Caved
Pardon
"Excuse me, Miss, do you know where I can find the front desk?" A young, well-dressed man pulls Tyler from her day dream. His light grey eyes stare at her with purpose.
"Oh, yes. It's the building across the way, just through the dark mahogany door." She says with a shy smile. He stares into her dark green eyes before looking towards the door.
"Thank you." He says with a gracious smile and walks out the front door.
"Tyler?" She hears her name called from down the hall.
"Coming grans!" She calls back. Tyler finishes the paragraph of her book and moves her bookmark to hold her current page. She walks down the long corridor, stopping short of the last door on the right. She sucks in a long breath of air before pushing the door open.
"Hi grans." Tyler says while pulling a chair close to her grandmother’s bedside.
"Hi sweetie," Her grandmother says. "Do you mind opening the blinds? I'd like a bit of sunshine."
"Of course," Tyler says and pulls open the blinds before taking a seat at her grandmothers side.
"Thank you."
"How are you feeling?"
"Oh, I feel fine honey."
As if on cue, her grandmother’s doctor knocks on the door before entering the room.
"How are you doing, Ms. Caldwell?" Dr. Cantor asks while checking a few things on his clipboard.
"I'm doing just fine." She says.
"Tyler, do you mind accompanying me to the cafeteria for a cup of coffee?" Dr. Cantor asks.
"Uh yes, of course." Tyler says while standing. "I'll be right back, grans," Tyler kisses her grandmother on the cheek before exiting the room.
"So?" Tyler asks, waiting for the doctor’s news.
"Her Alzheimer’s is getting worse fast. Her lungs have stopped working without support and soon her heart is going to give out. It's only a matter of weeks before she's going to pass." Dr. Cantor says and places a hand on Tyler's shoulder. "I'm sorry I don't have better news to bring."
"I understand," Tyler says. They reach the cafeteria when Dr. Cantor’s pager beeps. He glances down at it before sighing.
"I wish we could sit and talk, but I've got to go." Dr. Cantor says. "Please take care of yourself. I will be in touch shortly."
Tyler stands alone for a moment, pondering the news. She knew it was going to happen soon, but she didn't think it would be this soon. Tyler fills up a cup with cold water and takes a seat at an empty table next to a large window. She sips on her water and thinks about what she is going to do when her grandmother passes.
Tyler had lived with her grandmother since she was 14. Her mother had passed away at birth and her father died in an alcohol related accident. She's 19 now, and her grandmother is the only family she has left. It is going to be hard without her, and though Tyler had been preparing for this as her grandmother has gotten worse, she just isn’t ready.
"Mind if I sit here?" The young man from earlier asks while pulling out the chair across from Tyler.
"Uh, sure." Tyler says and straightens up. She hadn't been aware she was slouching until now.
"My name is Ethan," He says and his grey eyes stare intently into Tyler’s. He sets his coffee cup on the table in front of them.
"Tyler," She replies. She studies his face for moment. His light grey eyes are shallow and mysterious. He has long eyelashes any girl would be jealous of. He has a strong jawline and high cheek bones and his five o'clock shadow makes him appear to be in his mid-twenties. He's nicely dressed, and Tyler concludes he's not from this small town she resides in.
"Are you doing alright?” He asks while dumping 3 packets of sugar into his cup.
"I’ve been better.” She says and stares back out the window.
"I am visiting my Uncle.” He says and takes a sip of his coffee. “He’s the only family I have left, that I speak to at least…” He trails. “What about you?”
"I’m visiting my grandmother.” Tyler says and glances back at Ethan, he can see the sadness in her eyes. His eyes are fixed on hers and Tyler feels a brief chill from the gaze. Tyler has always been reserved and a bit of a loner, but something about Ethan made her want to share everything and she knew that was dangerous.
"She's not going to be around much longer?" He asks.
"I don't mean to sound rude, but I'd rather not discuss this with a stranger."
"My apologies - I don't mean to be intrusive. There are not too many others to speak with around here." He says. They sit in silence for a moment.
"I should probably get back to my grandmother.” Tyler finally says before heading back to her grandmother’s room.
"Oh, yes. It's the building across the way, just through the dark mahogany door." She says with a shy smile. He stares into her dark green eyes before looking towards the door.
"Thank you." He says with a gracious smile and walks out the front door.
"Tyler?" She hears her name called from down the hall.
"Coming grans!" She calls back. Tyler finishes the paragraph of her book and moves her bookmark to hold her current page. She walks down the long corridor, stopping short of the last door on the right. She sucks in a long breath of air before pushing the door open.
"Hi grans." Tyler says while pulling a chair close to her grandmother’s bedside.
"Hi sweetie," Her grandmother says. "Do you mind opening the blinds? I'd like a bit of sunshine."
"Of course," Tyler says and pulls open the blinds before taking a seat at her grandmothers side.
"Thank you."
"How are you feeling?"
"Oh, I feel fine honey."
As if on cue, her grandmother’s doctor knocks on the door before entering the room.
"How are you doing, Ms. Caldwell?" Dr. Cantor asks while checking a few things on his clipboard.
"I'm doing just fine." She says.
"Tyler, do you mind accompanying me to the cafeteria for a cup of coffee?" Dr. Cantor asks.
"Uh yes, of course." Tyler says while standing. "I'll be right back, grans," Tyler kisses her grandmother on the cheek before exiting the room.
"So?" Tyler asks, waiting for the doctor’s news.
"Her Alzheimer’s is getting worse fast. Her lungs have stopped working without support and soon her heart is going to give out. It's only a matter of weeks before she's going to pass." Dr. Cantor says and places a hand on Tyler's shoulder. "I'm sorry I don't have better news to bring."
"I understand," Tyler says. They reach the cafeteria when Dr. Cantor’s pager beeps. He glances down at it before sighing.
"I wish we could sit and talk, but I've got to go." Dr. Cantor says. "Please take care of yourself. I will be in touch shortly."
Tyler stands alone for a moment, pondering the news. She knew it was going to happen soon, but she didn't think it would be this soon. Tyler fills up a cup with cold water and takes a seat at an empty table next to a large window. She sips on her water and thinks about what she is going to do when her grandmother passes.
Tyler had lived with her grandmother since she was 14. Her mother had passed away at birth and her father died in an alcohol related accident. She's 19 now, and her grandmother is the only family she has left. It is going to be hard without her, and though Tyler had been preparing for this as her grandmother has gotten worse, she just isn’t ready.
"Mind if I sit here?" The young man from earlier asks while pulling out the chair across from Tyler.
"Uh, sure." Tyler says and straightens up. She hadn't been aware she was slouching until now.
"My name is Ethan," He says and his grey eyes stare intently into Tyler’s. He sets his coffee cup on the table in front of them.
"Tyler," She replies. She studies his face for moment. His light grey eyes are shallow and mysterious. He has long eyelashes any girl would be jealous of. He has a strong jawline and high cheek bones and his five o'clock shadow makes him appear to be in his mid-twenties. He's nicely dressed, and Tyler concludes he's not from this small town she resides in.
"Are you doing alright?” He asks while dumping 3 packets of sugar into his cup.
"I’ve been better.” She says and stares back out the window.
"I am visiting my Uncle.” He says and takes a sip of his coffee. “He’s the only family I have left, that I speak to at least…” He trails. “What about you?”
"I’m visiting my grandmother.” Tyler says and glances back at Ethan, he can see the sadness in her eyes. His eyes are fixed on hers and Tyler feels a brief chill from the gaze. Tyler has always been reserved and a bit of a loner, but something about Ethan made her want to share everything and she knew that was dangerous.
"She's not going to be around much longer?" He asks.
"I don't mean to sound rude, but I'd rather not discuss this with a stranger."
"My apologies - I don't mean to be intrusive. There are not too many others to speak with around here." He says. They sit in silence for a moment.
"I should probably get back to my grandmother.” Tyler finally says before heading back to her grandmother’s room.