Falling for the Brother

She broke off and Harper, feeling that moment of insecurity acutely now, wanted to take Miriam’s hand, regardless of whether or not she’d be pushed away.

Before she could move, Miriam faced Mason. “Monday night, Elmer saw Bruce’s car leave and came over. When he saw my face, my arm, he insisted on taking me to the hospital right away. The only way I could get him to drop the idea was to agree to drive myself. I couldn’t let him take me for just this reason. I knew everyone would blame him. Bruce would blame him, and Elmer’s an easy target. He’s a guy down the street with no one to defend him. He’s not a cop. Not the grandson I adore and who adores me.”

She started to cry then. Not racking sobs. Just tears filling her eyes and spilling over to run down aged cheeks.

Bruce stood, joining Mason beside Miriam. “Come on, Gram, let’s sit back down,” he said. Following his brother’s lead, he reached behind her, putting a hand between her shoulder blades.

Harper cringed at that touch, and very slowly Miriam turned toward her. She must have made a sound. The older woman met her gaze, seeming to find something there, and then turned to Bruce.

“Maybe I’m so old I should live very carefully for the rest of my days, preserving what time I have left,” she said, enunciating her words slowly. “You say I should take precautions so I don’t inadvertently cause my own death. I’m sure you’re right that I’m too old to start over. You’re completely right that I get tired more easily now than I did even five years ago. I fully believe you when you tell me that if I won’t take what you’ve determined are those necessary precautions, Mason will put me in a home where they’ll watch over me and make sure I’m safe. And if that happens now, then so be it…”

“What!” Mason’s bellow, his look of horror, had Harper as transfixed as Miriam’s words did.

The woman didn’t seem to notice either of them. She actually poked a finger in Bruce’s chest. “But if you think, for one second, that I’m going to let you do anything…anything…nasty to that dear, sweet man, then you’ve grossly misjudged this tired-out, weak old woman.”

Harper had to do something. She knew she did. But her feet were planted to the ground where she stood, and she could feel her heart thundering in her chest.

Miriam glanced at Mason. “He broke my arm,” she said, pointing at Bruce. “He didn’t mean to. I’d climbed up on the stepladder again when he was right there and I could’ve asked for help and he was just trying to get me down without me hurting myself.”

Everyone stared. At Miriam, at Bruce, at each other. Like fools the four of them stood there, looking from one to another.

“I—” Bruce started, and Miriam stomped her foot.

“I won’t hear it, Bruce,” she said. “I fell off that ladder. I told everyone. I didn’t mention that it happened when you grabbed my arm, because I know that you were only trying to get me down safely, that you didn’t mean to hurt me. I know if I was younger, your grip wouldn’t have broken my arm. I even called Gwen, crawled out of my bedroom window at the Stand to get to a phone without anyone finding out, so she’d go to Mason and get him to stop thinking you did anything wrong. I knew what they’d say if they ever found out it was you. I’d have gone to my grave with the truth, but for you to stand there and blame Elmer…”

So much to process. Harper could barely take it in. Couldn’t move.

“I would never hurt you, Gram.” Bruce’s voice broke. He turned to Mason. “I swear to God, I’d never hurt her, you know that.” His gaze turned to Harper next, still a couple of yards away from them.

“She’s old.” He returned his attention to Mason. “Her bones are frail. You try to help her and she breaks. I…I’d lose my entire life, my career, all the people I help, the lives I save… So many people would be put at risk, and you just weren’t going to let it go. You had to have someone to blame. I don’t grab her hard.” He looked at Harper again. “Just enough to keep her from falling. She won’t listen.” He said the last part to Mason. “If she’d listen I wouldn’t have to hold her chin to get her attention. She’s on that blood thinner, you know, and if you just touch her she bruises.”