After what felt like an eternity the sign for their exit appeared. Boots glanced over at Lizzie who seemed to be having a heart attack. "What's wrong Liz?", Boots asked with intense worry in her eyes. She had never seen her sister like this. Lizzie was the one who always had it all together. Boots placed her hand on Lizzie's knee. "I bet you're nervous to see grandma. Don't worry Liz, she's probably doing great! Right Gregor?" Gregor looked up and gave her a reassuring smile. Lizzi's breathing slowed a bit. She knew Boots was clueless. She decided to do her best at keeping herself under control. "Yea Boots, I bet you're right. Grandma is probably great. It's just being here brings back so many memories." Gregor and Lizzie locked eyes in the mirror again. "Of grandma," she said rather quickly. "Nice recovery," Gregor thought to himself.
Gregor rounded the block and directly ahead of them was the nursing home. He found a parking spot along one of the side streets, but after he pulled in and turned the car off they all just sat there. "Well," Boots said, "Lets go in, grandma has waited long enough for us. She can't wait forever!" Gregor thought of someone else who was waiting for him. Or was she? Could he really expect her to wait forever for him. Five years... "It's too late," Gregor said aloud. "What?", Boots said with a bit of alarm. "Oh, umm, I mean, I hope it's not too late...for visiting hours that is."
"Gregor, it's only like 2:00 in the afternoon. I know they're old, but sheesh, 2:00 seems early even for them. haha" Lizzie stared from her brother to her sister, and then back to her brother again. Waiting to see his recovery. Gregor opened his mouth to speak, "Oh, I guess I looked at the clock wrong. I don't know where my head is today. Long drive maybe." Boots just smiled and said,"ok, let's get going." As they got out of the car Lizzie gave Gregor a look. She knew exactly where he had his head. The same place that she had hers.
They made their way up the sidewalk towards the Center. Along the edge of the sidewalk they passed an over-flowing trash can. "No wonder mom wanted to get us out of here! Look at how dirty this place is. I bet there are roaches and things everywhere," Boots said under her breath. As if on cue, one of the little insects crawled out from under the litter that was skirting around the can. Boots stopped and looked down at it. With it's antennas twitching, it appeared as though it was staring at her. Locked on the roach, Boots hadn't noticed that Gregor and Lizzie were still walking. She broke their stare, looked up the street after her siblings, then back at the roach.
"princess". Boots' eyes went wide. She shook her head as if to clear it, and ran to catch up.
Inside the lobby of the nursing home they found an information desk on one side, and an area crowded with over stuffed furniture, some dusty plants, and an old television set on the other. Lizzie and Boots went and sat down across from each other while Gregor spoke with the receptionist. Boots looked over at her sister who had her head in her hand."Lizzie, you get weird feelings here don't you?" Lizzie sighed,"I guess you could call it that." In a barley audible voice Boots asked,"Do you hear things?" Lizzie glared at her sister. "No", Lizzie said and then hesitantly asked,"what...do you hear...Boots?" Leaning in, breaking the gap between them so that no words escaped the conversation, Boots whispered,"princess". Lizzie's mouth dropped open. Just then Gregor walked back and sat down next to Boots. "She'll be right out to meet us."
A nurse pushing a wheel chair came out from the long hallway and brought grandma right up to us. With a raised but kind voice she said,"Your family is here to visit with you sweetie. I'll be back to get you for dinner in a bit. Enjoy your company." Grandma's eyes went right to me. "Hi grandma, it's Gregor." Grandma narrowed her eyes and said matter-of-factly," I know who you are. I'm old, not dumb. Your my strong Gregor. And that's my smart Lizzie, and this...is Boots. The little princess." At the sound of princess we all looked at Boots, who looked as if she'd seen a ghost. "What? Ok, so your not that little anymore. How old are you now, six?" Boots looked at grandma with a skeptical stare. "I just turned eight actually."
"Oh yes," said grandma. Then she turned to me and Lizzie. "That make's you about what thirteen, and you seventeen." "yes", we said together. "Ah, I see".
We sat like that for quite a long time. Grandma asked us questions about life in the quote-unquote country. She told us about her time here at the home. Her and Boots did most of the talking though. Lizzie sat there half paying attention. I sat with my elbows on my knees, resting my head in my hands, staring off into space. That's when I saw it. There, behind one of the plants in the corner of the room. The tail...of a rat. "That's quite a tail!", grandma said enthusiastically. "What did she say?", I think to myself. "Don't you think Gregor?" "You saw it too?", I say surprsied and a little louder than I probably should have. Everyone jumps at my sudden tone of voice. "See what?", grandma asks. "I was just reffering to the story Boots was telling about her adventure in the woods near your home. It was quite a tail, don't you think?" I studder, choking on a cover up. "Oh, I um, yes! Quite a tail Boots." Lizzie laughs nervously. I wonder if she saw it too.
Now all the attention was on me. "So Gregor, I believe I've missed most of those precious teenage years of yours. You have grown up so fast. Practically a man now." It was true. Grandma hadn't seen me since that summer I turned twelve. How much growing up I did in that year she would never know. "Yea grandma, it's been something." Boots giggled,"I don't know about him being a man though." Lizzie and Boots laughed, but grandma just smiled at me. "Awe, now girls, your brother is shaping up to be a fine young man. Smart, strong, protective. Just like a warrior should be." Lizzie stopped laughing. "What was that grandma," I say. Just then the nurse appears. "Time for your dinner ma'am. I'm sorry children, visiting hours are over. But you can come back tomorrow for another visit." Grandma takes my hand and looks up at the nurse. "No, they have to be going now. They have poeple waiting for them...",and before she finishes her sentence she gives me a look like she is staring into my very being,"...at home." At that the nurse wheels her down towards the cafeteria and she's gone.