myself, not when they needed someone and I was there.
As I walked back through the halls of Wilton Manor with Grandpa Banks and waved to my old patients and some new faces, I realized just how much I missed giving them the care they deserved. I glanced over at my current patient and realized I hadn’t spent enough attention making sure all his needs were met.
“Grandpa Banks, are you okay with walking back? It’s a little chilly, but the sun is out.”
“You going to let me get a Philly while we’re out?” he asked with a grin.
“Ah, what the hell. I could go for a Philly too. But let’s walk there. I really could use the exercise.”
As we made our way out to the sidewalk, I felt his eyes on me. “Been working hard, huh? How they treating you over there?”
“Not gonna lie, it’s hard work, Grandpa Banks. I’m not sure it’s for me long term.”
“How many times in the past six months have I asked you to call me Gordon?”
It hadn’t been six months, but he was right. “It’s not easy,” I admitted. “I think I’d have an easier time just calling you Grandpa.”
I’d meant it as a joke, but his warm hand squeezed through the arm of my jacket where he held on to me for support. “Then call me Grandpa, son.”
I put my hand on top of his and squeezed back. We walked in silence for a moment until crossing the street to the park on the lakefront.
“Teo, why did you leave Wilton? Honestly, it surprised me. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy your company immensely, but… you seemed happier when you worked at the home.”
“Yeah.” I took in a breath while I thought about my answer. It wasn’t like I could tell him about my desire to spend more time with Chris. “I actually like the consulting work itself just fine, and obviously I enjoy taking care of you too. It’s being stuck behind a desk that I don’t love. Hopefully, if I put in my time and get more comfortable with everything, I can travel more and go on-site to the hospitals.”
Grandpa Banks—Gordon— was quiet again while we navigated our way to one of our favorite benches. It was a gorgeous spring day, and I could feel him relaxing in the warm sun.
“I met a guy,” I blurted.
He turned his head toward me slowly.
“I’m gay,” I added. “But you knew that. I think. I mean… at least we talked about it once. When you asked me why Billy Porter was wearing a dress and we had this whole conversation about sexuality and gender identity. Remember? Oh god,” I groaned. I covered my face with my hands. “Never mind.”
His hand came up to squeeze my shoulder. “Relax, Teo. Of course I remember. But I’ve always known you were gay.”
I blinked at him. “You have? Then why did you look so surprised when I said I’d met a guy?”
He studied me for a moment. “Well, I thought all this time you were in love with my grandson. Honestly, I never thought I’d see the day where you finally gave up on him.”