Edward

Clean-up in Home Goods

Over the course of the next month, I worked six days per week. Reuben took me to group on Friday evenings. On Sundays, we went to church in the morning, followed by lunch at Robert and Helen's. Hannah and I played the board game Candy Land, and I played Checkers with Jacob.

Dad remained in the hospital. He was moving his arms a little, and was getting better at understanding us. He would squeeze our hands once for yes, and twice for no. He still hadn't made any attempt at speaking. It was a miracle, and a great blessing that he wasn't blind.

It had been five weeks since I'd been home. Mom and I decided it would be a good idea to get the house cleaned up, and repaired. Whether or not to sell it would be a decision for another time. Josh arranged for a dumpster to be dropped off near the front door.

Helen and Tabitha watched Hannah, Samuel, and the twins. Reuben picked me up at mom's just before nine o'clock Saturday morning. We went to the house, where we were joined by Robert, Josh, Amanda, and Jacob. Bret, Elise, Paul, and Silas also joined us at the house.

Bret held out his hand.

"Ed, I need your keys. I'll go in and open all of the doors, and the windows."

We waited while he proceeded. By the time he walked back out, we could already smell it. We waited fifteen minutes before entering.

Mom looked horrified. She was seeing the carnage for the first time.

"You only told me this house was a bit of a mess."

The vase dad had hit me with was part of a matched set, three different sizes. Mom had purchased that set on a vacation trip to San Francisco. The tall, skinny one Dad had used as a weapon. After I left, he smashed it against the corner of a wall. The short, fat one, he'd vomited in. Bret took care of it. The medium size vase had been broken where it sat.

All of our old family photos were shredded. Their frames were all smashed. Paintings were all torn, and sculptures demolished. Bret and Robert grabbed snow shovels, and plastic garbage cans from the back of Bret's SUV. They began the process of scooping up broken glass, and ceramic. Josh, Amanda, and I went with mom up to dad's study. We spent much of our day going through his papers.

Mom and Amanda were both in tears. They discussed old memories, especially Amanda's last week living in that house. They discussed how far they'd both come in the years since. Amanda wanted her antique hardwood dresser from her old room. Bret and Josh loaded it into the bed of Josh's pickup. Mom gathered all of dad's personal financial documents into a box. She would organize them in the evenings. We found his health insurance policy. She wanted to know what it covered.

The following afternoon, when church was dismissed, we went to the hospital. Mom was there. Dad was in a wheelchair. Josh pushed it as we went as a group into a courtyard. It was the first time dad had been outside since he'd gone into the hospital.

It was a sunny spring day. The courtyard is in the center of the hospital building, so it's sheltered from the wind. Dad had his eyes closed. He had his face turned toward the sun. He was smiling. A nurse joined us.

"He is making progress. He had a CT scan, which shows no physical brain damage or signs of stroke. His lower extremities are beginning to exhibit reflexive response to stimulus."

Mom asked, "What's the next step?"

"He will be transferred to a long-term care facility."

"How long will he need to be institutionalized?"

"I can't say with any certainty. It may only be for a year, or it could be for the rest of his life."

We stayed with dad in that courtyard for half an hour. Dad was obviously enjoying the sun on his face. We took turns talking to him, and holding his hands. The nurse was keeping an eye on him. She told us his core temperature was getting too high, so we had to wheel him back in.

Later, at Robert and Helen's, we discussed the house.

"Mom, would you ever consider moving back into that house?"

"Never. I'm perfectly comfortable where I'm at now. I have too many bad memories of that house. Besides which, it's not who I am anymore."

Josh asked, "Ed, will you be moving back into it?"

"Not right away. Like mom says, too many bad memories. It needs some work before anyone moves in."

"If you would like, I can get the ball rolling on fixing the damage. I have a list of contractors I deal with at work. I'm sure Devon won't mind."

I left work at noon on Wednesday. I drove out to my dad's. When I pulled in, there was a late model, full-size pickup parked in front of the house. It said "Melverson Financial Property Management" on the side. As I walked toward the front door, Josh stepped out of the truck. We walked in, leaving the front door open. We opened a few windows.

We heard a vehicle pull up. A man walked into the house.

"Mr. Whitaker?"

"Shane, this is my brother-in-law, Ed Talmage. He and his dad actually own this house." We shook hands.

Josh said, "Shane is the best remodeling contractor in this state."

We walked through the house, and Shane took notes.

"Did you host a frat party?"

"I wish. This was actually the work of one very drunk man. My dad."

"Are you and your dad still living here?"

"I've been staying with my mom. Dad is in the hospital."

"Sorry to hear it. Will you be staying with your mom until the house is fixed?"

"I haven't decided whether I'll ever move back in. We might choose to sell it."

Shane sent his bid to Josh on Friday afternoon. We met at mom's on Saturday evening, and I accepted the bid. Work would begin in two weeks, and take a week to complete.