The Reluctant Romantics Box Set (The Fall, The Mind, The Heart)

“Mama,” he called as he walked across the entryway to the living room. I walked in, hesitant. I hadn’t spent a large amount of time studying Alzheimer’s and was unsure of exactly how I could help him today, but this wasn’t about me and my comfort. Dean had needed me and specifically asked for my help. It moved me that he still trusted me this much.

“How is she today?” he asked the nurse that was sitting in a recliner to the right of his mother who was in a similar chair of her own. I almost gasped when I saw her appearance. She was no longer the younger, beautiful, vibrant mother I’d met. Her hair was solid white and the sparkle in her eye was now dull. Her stare was distant and intent on the TV screen in front of her.

It had only been seven years!

“She had a rough morning,” the nurse replied, getting up to greet Dean. “Thanks so much for this. Sorry, Dean.”

“No problem, Rita. You have a life, too. If you need me to hire more help, I would—” She cut him off with a wave of her hand.

“Don’t you even think about it.” She gripped his shoulders then turned her head to me. “Who is this?” She smiled and held out her hand.

“Rita, this is Dallas, an old friend of mine.”

“Uh huh.” She raised an eyebrow as she looked me up and down. “Well, Dallas, nice to meet you,” she said with a smile. Rita was younger than his mother by what looked like only a few years. She was much shorter than Dean, which made their conversation seem comical. She started going into specifics about his mother’s routine when Dean’s mother spoke up.

“MOVE!” she grunted out as she swatted at both of them in front of her. Apparently, they were interrupting a very important part of her Spanish soap opera. I giggled as they hurried out of her way and saw the glass on her TV tray was empty. I grabbed it quickly, making my way to the kitchen and refilled it with water. Placing it on her tray filled with her medication, I looked around the house. Other than a few pieces of new furniture, it was very much like the home I had visited as a teenager. Dean ushered his mother’s nurse outside as she assured him she would be back as soon as possible. I sat next to Dayana and remained silent while she yelled at the TV.

“Bruja malvada, ese hombre no es tuyo!” She gripped the side of her chair as the credits rolled.

“Mama, you are being rude,” Dean scolded, leaning in to hug her.

She looked up at him and smiled as if seeing him for the first time. “Dini,” her smile deepened as she hugged her son with her whole heart. I felt the corners of my eyes going heavy with tears and looked upward to keep them away.

So much for not being a crier.

“Dini, who is here?” she questioned, getting a good look at me. “Aha!” she blurted suddenly, standing up quickly, with so much vehemence that I took a step back, my eyes wide.

“Ju are de woman who took my Dini?” She raised her brows at me in contempt as I stood there helpless.

“No, Mama,” Dean corrected.

She charged me, coming to stand right in front of me. “Ju have no respect for family? Ju not let him see his father!” she ranted as I stood there terrified.

This was not going well.

“No, Mama, wrong woman!” Dean promised, exasperated.

“Papa!” she called as I stood stunned. “Papa!”

Dean’s eyes found mine as he mouthed. “I’m sorry.” I shook my head quickly to try to comfort him.

“It’s me, Dayana!” I grabbed her into a big hug and held it as long as I could until she fought me and then pulled back. “No it’s me, ojos estrellados!”

“Ojos estrellados?” she said quietly, sizing me up. “Hmpf, I dunno…Dallas!” I nodded quickly and she embraced me with tears in her eyes. “My Dini no be the same boy since you be gone!”

“Mama,” Dean said sharply.

She turned away from him clearly ignoring his plea and studied me. “Ju still have stars in your eyes for my boy?”

“That’s what it means?!”I was sure the horrified look I gave her made no difference as she gave me an expectant glance. My eyes wandered over to Dean, and I saw he was just as uncomfortable as I was. Suddenly saddened, I recognized the strangeness of the situation. This had once been a second home to me and this woman and I were once close. We all stood guarded now. This is not how we all worked. My heart took a dive at the loss of the dynamic we once shared, before life got in the way. We were all younger, more carefree, more honest. While I couldn’t do a damn thing about the first two, I could, for the first time since this man showed up to my hospital, tell the truth.

“Always,” I said, keeping Dean’s gaze until I had no choice but to address her.

“So good you are here!” she said, clapping her hands together. “Dini, get Papa!” she ordered quickly.

“Mama, Papa is at work and Dallas is going to stay with you for a few hours while I work on the house, okay?” He seemed to be asking us both the question as I nodded a yes and she slowly did the same.

Dean addressed me next as his mother made herself comfortable back in her chair. “I have to do some stuff around here. I’ve really dropped the ball. It won’t take too long, okay?”