Finding Her Home. Carol Steward

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      Tori took a deep breath, wiping the tears away, as if determined to regain control. “I suppose you’re right.” She hesitated, then headed for the stairs. “I’ll be ready in a few minutes.”

      She looked at him approvingly when he walked into the living room a few minutes later. “No stains. I’m glad Abuelo insisted we launder them right away. I can’t thank you enough for bringing him, and helping me through the day…and not holding it against me when I made an absolute fool of myself.”

      “God doesn’t make fools.” He pushed a stray hair away from her eyes. He’d wanted to touch her silky black hair all day. “I hope that when you’re in the valley, you’ll give me a call. I’d be happy to reciprocate on lunch.”

      “I can see it now—lunch at the diner. You must like to set the rumor mill a turnin’.” She smiled.

      Steve felt a twinge in his chest. “I’m sure I can come up with something a little more promising than the diner. Maybe we could take a picnic up the hill and watch the sun set over the Spanish Peaks.”

      “Hmm. That does sound promising.”

      Chapter Three

      Two weeks later, Tori drove up to the tiny house on Piñon Lane. Unexpected emotions wrapped themselves around her like a cobweb. She stepped out of the SUV, stunned by the dreariness of her grandparents’ home. The August heat had sucked the life out of their yard. She touched the lilac bush and the leaves crumbled like crisp tortilla chips. Chrysanthemums drooped over, their bright buds withered. Marigolds and zinnias were dried clusters on the end of gray-green sticks.

      It had only been four months since her parents left for the mission in South America, and Tori had been here just weeks before Abuela’s stroke. What had happened?

      She unlocked the front door and stepped inside. A sour stench permeated the air. Tori hurried from window to window, wrestling them open. Abuela had always kept a tidy house, but now clutter filled every table and chair. Dirty dishes were piled in the sink. Trash hadn’t gone out in weeks. How had everything fallen into such disarray so quickly? Why hadn’t they told her they needed help? Had she overlooked the signs?

      Tori collected the odor-causing garbage, sprayed room freshener and set the trash bag outside the back door. She studied the back entrance, wondering if it might be easier to fit with a ramp than the front. She walked around the house, noticing things looked much different through the eyes of the caregiver. The three steps out front seemed like nothing until she considered how to get Abuela’s wheelchair up them and into the house. The wrought-iron handrail wobbled in the slight breeze. It, too, had fallen into a sad state of neglect. The once-neat house looked as worn-out as the owners.

      School bells rang across the street and Tori turned, expecting to see the kids run anxiously out of the building, yet not a student appeared. Her alma mater, like the rest of her hometown, looked older, smaller and more withered as a result of the harsh elements and sparse budget.

      “Tori!” She heard Steve holler from the school parking lot across the street. He waved, sauntering closer, speeding up with each step. She waved, recalling Steve’s occasional telephone calls to check on Grandma’s condition. “How are you?”

      “Fine,” she said, stretching the truth. “I came to see about renovations. They’re sending Abuela home soon.” Tori felt an odd sense of panic. Suddenly taking care of two other people seemed overwhelming. She, who worked seventeen-hour days, was actually feeling out of her realm.

      “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming? I’d have—”

      “It was a last-minute decision. I dropped Abuelo off at the care center to spend the day with Grandmother. My brother will pick him up this afternoon. They tried to talk me out of coming here by insisting that it would only take a little rearranging of furniture to make it work.”

      “I’m sure it won’t be too difficult.”

      Tori appreciated his cheerleading efforts, but he hadn’t seen the mess inside. “I’m glad I didn’t put this off any longer.” She took a deep breath and lifted her shoulders. “I met with the physical therapist yesterday to find out what needed to be done before they could send Abuela home. She’s paralyzed on one side.” Tori shook her head, the weight of the situation winning again. “I just don’t know if this is going to work. The rooms are small, doorways narrow and the house is so cluttered.” She looked around the yard and felt tears cloud her vision. “This is so unlike my grandparents.”

      “I came over last week and tried to see if he had a mower in the garage, but it’s locked. How long are you staying?”

      “For the weekend. My brother and his family are on their way from Texas.” She looked at her watch. “Should be arriving any time. He’s going to stay at my condo with Abuelo….”

      Steve looked puzzled. “And you’re here to work all weekend? Alone? Have you forgotten it’s supposed to be a holiday?”

      She felt her eyes flutter closed, pushing the tears down her cheeks. “After two weeks of my grandfather at my house, being alone will feel like a vacation, even if I’m cleaning.” Tori closed her eyes. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t complain. I’m just not used to having extended houseguests.”

      Tori opened the hatch of her SUV and pulled out a stack of empty boxes. Steve got the other stack and followed her into the house.

      “Is everything okay at work?”

      “The principal suggests I take a few weeks of family leave. How can I even consider taking time off in September?”

      “I’m sure they could manage.”

      She looked at him suspiciously. He seemed awfully agreeable to the idea. “Better than I can, probably. I’m not accustomed to anything but a win-win situation, and this one has none. Abuela and Abuelo obviously can’t take care of each other anymore, but they insist on coming home. Run-down as it is, it’s been their home for over fifty years, and they refused to leave ‘until God moves them to the castle in the sky,’ as Abuelo always says.”

      “Sounds just like your grandfather.” Steve laughed and Tori pushed her emotions aside. Now wasn’t the time to let down her guard. Especially with someone she hardly knew.

      “Yes, it does.” She didn’t want to feel comforted by his sympathy, his soothing voice or his good looks. She looked nervously around, trying to find some distraction from her weakness for cowboys wearing the mythical white hats. “It was nice of you to stop by, Steve, but I need to take care of some things before everyone is closed for the holiday,” she said absently as she rubbed her forehead.

      “You’re doing great, Tori.” He took her by the shoulders and smiled. “Don’t worry. It’ll work out. You have all day to make your calls.” He looked around. “And you don’t need to look for a contractor. I’d be happy to do any building renovations you may need done.”

      “How…?”

      “It stands to reason that if Mrs. Sandoval is coming home in a wheelchair that you’d need a few changes to be made. When are they looking at releasing her?”

      She hesitated, unsettled by his nearness. “She’s making such good progress they keep moving the date up. I don’t see how we can be ready now that I know what state СКАЧАТЬ