Minnesota Girl

My predictions were unfortunately correct and I did in fact lose my job. Mr. Johnson played it off like it had been a long time coming, and acted as if my lateness had been a factor when really, I knew it was because of the incident with Billie Joe. I fucking knew it. As I exited the bookstore, I wanted nothing more than to just go home and get away from every-fucking-body. As I got closer to the apartment building, I noticed Sheena's car was gone which I was kinda thankful for. I loved Sheena but even her overly chipper attitude could set me off. Today, I wanted everybody to just fuck off. I unlocked the door and was met by Tux which brought a smile to my face. I laid my bag down on the kitchen table and silently walked towards my room. Tux's black tail swished back and forth as he walked beside me. I lay down across my bed and chuckled a little as he jumped up and curled himself up against me. Tux always seemed to know when I'm down or angry and in return tries to cheer me up. I stared up at the ceiling while stroking his head and started to wonder if all this shit with Billie Joe was my parents way of haunting me. In reality, I knew it wasn't, but dammit, I needed something to make all of this shit make sense. I sighed and looked around the room while still petting Tux. Sheena wouldn't be home for a few more hours so I closed my eyes and allowed myself to drift away. About an hour later, my peaceful slumber was interrupted by Sheena bursting through my bedroom door, causing Tux to jump and hide under my bed.

“Sadie, get your sweet ass out of bed! We have plans!” Sh exclaimed. I groaned and turned to face the wall. “ You have plans. I'm staying here.” I mumbled against my pillow. Sheena huffed.

“But Sadie, Mike invited us to this really great show down at the bay. You have to go.” She whined.

I snorted. “Not happening.” I stated.

“Are you sick or something?” She questioned while sitting down at the foot of my bed.

“Sure.” I muttered. She sighed.

“Well, okay. Do you want me to stay home?” She asked. I shook my head and sat up a little. “No, you go. I know you really want to, besides I'm not so sure Mike would be able to function without you.” I joked while reaching down to grab Tux and sit him in my lap.

“Ha ha very funny.” She laughed while standing up and walking towards my door.

“Don't die tonight.” She said before opening the door.

I rolled my eyes. “If the Grim Reaper shows up I'll be sure to kick him in the crotch.” I teased. She laughed.

“Stay sexy Sadie.” She said with a wink before closing my door. I smiled and laid back against my headboard. There was no way in hell I was going anywhere that Billie Joe would be. Not tonight. I decided to just go sit in the living room and stuff my face full of ice cream while I watched reruns of Seinfeld and wait for Sheena to come home.

~***~

One pint of chocolate ice cream and two and a half beers later, I'm passed out on the couch with Tux at my feet when Sheena walks through the front door. I blink a couple of times and sit up slowly. “Hey, how was it?” I asked sleepily. She smiled as she took off her jacket.

“Tonight was great, Sadie. You really should have been there.” She told me as she walked towards the couch and took a sip from my half finished beer bottle.

I rolled my eyes. “I'm sure everybody was just devastated that I wasn't there.” I replied in a sarcastic tone. Sheena raised her eyebrows and nodded while she tipped the bottle back once more.

“Billie Joe kept asking where you were and if you were coming.” She informed me as she reached into her pocket. “He asked at least twice, so I gave him our number.”

I frowned. “Why did you do that?” I whined. She rolled her eyes.

“Because Sadie, he gave me his and it was only polite that I did in return. It's called manners. You remember those don't you?” I eyed her suspiciously as she handed me a folded up piece of paper.

“Then again, you seem to forget those when you're around him.” She mumbled.

“He said you should call him sometime.” She added.

I chuckled and stood up. “In his fucking dreams.” Sheena rolled her eyes.

“With that attitude you'll never get laid.” She mumbled.

I turned around. “What was that?” I questioned. She stretched and stood up.

“Oh, nothing. Listen, I'm going to bed. I have a hot date tomorrow.” She said with a smirk.

I grinned. “You and Mike have been seeing an awful lot of each other. Better not bring me any babies.” I joked. Sheena snorted and looked back at me before closing her door.

“No worries, mother.” She replied while disappearing into her room. I picked up the remote and shut off the TV. I looked down at the coffee table that laid the note with Billie Joe's number on it. Why the hell would he give me his number? It didn't make sense. Just earlier today we were fighting in the middle of the bookstore and all of a sudden he's upset that I didn't come to a show? I shook my head and left it on the table.

I woke up the next morning to Tux standing above me on my chest purring in my ear. I smiled as I pushed him off. Sheena had left early this morning to go meet Mike, where ever that may be. I had a slight headache from the beer I had allowed myself to have the night before and vowed to never mix it with ice cream again. I rubbed my eyes and sat up to find a note at the end of my bed. I squinted and reached for it. I recognized Sheena's handwriting and skimmed over it. Apparently, my car needed new brakes so she had taken it over to the shop this morning as well. I sighed and slowly removed myself from my warm bed. After a quick shower, I decided I would do something productive and go look in the wanted ads in the newspaper for a job. I actually liked my job at the bookshop so I wasn't exactly thrilled to have to possibly downgrade to waitressing again , that is if I have no other option. It was a little past twelve and I had already combed through two sections of wanted ads with no luck at finding a job. God, I fucking hate this. I was in the middle of eating my breakfast/lunch when the phone rang. I lazily reached over the couch and picked it up. “Hello?” I answered with a mouth full of Lucky Charms. There was a shuffling sound in the background.

“Is this Sadie Keaton?” The caller asked.

I frowned. “Yes, who is this?” I questioned while quickly swallowing the bite I had been chewing.

“Sadie, I'm a nurse at the East Bay Medical Center. There's been an accident.” She informed me.

My eyes widened. “An accident?” I stuttered, instantly thinking of Sheena and Mike. The nurse hesitated.

“We believe it's your grandmother. Eileen Keaton?”

My heart stopped. “M-my grandmother? Is-is she okay?” I asked, already panicking. The nurse was silent.

“We think it would be best if you came in quickly.” I was numb as I hung up the phone. I had just talked to my grandmother the day before, and she had been totally fine. I sat at the table with my head in my hands. Sheena's car is gone and I have no way of getting in touch with Mike since I had no fucking idea where they were. “Don't panic, Sadie. Do not panic.” I repeated to myself. My words didn't help though, I was on the brink of going out of my fucking mind. I thought about taking the bus but that would take way too long and it was too far to just walk. I was about to fall to pieces when I noticed the folded piece of paper on the coffee table. Then it hit me, Billie Joe. I didn't want to. I really didn't want to but I had no choice. I needed somebody. I picked up his number off the table and dialed it quickly. I fought off tears as it rang repeatedly. My heart was in my throat when I finally heard his voice on the other end.

“Hello?” He answered.

I bit my lip. “Billie Joe?” I forced out while trying to keep my voice steady.

“Yeah, who’s this?” He asked. I licked my lips and tried to keep my voice from breaking.

“S-Sadie.” I answered as any composure I had mustered fell apart.

“Sadie? What's the matter?” He asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

“I—I need to go to the-the hospital.” I stuttered out. Why the fuck am I shaking?

“Shit, are you okay?” He exclaimed while I heard the sound of keys hitting the floor.

“Yes, I just need you to come get me. Please.” I urged as I heard rustling in the background.

“Where do you live?” He questioned. I quickly yanked on my jacket as I spoke.

“Up the road from the bookstore. The first apartment complex.” I answered.

“I'll be there soon.” He said before leaving me to hear nothing but a dial tone.

~***~

Not even twenty minutes had passed when I heard Billie Joe outside my door.

“Sadie, it's me. Open the door.” He commanded. I leaped off the couch and slung the door open.

“What happ--” He started as I grabbed his hand and started walking to his car.

“I really need you to give me a ride to the hospital.” I said while going around to the passenger side of his Camaro. His eyes widened as we both got in.

“What happened?” He asked while starting the engine.

I shook my head. “I don't know. The hospital called me saying that my grandmother had been in an accident. Billie Joe please, you have to hurry.” I pleaded.

“What hospital?” He asked while pulling out into the street.

“East Bay Medical Center.” I answered as we zoomed down the street.

~***~

I don't think I've ever ran so fast in my life. The moment the car came to a stop I bolted out the door and sprinted towards the Emergency entrance, dodging people as I was met by two nurses at the reception desk. “Eileen Keaton, my grandmother, she-” I said out of breath. The nurse placed her hand on my shoulder.

“Miss Keaton, she's okay. Just a few cuts and bruises.” She assured me.

I frowned. “Then why did you have me racing down here like a maniac?” I hissed.

“A Neurologist, Dr. Steven's would like to speak with you.” She informed me.

I raised my eyebrows. “Neurologist?” I questioned. They wanted me to speak with a Neurologist? I couldn't even spell Neurologist. She nodded as she leads me out of the waiting room and into the hallway. At this point my head was swimming and it wasn't until the nurse shut the door that I finally realized I was in someone's office. I swallowed and sat down in a chair in front a large desk. The room looked like a typical doctor's office with plain white walls with diploma's and plaques hanging behind the desk. The longer I sat there the more I worried I became. I couldn't imagine why they wanted me to talk to a Neurologist, they said my grandmother was fine. I sat there trying to think of what a Neurologist even was, and I jumped a little as I heard the door open and close. I looked up to see a man, probably close to forty stand in front of me and extend his hand.

“Hello, I'm Mark Stevens. Are you Sadie?” He questioned while shaking my hand.

I nodded as he walked behind his desk and sat down.

“I'm sure you're wondering why I've asked to speak with you.” He started. I nodded.

“I'd like to ask you a few questions, if you don't mind.” He said while opening a folder and grabbing a pen from the cup on his desk.

I cleared my throat. “Uh, okay. Sure.” I said while popping my fingers. Hospital's always gave the creeps and that eerie feeling that something bad was going to happen. Today was no different.

“Now, it's my understanding that you are your grandmother's only living relative, and that your parents-” He paused to read something out of the folder. “John and Anne Keaton are deceased? I nodded in a agreement. He continued looking over the file.

“Alright, let's get started.” He said while looking at me. I wrung my hands nervously as he began.

“Does your grandmother ever forget everyday things like, what day of the week it is or the date?” He questioned.

I thought or a moment. “Um, sometimes. It just depends.” I answered. He nodded as he wrote something down.

“Has she ever forgotten where she is or who you are?”

I shook my head. “I don't think so.”

“Has she ever accused you of stealing objects in her home like, her car keys or glasses?” I frowned.

“Last week actually, I went by her house and she was looking for her rosary, which she always has with her. I tried to help her, but she told me she wanted to look through my bag like she was suspicious. It was weird.” I told him. He nodded and continued writing.

“Has her mood changed in any way? Meaning has she become more irritable when normally cheerful?”

“Um, kinda. Recently she's been really anxious. Saying that she thinks someone is always trying to get into her house. She lives in a gated community so nobody is even around her house.” I confessed. Dr. Stevens put his pen down and looked in my direction.

“Sadie, did the nurse tell you where the wreck happened?” He asked. I shook my head.

“Right down the street from her home. She ran a stop sign and hit the curb.” He informed me. My eyes widened. He sighed.

“When the paramedics arrived, she couldn't tell them her name or why she was even in the car.” My heart began racing. The doctor studied me for a moment and then finally spoke.

“Sadie, have you ever heard of a disease called Alzheimer's?”

I nodded. “Well, from the questions you've answered and from the tests we performed, we believe that your grandmother has Alzheimer's. It's very common in people her age.” He said.

I froze. “Can't it be fixed?” I asked him. He shook his head.

“There is no cure for Alzheimer's, and it appears that your grandmother has had it for some time now, at least a year. That's why I am personally advising that you put her somewhere that will have her supervised around the clock. She isn't safe living by herself anymore.” He said gently.

I bit my lip. “Will she die from this?” I asked. Not that I was really wanting to know the answer, but I had to ask. He was silent for a moment.

“Eventually, yes. We have medication to slow down the process, but it doesn't stop it completely.” He answered.

“How long does she have? Truthfully.” I asked quietly. He paused for a second before answering.

“With the right medication, three to ten years, but that's without any complications.” My heart sank and I suddenly felt nauseous. He stood up from his desk and handed me a piece of paper.

“These are a list of senior living facilities I'd like for you to call. They'll help you with living arrangements.” I took it from his hand and nodded.

“Can I see her?” I asked while standing up. He shook his head.

“I'm afraid they're running some tests right now. If you like you can come back later tonight.” He offered. I nodded and shook his hand again.

“We'll talk more when we get all of the test results.” He explained.I walked out into the hallway, closing the door behind me. How could this be happening to me? I wanted to cry. No, I wanted to fucking sob in the middle of this hallway. 'You've got to hold it together, Sadie.' I reminded myself. I bit my lip until the tears pricking my eyes vanished and slowly walked back to the waiting room.

~***~

I exited the hallway to discover Billie Joe sitting alone in a chair looking through a magazine. I was actually surprised he was here since I just left him when I ran in here like an idiot. He looked up as I approached him. “You're still here?” I questioned. He gazed up from the magazine and smiled.

“Well, yeah I figured you'd need a way home too.” He said while standing up. I faked a small smile and his eyes instantly softened. “Hey, you okay?” He asked as he placed his hand on my shoulder. I bit my lip and shook my head. I felt as if I couldn't breathe and that the ground would fall out from under me in any given moment. No matter how hard I tried the tears stinging my eyes were becoming unbearable and when I couldn't keep my composure any longer, I put my face in my hands and started sobbing uncontrollably. I didn't give a fuck who heard me or how many people stared, I just couldn't hold it in any longer. If anything my nerves wouldn't let me. I stood there weeping until I felt a pair of arms embrace me, burying my face into their shoulder. “Don't cry, Minnesota Girl.” I heard him whisper in my ear. Hot tears streamed down my face and I couldn't seem to stop them and my breath seemed to have been stuck in my throat. It wasn't like me to just break down in public like this, ever. Even with my parent's death, all through the funeral, I remained sullen and composed never shedding a tear. I prided myself on this, but today it was just too much too soon. When I finally pulled away, my tears had left their mark on his gray t-shirt. I lifted my gaze up and Billie Joe gave me a half smile before reaching down and wiping away the tears that remained on my cheeks. It was hard to believe this was the same person I was arguing with the day before. He was so kind and considerate to me, I almost regretted ever disliking him. “Are you alright?” He asked softly. I wiped my nose with my jacket sleeve and nodded, darting my eyes around the room. I was right about the staring, at least two couples and a few kids had their eyes glued to me. I felt my cheeks heat up and I couldn't do much to stop it. “Fuck them.” I heard Billie Joe whisper to me, motioning to the people around us. A woman who had been staring along with her child, gasped and glared in his direction. He reached out and touched my arm gently. “I can stay here with you if you want.” He told me. I looked back towards the double doors I had once been behind and sighed in realizing that waiting, here would only drive me further off the cliff I was already dangling from. I shook my head.

“I'd like to just go home.” I whispered. He eyed me for a moment, like he was trying to decide if that's what I really wanted and then nodded while fishing his keys from his pocket.

“Your chariot awaits.” He joked while holding the clear, glass door open.

I grinned and for the first time today, I laughed. “I think chariot is a little far fetched.” I said as we exited the hospital. It had just started raining. Billie Joe's eyes widened.

“What do you mean far fetched? You should be so lucky to ride in it.” He exclaimed while grabbing my arm and pulling me towards his car.

I could tell he was trying to lighten the mood, which considering I just cried in front of him, this was welcomed. “Yeah, lucky.” I mumbled while getting in on the passenger side. Billie Joe rolled his eyes playfully as he got in on the driver's side. We got kinda quiet after that. I felt like there was a giant pink elephant sitting in the back seat. I knew he had to be wondering why I broke down like I did in front of him. Hell, judging by yesterday's events I didn't even like him. I had been counting the raindrops that were sliding down the window when Billie Joe broke the silence.

“I was surprised you called me today.” He said while staring at the road ahead.

I looked away from the window and caught his eye for a moment before quickly looking down. “Well, it was an emergency. I needed you.” I admitted. He nodded while still looking at the road.

“Is your grandmother alright?” He questioned hesitantly. I nodded my head. I wasn't sure if I wanted to share the news I recently received with him just yet. I had a hard time believing it myself. Not only that, but we were still strangers to each other. Billie Joe chuckled lightly. “You don't have to bullshit me. Something happened back there or else you wouldn't have cried on my fucking shoulder.” He stated, glancing over at me and then back at the road. I sighed and ran my hand through my dampened hair. My 'everything is okay' facade obviously wasn't going to work, I was a fool for even trying. I bit my lip and popped my knuckles nervously.

“My grandma, they think she has Alzheimer's.” I finally forced out. I didn't really like telling people my problems; no matter how much it ate me up inside. Billie Joe raised his eyebrows.

“Shit, are you serious?” He asked while stopping at the red light. I nodded my head. Even saying it out loud made me sick to my stomach. He rested his head in his hand that had been propped up on the door and sighed. “I don't really know what to say.” He said as we started to move again. Truthfully, I didn't really know what to say either. I was still kinda freaked out at how nice he actually was. He wasn't being the obnoxious ass that called me out during a party, or the jerk that cost me my job. He was being a friend. Which is exactly what I needed right now. A smile tugged at the corners of my mouth.

“You don't have to say anything. I'll be okay.” I said as we pulled into the apartment parking lot. The first thing I noticed was that Sheena was home. I could imagine her reaction to find me missing from the apartment, knowing I had planned to stay there the whole day. Billie Joe pulled into a parking spot and shut the car off. The rain had slowed down to just a few sprinkles which I was thankful for. We sat there in silence for a moment and Billie Joe reached out and grabbed my hand.

“I, uh, I want to apologize for yesterday. I know I got you in trouble with your boss and you didn't really deserve it. I'm sorry.” He said genuinely.

I felt my stomach flutter and tried not to grin. “It's okay, I didn't really like that job anyway.” I lied. I didn't want to make him feel even worse by letting him know that I had really enjoyed my job. His eyes widened quickly.

“Wait, I got you fired?” He asked softly.

I nodded sheepishly. “Afraid so. Right after you left.” I informed him. He shook his head.

“Fuck, I'm so sorry Sadie.” He apologized.

I smiled and patted his shoulder. “It's okay, really, don't feel bad. I probably had it coming.” I assured him. He grinned slightly and I sighed. “I should probably get in there before Sheena starts filing a missing person's report.” I joked while motioning towards the apartment building. “Thanks for today. I probably wouldn't have held up without you.” I confessed, and this time I believed it when I said that I had needed him.

“Anything for you, Minnesota Girl.” He said with a wink. I felt my cheeks heat up and I quickly opened my door. “Let me know how things go with your grandmother.” He said as I got out. I smiled and nodded.

“I will.” I said while putting my hood up.

“That means I expect to see you at our next show.” He said as he rolled down the window.

I rolled my eyes playfully. “We'll see.” I said while turning to walk towards the stairs that lead to my apartment. I watched as his tail lights faded down the road and as I made my way up the long flight of stairs, I smiled to myself. This day started off with me in ruins and ended with a smile plastered on my face I couldn't seem to get rid of? What the fuck is wrong with me?