Chapter 27
Saturday Morning
“I’m at the hospital with my mother. She’s got pneumonia, and it’s very serious. I can’t come into the shop today.”
Savannah had answered the early morning call a few minutes after opening Webb’s Glass Shop. “Oh, I’m so sorry. What can I do to help?”
There was a long loud sigh from Amanda. “Thanks, but they’ve got her in an oxygen tent and have pumped her with enough antibiotics to cure leprosy. She’s doing very well, but I can tell she doesn’t understand what’s happening. Whenever I get near, she grabs onto my hand like she’s drowning. At this point, I’m her life preserver.”
“Then, of course, you must stay with her.”
“When I got the call from her nursing home, they also said that the police had searched her room.”
“Your mother’s room? That’s crazy!” Savannah could hear the anger in her voice.
“Not so crazy. In her closet, they found a cracked blue bottle with blood on it.”
Savannah cleared her throat and spoke softly. “That’s not good. Was your mom upset?”
“I don’t think so. She’s been sleeping pretty much all the time.”
“Why don’t I come over, and we can both sit with your mother?”
“Oh, thanks. I would appreciate it. This is so hard to do by myself. Mom looks so scared, and I—” There was a great gulping sob, followed by “Mother! Stop! Stop that!” and then the phone went silent.
“Amanda? Are you there? Amanda!”
There was a commotion, and loud voices were telling Mrs. Blake to remain calm. Several more long seconds, maybe even minutes, went by.
“Savannah?”
“I’m here.”
“Thanks. Mom deliberately pulled off the oxygen tent, and everyone is upset and frustrated. They’re talking about giving her even more medication to sedate her. I need to go talk to the doctor and make sure they understand about her dementia.”
“I’ll be there as quick as I can.”
Savannah locked up the shop and drove the short distance down to the hospital. She asked at the desk for Mrs. Blake’s room and was soon walking into a room jam-packed with monitors, respirators, IV lines, and an even paler than usual Amanda, who was wringing her hands like an automaton.
“Savannah!” Amanda grabbed her and crushed her slim frame into a bear hug, showing the desperation she felt. “I’m so glad you’re here. There’s a real possibility Mother is dying.”
After she extracted herself from Amanda’s desperate clutches, Savannah led her to one of the two visitor’s chairs in the hospital room. “Sit down and, even more important, calm down. This is not helping. Now, take a deep breath and let it out slow.”
“But—”
“I mean it. Deep breath.”
Amanda inhaled a short breath and released it quickly. “I have more—”
“No talking until we have your emotions under better control. Your mother can sense it, and she’ll take longer to recover, because she’s reacting to your anxiety. Now, deep breath.” Savannah took a deep breath, and Amanda followed suit. They breathed in time for several minutes, until Amanda’s color returned.
“Thanks.” Amanda looked over at her mother, who seemed to relax and breathe easier. “You’re right. I need to be calm when I’m here. Just because she can’t remember my name doesn’t mean she doesn’t know who I am.”
“That must be horribly upsetting.” Savannah leaned back in her chair. “What do the doctors say?”
“Ugh. It’s a lot of mumbo jumbo, but it boils down to ‘She’s old,’ as usual. I’ve got a call into the primary care physician who used to be her favorite until she went into the Abbey. If he can, he says he will stop by and review her condition. That will make us both feel better. Thanks for being here.”
“That’s what friends are for.”
They both looked over at Mrs. Blake, who was now sleeping peacefully, although her breathing was still labored.