***
River looked down at the slip of paper with her new address scrawled across and sighed as she glanced down at her phone once again to make sure the message her new boss gave her was correct. But it couldn’t be. There was no way that this cute-as-a-button bungalow was going to be hers for a mere few hundred a month. It had to be too good to be true.
Feeling duped and full of regret, River dialed Poppy, the childcare center director and preschool director, waiting for her to pick up. River felt an instant connection to Poppy when they spoke on the phone and their virtual interview went as amazing as River could have hoped. It was made even more incredible when Poppy said she had housing available from her brother-in-law’s real estate company.
River should have known better. She spent her entire life waiting for the other shoe to drop. This situation shouldn’t be any different. Even as she eyed the similar houses up and down the road, she knew that her luck had run out.
“Hello?” the woman answered.
“Poppy? This is River, your new employee.”
“River! I thought I recognized the number. What can I do for you? Are you getting settled in?”
“Well, that’s what I was calling about,” River said as her grandmother began to get agitated in the passenger seat as they sat in the idling vehicle. “I must have written the address down wrong because the house I’m at looks brand new.”
“Blue bungalow with white trim and a white door?” Poppy asked, and River could hear the hint of a smile behind her voice.
“Yes, ma’am.”
“That’s it. It’s a flipped home, so not entirely new. Is there a problem with it?” Poppy asked, suddenly concerned.
“No,” River rushed to say. “It’s beautiful and perfect. And. . .”
“We’re charging what we think is fair, River. We could let you stay there for free if we wanted, just so you’d stay in Carson, but I doubt you’d go for that, would you?”
“No, ma’am.”
“Good, then it’s settled. I’ll stop by and visit you tomorrow after you have some time to move your things. Or, we could help you move if you need some extra hands.”
“That’s okay. I’m sure I can manage.”
“Alright, well, welcome to Carson. And stop calling me ma’am. It makes me feel old.”
“Yes, ma’am, er, Poppy. Thank you again.”
“You’re welcome.”
River ended the call and turned off the truck's ignition, leaving it parked on the empty street. A few of her new neighbors were outside mowing their grass or watching their children play in the afternoon sun. She took a look around as she moved around the front of the vehicle to the passenger side. Before helping her grandmother from the truck, she opened the small black mailbox where Poppy said she had left the key. The metal dug into her palm as she squeezed her hand tightly into a fist.
Closing her eyes, River titled her face up to the sun, letting its warmth rain down on her. This was it. This was her chance to make something better of herself and give a better life to her grandmother.
A screeching noise came from behind her and River turned to find her grandmother trying to open the door to the truck, her frail state causing the door to try and close back in on her.
“Grandma, let me help you with that.” River insisted even as her grandmother swatted her hand away. She finally got the older woman safely down from the vehicle and helped her onto the small covered porch. Without a chair in place, River rushed back to the truck and grabbed a small camping chair before setting it up on the porch for her grandmother.
“Okay, let me get the car off the trailer and then we’ll load your bags and head out,” River said though her grandmother didn’t respond. Instead, her eyes wearily darted across the small neighborhood in confusion. River’s heart broke as she seemed to lose another piece of her family every second.
It didn’t take long to get her grandmother settled into her new place. River was surprised at the warmth and non-sterile appearance of the facility. It reminded her more of a luxury hotel and not an assisted-living home. The moment they walked through the automatic glass doors, River and Grandma Sue were greeted by a dark-skinned man that smiled so genuinely at their arrival River instantly felt her fears dissipate.
Though confused, her grandmother seemed at ease as the man named Thomas escorted them to her room. It didn’t take River long to unpack Grandma Sue’s clothes and personal items, and before she knew it, Thomas was escorting Sue to the craft room to meet a few of the other residents. At the first mention of painting, Sue’s eyes had lit up in elation. River remembered that her grandmother had been a painter earlier in her life, but had given up the hobby long ago.
“We’ll take good care of her, Ms. Matthews.”
River nodded and grabbed the packet Thomas left for her on the counter.
“I’ll come to visit you soon, grandma,” River said, knowing that there would be no reply; her grandmother was busy mumbling about acrylic and watercolor paints.
Wind whipped around her in the convertible, swirling her hair wildly around her face, as the drive back to the small house was basked in sunshine. All should have felt good and right, but River felt – alone. More alone than she could remember. It was taking all of her strength to keep herself composed, not letting her emotions run wild as they wanted.