“No.” She shook her head. “I don’t live here anymore.”
“What?”
“They made me move out.” She harrumphed. “It’s a long story, but I was getting my medication mixed up and wound up in the hospital. Then my doctor filed a report with the county, and there was an investigation.” She put the last word in finger quotes. “A bunch of busybodies. You wouldn’t believe the brouhaha when I wouldn’t let a visiting nurse come to my house. It was like end-times in Pullman. I finally took charge and decided to move into Pine Ridge Hollow, where Howard lives, before they got some court-appointed person to take away my rights.”
“So Pine Ridge Hollow is an apartment complex?”
“An old folks’ home.” She frowned. “They like the residents to be back before dark unless you let them know in advance.”
Joe pondered this. “Are you going to get in trouble?”
“Ack.” She flapped a hand dismissively. “They have so many rules, but as you know, rules are meant to be broken. What are they going to do, say I can’t have my pudding for dessert?”
“Pearl!” Howard called from the next room, his voice thin and anxious. “We better get back. I already missed my evening medications.”
“And they’re a little hung up on the medications,” she said. “They dole them out like Tic Tacs. And then they give you the tiniest little paper cup of water. Bunch of cheapskates.”
“They did that at Trendale too,” Joe said, remembering the disposable cups that held only a sip and a half. Like someone might overdose on water.
“Did they watch to make sure you swallowed the pill?”
“Yes, they did.”
She sighed. “I hate that.”
“I hated that too.” He met her eyes, and for the first time, he felt like maybe there was a family connection. They’d bonded over having medication dispensed.
From down the hall: “Pearlie!”
“I have to go,” she said. “You’ll be fine here. I’ll come back tomorrow about nine. If you need me, dial the operator. Her name is Nellie. Ask for Pine Ridge Hollow. She’ll know how to put the call through.” She gave him an appraising look. “But you seem like a capable young man, so I doubt that will be necessary.”
“Okay.”
“Oh, and I put some food in the refrigerator earlier today. There’s also some canned soup.”
“Thank you.”
“Pearl!”
“I’m coming, Howard. Hold your horses.” And down the hallway she went, her walker leading the way.
CHAPTER SIX
1916
Pearl thought that even if she lived to be a hundred, she wouldn’t forget the day John Lawrence came to stay with the family. Little did she know that his arrival would mark the beginning of the end, her life changing in so many ways, and none of them good. All she knew was that John Lawrence—an eligible young bachelor—was being delivered right to her doorstep. Even though she didn’t know what he looked like, the idea made her shiver with anticipation.
She’d known all the young men in their small town since they were practically infants, and they were essentially the only men she knew. Not being allowed to venture far from home, Pearl rarely met new people. Occasionally, someone in town would have a relative come to visit, which was always of interest, but having a young man come live with them was an event like no other. As far as she was concerned, it was the most exciting thing to happen in Pullman, Wisconsin, in a long time, maybe for years. Absolutely nothing ever changed for the better in Pullman unless you counted a new picture at the Victory Theater. Pearl and her five younger sisters had seen all the pictures, many times. Their oldest sister, Alice, was the pianist on Saturday nights, and so the owner, Mr. Kramer, let them in for free as long as they sat in the back and were very quiet.
The day John was set to arrive happened to be the twins’ birthday. Mae and Maude had turned nine that day and were so excited, Pearl could barely stand to be in the same room with them. Pearl, at seventeen, didn’t think she’d ever acted so silly, the way they skipped around the kitchen, getting in the way of Alice, who was trying to get a cake in the oven. A year and a half older than Pearl, Alice had a sweet disposition but was as dull as an old maid. By necessity, she’d taken over the household after the birth of little Daisy. At first they’d thought their mother just needed time to regain her strength, but when the baby was six months old, their mother had gotten influenza and a croupy cough, and it grew worse from there. Their mother, so beloved, faded before their eyes, finally becoming delirious with fever. For weeks, Alice tended to her, and the doctor visited daily, but nothing seemed to help. Even as much as they saw her struggle and weaken, it was a horrible shock when she died, the younger girls sobbing and wandering listlessly around the house, their father stoic but shattered. No one smiled until one day when they heard Alice singing a lullaby to the baby and little Daisy gurgling in delight.