The Maine Events, Rodney Riesel [best books to read in your 20s TXT] 📗

snooping around.”

“No, but I don't trust you to stay in the car once I driveup that driveway.”

“You're just jealous.”

“How do you figure?” Mya took a right back onto York Street.

“Because I'm stalking someone other than you.” Allenchuckled.

“Anyone ever tell you you have some serious issues?”

“A few people.”

“Only a few?”

“A few dozen.”

“What am I getting myself into?” Mya mumbled.

“No one ever told me I wasn't a fantastic server of icecream.”

“That remains to be seen.”

Fifteen minutes later, Mya pulled off Lewis Road onto thelong driveway that led up to the Durgin Pines Nursing Home.

“Nice place,” Allen commented, as Mya drove around to therear of the building and parked.

“It ought a be,” Mya responded. “Grammy pays enough for it.”

Allen raised his brow. “Grammy?”

Mya was a little embarrassed. “My great-grandmother.”

“You call her Grammy?”

Mya opened her door and got out of the car. “Well, what doyou call your great-grandmother?”

“Dead.”

“What about your grandmother?”

“Dead. Died before I was born.”

The couple walked toward the rear entrance of the building.

“Both of your grandmothers are deceased?” Mya asked.

“I had lost all four of my grandparents by the time I wasseven years old.”

“That's terrible.”

“Oh, it gets worse.”

“I'm afraid to ask.”

“My parents were killed in an automobile accident when I wasthirteen, and my wife died of breast cancer a few years ago.”

Mya stopped dead in her tracks. “Please tell me you havesiblings.”

“I'm an only child.” Allen pulled open the door. “Afteryou,” he said.

Mya impulsively threw her arms around Allen and hugged himhard.

“What's this for?” Allen asked.

“It just felt like something I should do.” She squeezedharder.

“Are you hugging me,” Allen wheezed, “or trying to pop me?”

Mya released her grip. “Sorry.”

“I guess that's why I usually keep my past to myself.” Allenwaved his hand, motioning Mya to enter. “Now, let's serve some ice cream.”

The two walked through the door. Mya waved to thereceptionist.

“Hi, Mya,” said the receptionist.

“Hey, B. D.,” Mya said back.

Allen smiled at the woman.

“I see you got a helper for tonight,” B. D. observed.

“Yes, I do. I guess Betty is out of town. Allen, B. D. B.D., Allen Crane.”

Allen could tell by the look on B. D.'s face that the nameAllen Crane meant nothing to her. He couldn't decide if he was relieved ordisappointed. “Nice to meet you,” he said.

“Nice to meet you.”

“Beedee?” Allen asked Mya, on the way down the hall.

“B. D. Like the letters.”

“What's it stand for?”

“I have no idea.” Mya made a quick right into one of therooms. “Hi Grammy!”

Mya was right—Grammy definitely didn't look her age. IfAllen had to guess, he would have said seventy-five. Grammy sat on a red andblack checkered couch, in front of a large window that overlooked the parkinglot, and beyond that, a forest as far as the eye could see. She was watchingthe evening news.

Grammy looked at her wristwatch. “Mya,” she said, “is itthat time already?”

Mya crossed the room and bent down to give Grammy a hug anda kiss on the cheek. Grammy smiled at Allen over Mya's shoulder.

“Is this the young man you've been telling me all about?”Grammy asked.

“I, uh … yes, Grammy, this is Allen Crane.”

“It's nice to meet you, ma'am,” Allen said.

“It's a pleasure to meet you, Allen. Mya says you're anauthor.”

“Yes, ma'am.”

“Call me Teddy.”

“Okay, Teddy.”

“Short for Matilda,” Mya explained.

“I checked our library here,” said Teddy. “Seems we don'thave any of your books. Mya says you wrote four.”

“Yes.”

“I had our librarian order them for me. They should be in bythe end of the week.”

“I hope you enjoy them.”

“Mya tells me the first one was very good.”

“Oh, did she?”

Mya closed her eyes and shook her head. “Grammy, you don'thave to tell Allen everything I've told you.”

Teddy waved her off. “Oh, he doesn't mind,” she said. “Youshould have seen the way he was staring at your butt when you bent over to hugme.”

Allen felt his face redden.

Mya grinned big. “Grammy doesn't have much of a filter.”

“I see that.”

“Never did,” said Teddy. “Always say what you're thinkingwhen you're thinking it. Ya might never get another chance.”

“I'll keep that in mind,” said Allen.

“You ready to head down to the dining room?” asked Mya.

“Let me just grab a sweater, sweetie.”

Allen spotted a tan sweater thrown across the bed. “Is thisthe one you want?” he asked.

“Yes, it is.”

Allen picked it up and walked toward the couch. Teddy stood,and Allen held up the sweater.

“Such a gentleman,” said Teddy, as she turned around andslid her arms into the sleeves.

Allen lifted the sweater onto her narrow shoulders. “Thereya go, Teddy.” Allen gave Mya an over-exaggerated grin, as though he was nowthe favorite.

Mya rolled her eyes.

When Teddy turned around, she hooked her arm around Allen's.“Lead the way, Mya,” she said.

“Yes, Mya,” said Allen. “Lead the way.”

The trio walked into the hallway and made a left toward thedining room. Several other residents were making their way toward the diningroom as well. Most of them walked, but a few were in wheelchairs. Most of theones who walked, walked with another resident. Some walked with the aid ofaluminum walkers. Almost all of the residents walked with a hunch of somedegree. Most were dressed, but a few wore pajamas or robes.

A few of the residents noticed the new face in the crowd.When Allen made eye contact, they smiled. He wondered if Mya had told some ofthem about him.

Mya walked through two open double doors into a large diningroom. Allen and Teddy entered right behind her. In his mind, Allen had pictureda bright, more sterile cafeteria-type room. He was surprised by the warmth ofthe room. One entire wall was floor-to-ceiling windows looking out at thewoods. The opposite wall was walnut-stained V-notched tongue and grove pinewith a built-in gas fireplace. The other two walls were painted hunter green.The baseboards and casings matched the V-notched pine.

Mya excused herself to fetch the ice cream. Allen walkedTeddy to one of the four-top tables. “Thank you, Allen,” she said, letting goof his arm a mite reluctantly, Allen thought.

“I didn't know we could bring a date,” one of the otherwomen said to Teddy. She cackled after she said it.

“He's with Mya,” Teddy replied.

The feisty blue-haired woman looked Allen up and down.“Lucky