It was already starting to get dark at four thirty in the afternoon. It would be even darker at this time in another week or so. Liz always hated the change from daylight savings time to standard time. It always made the day seem so short and night so long. And she dreaded having to change the clocks. She knew she would have to do this soon.
She had woken up early that morning, remembering that it was Sunday and that she was going to go to the nursing home to visit Joe. She was hurting bad today and the change in temperature had not helped one bit. There had been a frost the night before and the grass was still dusted with white when she had first looked out in the morning. Just the sight of it had made her feel colder, even though she had a warm house.
Marlee Drum had just called to tell her that Lew would be ready to leave for the home at six.
Deb had been outside all afternoon with her tractor and when she finally put it away and came in, it was a few minutes before six. Liz already had her long, dark blue winter coat on. This was the first she had worn it this year. As she peered out the front room window, she was wishing to herself that she had declined Lew Drum’s offer to drive her to the home. It always depressed her to see Joe the way he was. Especially when she wasn’t feeling well. And, she hadn’t been feeling well for several days now. Today, her eyesight was a bit blurred in her right eye. She felt light headed and a bit dizzy.
The garage light went on next door and Lew Drum emerged carrying a suitcase. She saw Marlee open the front door and stepped halfway out on the stoop.
She waved to Lew, but Lew was busy settling himself in the car and didn’t seem to notice or perhaps, he just didn’t bother to wave.
Liz started for the front door.” There’s Lew, now,” Liz said.” I’d better get out there.”
“Call me if you need me,” Deb said, taking off her heavy jacket and pile hat, hanging them up on a hook in the kitchen.
By the time Liz got outside, Lew Drum had already started his car, backed out of his driveway and had driven into Liz’s, so she wouldn’t have to walk any farther than necessary.
“Lew always was considerate and thoughtful,” Liz mused.
“Can you help me a bit with this, Liz?” Lew Drum asked as he came out of the men’s room. Liz had been waiting in the hallway for him to change into his costume. He was wearing a baggy brown and black body suit with doggie feet. He held the head of a giant Scooby Doo in his hands.” I always have trouble getting the zipper in the back all the way up. I just can’t seem to reach it.” He turned his back to her. The zipper was about two thirds up, leaving it V’d open exposing the back of his white shirt.
She zipped it all the way to the nape of his neck and fastened the zipper mechanism tight so it wouldn’t slide down.” There you are,” Liz said, smoothing out the fabric of the costume across his broad shoulders.
“Thanks,” he said as he lifted the Scooby head and placed it over his own settling the bottom flaps on his shoulders.” How do I look?” He asked, turning around to face her.
“Like a giant Scooby. If I didn’t know it was you in that getup, I’d never suspect it was you.”
“Good or should I say Rood? Row’s rabout rum rambergers.” He did a good job of sounding like Scooby.
Liz laughed.
Lew said,” I guess I should be getting down to the day room about now. My audience awaits.” He turned and waddled down the hallway.
“He’s such a good sport to do this for these old people every year. A man of his position in the community, willing to go to such lengths to entertain,” Liz thought to herself as she watched him go. She had always liked Lew Drum. She had been shocked when Marlee told her of her suspicions and there was no way she could ever bring herself to believe Lew was that kind of man.
On the way over to the home, her conversation with Lew was light and congenial as always. She didn’t get any vibes or sense that anything was wrong between him and Marlee. Wherever that strange note had come from, she was almost sure that it did not mean that Lew was cheating on his wife. For some reason, someone was merely trying to cause trouble for the couple. Perhaps an irate customer at the bank may have wanted to get even with Lew for what ever wrong he perceived Lew as committing.
Lew could walk much faster, even in his doggie feet than Liz could travel the length of the hallway with her cane. Scooby was already in action with his antics in the day room by the time Liz got there and hung her coat up on the coat racks near the front door of the home.
The day room was a large open bay area with several stuffed chairs and sofas scattered about. There was a large screen HD television set against the far wall. It was on with CNN news, but the volume had been turned down for Scooby’s performance.
The room was filled with residents. Some sat in the chairs and sofas with their walkers and canes parked near them. Others lined the wall of the hallway in wheel chairs. While some of the patients were cognizant enough to laugh and respond to Scooby, many remained unable to register any response at all. Liz hated to see people like this, so she hurried passed the day room down the hallway into the next wing where Joe’s room was located.
It had been at least three months since Liz had visited her husband. She found his room; the third one from the end of the hall on the left. The door was wide open as usual and she could hear the low droning sound of the TV that was always on whether Joe knew it was or not. She stood in the open doorway for a moment, gazing at the remnants of the man that had been her husband for so many years. He looked the same as the last time. Frail and pale. Propped up in a high backed stuffed chair and strapped in so he wouldn’t slide out. His hair was mostly gone, now. Just a few wispy strands of gray, was all that was left of the curly jet black hair he had sported as a young man. His arms were draped over the arms of the chair and his fingers twitched uncontrollably. His head drooped; his chin almost lying against his chest. His eyes stared downward at his feet and a trace of spittle leaked from the right corner of his mouth.
Even though he looked as he always did and the way she expected, Liz still felt the same feeling of shock as she stood in the doorway looking at him. A lump rose in her throat and her eyes watered. The dizziness she had been experiencing seemed to increase and waved over her. She felt herself falling sideways and leaned against the door jam, moving her cane a little bit in front of her to steady herself. Her breath caught for a moment and she closed her eyes. She rested against the side of the door for a moment. Then as her breath returned, she gradually opened her eyes. She gripped her cane a little tighter and grasped the side of the door jam with her other hand. The dizziness was subsiding to the level she had been suffering earlier.
“Joe,” she finally said.” It’s me, Liz.” Her voice was but a croak.
He didn’t move. Just continued to stare in the same position. There was no sign of recognition or response on his part.
Slowly she moved into the room. There was a straight back chair next to his bed that she usually used whenever she came to visit. She slid it over beside and almost in front of Joe. There was no indication that he was aware of the movement.
She lowered herself gingerly into the chair, keeping the quad cane in front of her. She leaned over and looked up into her husband’s face. She fought back the urge to cry.
She took a Kleenex from her pocket and dabbed at the spittle on his lips. His cheeks quivered a bit. Then she folded the tissue to a dryer side and wiped the poor man’s brow. His eyes rolled upward as if looking up into her face.
Her heart almost leaped into her throat as she thought she detected a faint light in the eyes. She swallowed it back, fighting the urge to even hope that he was beginning to show a hint of recognition. She knew it was not possible. Not now. Not ever. Her lips quivered and the ends turned sharply downward. She could no longer hold back the tears. She wept bitterly and cradled his head in her arms.
Over an hour had passed by the time Liz had left Joe’s room and returned to the day room. At first she did not see Scooby, bu
t after a moment he reappeared, coming down the hallway back into the day room. He was carrying a basket of goodies that he had been distributing throughout the home and was now dispensing the leftovers to the remaining residents in the day room.
Liz was tired. So very tired. She practically fell into one of the vacant stuffed chairs and sank into the softness of the cushions. She buried her aching head into the back of the chair. She could go to sleep easily, she thought.
Scooby tossed some fun size candy bars in her lap as he went by. A Snickers bar, a Three Musketeers and two Milky Way dark chocolate. She smiled back as Lew Drum as Scooby danced on to the other residents and even the staff until the candy was all gone.
“I’ll be right back, Lew said from behind his Scooby mask as he came back close to her.” As soon as I change we can get going.” He hurried on down the hallway into the men’s room to change.
“That’s strange,” Lew said as he drove into his driveway.” Marlee’s got all the lights off.” The house was totally dark, but the front window drapes were still open.
“Maybe she’s gone to bed,” Liz said.
“It’s still early yet. Besides, she said she would wait up for me. I hope nothing’s wrong,” he said almost to himself, concern rising in his tone.” But I thought she was feeling pretty good today.”
“Maybe she fell asleep in a chair watching television before it got dark,” Liz said trying to reassure him.
“No.” He shook his head.” It was getting dark before we left. Remember? The lights were already on.”
“Well there’s no point sitting here wondering,” Liz said.” Let’s get in there and find out.”
“You’re right,” Lew agreed pressing the button of the garage door opener and then opening the car door and sliding out. He moved slowly as if afraid of finding out that his fears were founded.
“You want me to come too?” Liz asked, already climbing out of the door. The garage door motor was already buzzing as the big panel rolled upward. The sound stopped and the door locked into place in its track near the ceiling. The garage light went on automatically.
Lew Drum moved slowly across the garage floor toward the stairs of three steps that led to the side door into the kitchen. Liz shuffled quickly behind him and caught up with him as he opened the door. He reached inside the door to the left, felt for the light switch and flicked it on. The overhead kitchen light filtered into the dining room, living room and hall beyond.
“Marlee?” Lew called. There was a tremor in his voice.
Liz followed him into the kitchen. There was no answer from Marlee. The house was quiet except for the blaring rush of the furnace motor that seemed to be working overtime, keeping up the temperature. Blasts of cold air rushed in from somewhere in the dining room.
As they entered the dining room, they could see the sliding glass door on the outside wall had been broken and stood wide open. Shards of glass were strewn all over the carpet and the drapes whipped wildly about from the incoming breeze. Lew quickly flicked on the dining room light switch; once again crying out” Marlee!” Urgency had risen in his voice.
“Oh, my God!” Liz exclaimed as she glanced into the living room.
Lew Drum turned, his face ashen white and he was shaking. He saw it too. The room was a mess. Lamps lay broken on the floor, the carpet torn and furniture turned over. And in the middle of the living room floor, lying in a crumpled heap was the slim form of Marlee Drum. She was lying very still, in a curled up fetal position, on the floor. Her eyes were fixed wide open with a sightless glare and her hair was matted with a dark stain. There were several deep gashes in the back of her head. A large dark pool of blood had spread out in a large circle beneath her, soaking deeply into the carpet and was already starting to dry. She had died quickly.
*****
Chapter Eighteen