In 2011, Ella and her husband of one year became first-time parents to fraternal twins. A son they named Nicholas Perry, and a daughter named Della Rose. The twins made Della a great-great-grandmother.
Maureen began to notice that her mother was having difficulty walking. Her balance and coordination were off. Della was also having a bit of difficulty breathing at times. Maureen took her mother to the doctor for a check-up. The doctor ordered several tests be done on Della's lungs. He also told the older woman to start using a cane when walking. Della was fine with that. She had used a cane when she broke her knee at age forty-two, so it wasn't a big deal. Maureen took her mother to the doctor a week later for the test results. Paul was at home when the two women returned. "So, what's the word?" he asked.
"Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease," Maureen said.
Paul looked at Della, "I never knew you smoked."
"I did from the time I was twenty-two until right before I got pregnant with Maureen. Then I would sneak a few when things got really bad. I haven't had one since Perry died."
Maureen handed her husband the information, "she's going to have breathing treatments that can be done here at home. They said we don't need oxygen tanks yet, but we will eventually."
"I'll look these over," Paul said.
"I'm going to update everyone."
The Mason family had gotten Della through the loss of her husband. They all made time for her. There wasn't a day that went by when one or more of them didn't contact her in some way.
One day, Della sat Maureen down to have a conversation. "What's going on?" Maureen asked.
"I realized that I never changed my power of attorney when your father died."
"I'm sure that Nicky will be more than happy to change that."
"I know, but I wanted to talk to you about it."
"Why?"
"Because I want it to be you."
Maureen was in shock, "I don't understand. What about Violet, or Vivian, or anyone else?"
"I trust all of my children, but you know more about what I want. You and your family have been living here with me for thirty years. I know that if the time comes that I can't make my own decisions, that you'll make the right ones."
"Well, I doubt it'll come to that. If you haven't lost your mind by now, you're probably not going to."
Della laughed, "I have had plenty of opportunities to lose it. I did just the one time."
"But you came back even stronger. You always do."
"Well, you all still needed me."
"We still do. We'll always need you."
"I never thought you of all people would say that."
"I never wanted to admit it. I wanted to never need anyone, but I do. I needed daddy. I need Paul, and I need you."
"What do you say we stop this sob fest and go have a little fun?" Della smiled mischievously.
"What kind of fun?"
"Call your sisters," she said, "I'm going to show you all how I used to have fun with Gertie, Jenny, Annette, Irene, and Penny. Oh, and tell Paul to be on standby."
Della went to her room and left her confused daughter behind. Maureen sent a group message to her sisters and went to get ready. "You don't know where she's taking you?" Paul asked.
"No, don't you?"
"My mother never talked about their nights out. It was part of some code. Irene, Annette, and Jenny didn't talk either."
"What could they have possibly done that they wouldn't want to talk about?"
"I'm starting to wonder if Della is where you got your wild side from."
Maureen looked at her husband, "please, my mother wild? You've got to be kidding me?"
"Well, good luck, babe. Let me know if I was right. Oh, and you've still got it."
"Hell yeah, I do! If I'm still alive by the end of the night, I'll give it you when I get home."
"I doubt you'll be conscious, but okay."
Della took the girls out for a night of drinking and dancing. Paul went to pick up Della and Maureen while the others had their husbands pick them up. "So, I see you two had fun. What did you do?"
Maureen smiled at her mother, "wouldn't you like to know," she said before laughing.
"Well, I know you all got plastered. Is this what you and my mother did?"
"I'll never tell," Della said.
"See, I didn't want to know before, but now I do."
"Well, Mr. Private Investigator, I'm sure you'll find a way to figure it out."
The next day, Maureen was hungover, but Della seemed perfectly fine. "How are you not sick?"
"At this point in my life, I know how to avoid or lessen the effects of a hangover."
"I've never seen you like that."
"None of you have. I went with your father to have fun and left you kids with Jenny."
"When did you have time?"
"Did you ever think that maybe, we didn't always have to work late?" Della smiled.
"Seriously?"
"You mean to tell me that when you and Paul work late..."
"We're actually working late."
"That's sad," Della said, "kids today don't know what they're missing."
"Mom, I'm not a kid of today. Besides, I figured you'd be happy at how tame I am."
"I didn't want you being all wild while I was raising you. I thought with a Drake that the two of you would be having some wild times. Now it's like your father and I watched the kids for nothing."
"We still worked."
"Maureen, get a life," Della said before leaving the room.
"Unbelievable," Maureen said as she sat there dumbfounded.
Della and her daughters continued to go out together. They didn't always do the same thing, but they tried to get together at least once a week. They were either retired or made their own schedules. The others would take turns staying with Della so that Maureen and Paul could go out. Della could take care of herself, but they didn't want to risk it. Plus, it gave them an excuse to spend time with her. Maureen and Paul went away for their anniversary. Nicky and Nancy had decided to stay with Della at night since Nancy had medical training. The others would drop by during the day to spend time with her while Nicky and Nancy took a break until around five. One night, Nicky had been helping his wife clean up after dinner. "You know, your mom's been awfully quiet," Nancy said with concern evident in her voice.
"I'll go check on her," Nicky left the kitchen and peeked into the living room. He went back to his wife, "she fell asleep on the couch. Would you mind if I went to take care of her?"
"Of course not," she said, "let me know if you need help."
Nicky walked over to his mother and knelt in front of her. He gently nudged her, "mom, wake up so I can get you to bed."
Della's eyes fluttered open, "I'm sorry I fell asleep."
"Don't be sorry," Nicky stood, "do you need help?"
Della nodded and reached her hand out. Nicky gently pulled the woman to her feet and held on as they made their way to the bedroom. He had her sit on the bed while he helped her change. Della was out by the time her head hit the pillow.
When Maureen and Paul returned, Nicky and Nancy greeted them at the door. "How's mom?" Maureen asked.
"She's doing well. There was a night where she was really tired and went to bed early, but other than that, she's good," Nicky said.
"Thanks again for staying," Paul said.
"No problem," Nancy said, "anytime."
Nicky and Nancy went to say goodbye to Della and left. Paul went and hugged his mother-in-law. Then Maureen greeted her mother. "Did you two have fun?"
"We did," Maureen said.
"Good, I'm glad."
"But we're really happy to be home with you," Paul said. "We missed you."
"Of course you did," Della said jokingly.
It had been three days since Maureen and Paul returned. Della had been feeling tired all day. That happened from time to time, but she also thought this felt different. When it was time for dinner, Paul had to help her to the table, and after, Maureen helped her to the couch. "Every time she seems off, I start to worry that this is it," Maureen told her husband as they cleaned up after dinner.
"I know," Paul said sympathetically. "We'll see how she is tomorrow. If she's the same or worse, we'll call her doctor. I'm sure she's fine."
Maureen sighed, "you're probably right. I'm just overreacting."
The two then heard Della's voice in the living room, "Maureen! Paul!"
The two rushed into the living room and towards Della. "Mom, what's wrong?" Maureen asked as she sat on the coffee table.
"I can't breath," she gasped.
Paul called the paramedics while Maureen held her mother. She rode in the ambulance with her while Paul followed in their car. The two sat with Della while they awaited her test results. The woman was asleep when the doctor walked in. "She has a respiratory infection."
Maureen had been crying. She wiped her tears and looked at the doctor, "is she going to be okay?"
"I think so, but I can't say for certain. Anytime someone with a chronic respiratory illness like COPD or emphysema gets sick, it's much worse. Especially, if they get sick with a respiratory illness like an infection or pneumonia."
"Is it possible that we brought it back with us from Greece?" Paul asked.
"It's possible, but she could have picked it up from anyone, anywhere."
"How long do you think she'll be here?" Maureen asked.
"I'm not sure," he said, "however long it takes for the infection to clear up. We're having a room prepped for her. Once it's ready they'll move her."
The doctor left the room. Maureen and Paul sat down and started talking, "I never even thought of this," Maureen said. "Why didn't I think about her getting sick and it being worse?"
"Your mom's been going out, having fun, dancing, and drinking. She's been very active. Nothing has given us any indication that this was going to happen, but now we know. We can try to prevent her from getting sick, but ultimately, she will."
Della was transferred to a room a half-hour later. After another half hour, she woke up and her daughter explained everything. Della spent a week in the hospital. Her daughters took dinner to her on the night they usually went out so that she didn't have to miss out. At home, she spent another week resting. Her daughters took dinner to their mother while Paul went out with the guys. It was slow, but eventually, Della recovered from her infection. She didn't slow down. She didn't need to at that point. Della wasn't going to let that scare her out of living her life. She hadn't the other ninety-two years of her life, and she wasn't going to start now.
