It's been a while since Michaela and Zeke moved in with Beverly. It's had its ups and downs. Actually, mostly downs. The poor woman lost her entire family. She can't remember who her caregivers are. Beverly still gets confused and distressed whenever Zeke tries to help. In fact, she's even starting to forget who Michaela is.
Seeing Beverly distressed so often has been very hard on Michaela. She knows that helping Beverly, who has become like a second mom to her, is the right thing to do, but it's really taking its toll on her mentally.
Today was especially bad. Not much could help Beverly as she slowly forgets everyone around her. It was worse today because she forgot Evie for the first time. When reminded that Evie was her daughter, she went into her spiral of wondering where Evie is. Zeke arrived home from working at the clinic just after she had calmed down. He immediately spotted Michaela on the couch with a dazed look in her eyes. He didn't even need his powers to tell that something was off with her.
"Hey," he said while putting his hand on his wife's shoulder, "you ok?"
Michaela looked up at Zeke. She had been crying. Her ocean blue eyes were still red and puffy. She lightly put her hand on top of his and responded with a silent, "No."
Without hesitation, Zeke sat next to her and brought her in for a hug. He could feel just how tired she had become. He softly asked her, "Was it Beverly? Did she forget who you are again?" Mick shook her head, tears coming back to her eyes.
"Not just me Zeke," she responded, "she forgot Evie."
The shock was sudden. They both knew she'd forget her loved ones eventually, but that doesn't make it hurt any less.
He gets up from the couch and tells Michaela, "I'll go get you a glass of water."
"Thank you, Zeke. I love you."
Those words never got old for him. He gives her a kiss on the forehead and goes to grab her some water, greeting Beverly on the way. She was sitting at the kitchen table looking in a large book of some sort. As expected, she didn't remember who Zeke is. He calms her down from her startled state of a strange man who knows her name just grabbing a glass of water from her kitchen.
After re-introducing himself to Beverly and grabbing Mick some water, he makes his way back to the living room. Before he went, Beverly pulled him aside and showed him what she was looking at. Turns out, it was a photo album.
While pointing to a picture of her, Glen, and Evie. Beverly tells him, "That's my family you know. They're so sweet. I'm so lucky to have them."
He finally got that glass of water to Michaela.
"Took you long enough", she said with a slight giggle. She seems to snap back to reality. Turning to her devoted husband, she admits, "I just want to help her. I wish she could remember us, and how she was the one that brought us back together and gave me the courage to admit my feelings for you."
"I know", Zeke responded. "You have the biggest heart; do you know that? Not many people would stick around and help their best friend's mom like this."
Mick quickly adds on, "I owe her for all that I did. Not only that, she's become like a second mom to me. She may not remember it all, but she's done so much for me over the years."
A lightbulb seems to go off in Zeke's head as he looks back over at Beverly skimming through her old photo album. "Hey, babe, does she look at that a lot when I'm not around?"
Mick looks a bit confused, but answers, "Yeah, all the time. Why?"
"You wanted to help her be less confused, right?"
"Of course."
"Why don't we make her a scrapbook?"
Michaela usually is on the same page as her soulmate, but she's a bit confused at this new idea.
He explains, "She loves looking at photos, and we have lots of those. We can make a scrapbook of some of the people in her life, and maybe add their names along with it. You know? Like what Cal and Olive made for Eden, but just more emphasis on matching photos to names. We could even include her caregivers and photos of us. Maybe one of our wedding so she knows that we're married. I'd hate for another mishap of her thinking you're cheating on Jared."
She pauses, thinking for a few seconds, then responds, "Actually, I love that idea. It'd be so fun to make, and I think she'd really enjoy it."
"Great! Let's gather the supplies!"
After a whole weekend of working on the project, they finally give it to Beverly. She really liked the present, and even though she still doesn't remember the people from the pictures, it's one tiny way to help her to better understand her surroundings.
One day, he returns home from the clinic like always, earlier than Michaela today. He greets Beverly and her aide on his way to grabbing some pork rinds from the pantry. Beverly is looking through her scrapbook.
She looks at Zeke, the gears seeming to turn in her head. "Hello, Zeke."
Startled a bit, he turns to see her holding up the page of the scrapbook with his picture and name on it, pointing to his name. After reaffirming that she got his name correct, he couldn't help but smile. Him and Mick are actually making a difference in her wellbeing. Excited at the events that just occurred, he pulls out his phone and opens up his messages with Michaela.
"Hey, Mick, you won't believe what just happened!"
