Chapter 3

I looked at Adam.

"What do you mean she needs someone around?"

"It means someone should be home to keep an eye on Mom while she recovers," he said.

I closed my laptop.

"So how are you planning to handle that?"

Adam looked like he hadn't expected me to ask.

"Handle what?"

"Taking care of her."

"We'll keep doing what we've been doing for the next few days and figure it out once Mom's doing a little better."

I didn't ask anything else, because I already understood.

By "keep doing what we've been doing," he meant I was home during the day, so there was no need to make other arrangements.

At ten the next morning, Diane came to the basement doorway with her walker.

"Claire?"

I was organizing materials for a client meeting that afternoon.

"What is it?"

"My leg is a little swollen."

I got up immediately.

The area around her right knee was definitely more swollen than it had been yesterday.

I didn't want to guess whether it was normal, so I called Adam.

He was in a meeting and didn't answer.

Then I called Adam's sister, Lauren.

She picked up right away.

After I explained what was going on, she said, "Then you should probably take Mom to the hospital and have it checked out. I'm at work right now. I don't have time."

"But I have a client meeting at eleven thirty."

"But you're home right now, aren't you?"

I held the phone without saying anything.

Lauren quickly added, "I'm not saying your work isn't important. It's just easier for you to take her. It would take me at least forty minutes just to leave work and get there."

In the end, I was the one who drove her.

The doctor confirmed that it was normal post-surgical swelling and there was no new injury.

By the time I brought Diane home, it was already twelve forty-five.

I called my client and explained what had happened. After a few seconds of silence, she agreed to move the meeting to the following week.

It was a home renovation project I had been working on for almost two months.

That evening, when Adam came home, I put a sheet of paper on the dining table.

"What's this?"

"Your mom's care schedule for the next three weeks."

I had listed the doctor's instructions, her follow-up appointments, and the times when someone needed to be with her.

"I can cover Monday and Wednesday mornings. You take Tuesday, and Lauren can handle Thursday. We'll take turns with the follow-up appointments."

Adam glanced over it.

"Do we really need to make it this formal?"

"Yes."

"Claire, we're family."

"Which means all three of us should share the responsibility."

He pulled out a chair and sat down.

"I have a management meeting Tuesday morning."

"Then switch days."

"I can't just move that kind of meeting whenever I want."

"Neither can I move my client meetings whenever I want."

Adam frowned.

"I never said your work wasn't important."

"I already had to cancel a work meeting today because of this."

I told him what had happened earlier.

Adam was quiet for a moment before saying, "At least Mom's okay."

"So we need to agree on this schedule." I tapped the paper on the table.

Adam leaned back in his chair.

"I can ask Lauren."

"Don't ask whether she's free. Tell her which day she's responsible for."

His expression changed immediately.

"If you put it that way, you're going to make her feel like Mom is a burden."

"Needing care doesn't make someone a burden."

"Then why do we need a schedule?"

"Because the person who needs care is living here, and you can't dump all the responsibility on me."

Adam rubbed his forehead.

Later that evening, Lauren replied to the schedule in the family group chat.

I really can't get away on Thursday. Doesn't Claire work from home?

A few minutes later, Adam came down to the basement.

"I talked to Lauren. She really can't get away on Thursday."

"I'm busy too."

"I know." He paused. "But can you not make taking care of Mom feel like some kind of work schedule?"

I looked at him and waited for him to continue.

"How do you think Mom will feel if she sees that schedule? Everyone calculating which day they have to take care of her. She'll feel like she's a burden."

"So what's the better solution?"

Adam didn't answer.

I answered for him.

"You think because I'm always home, I should be the one taking care of her. Right?"

His lips pressed into a thin line.

"That's not what I mean."

"But that's what it comes down to."

I put the materials on the table back into the folder.

Adam stood there for a moment before saying quietly, "I'm just asking everyone to be a little more understanding for the next few weeks."

I heard the front door open upstairs.

A moment later, Lauren's voice came from the top of the stairs.

"Adam?"

I followed Adam upstairs.

Lauren was standing in the entryway with a suitcase at her feet.

Her eyes were red.

When she saw me, she managed a small smile.

"Sorry for coming over so late."

Then I heard another sound outside the door.

I looked past her.

There was a second suitcase sitting on the porch.