Imminent Visit

Her temper smoldering, the nursing aide sat down at the ward desk.

"Honestly, some people have no hearts at all! It's like she's torturing the old lady, always promising to come visit and never showing up! You'd think she'd have a little more consideration of her own mother!"

The charge nurse looked up from her paperwork. "Who are you talking about, Maureen?"

"It's Mrs. Hennessy's daughter. The poor old dear told me she got another phone call from her, that she said she'd be visiting her soon."

The charge nurse nodded. "I heard the phone ring. Wondered what it was. Mrs. Hennessy doesn't get many calls." She put down her pen to consider the matter. "The daughter--Diane Something--used to visit regularly. Up until about three years ago, I think. I don't know what happened. Maybe she moved out of town."

"Well, I would think she'd keep in better touch, with her mother in her nineties." The little aide blinked away tears. "She's not going to last much longer. Next week might be too late."

The nurse pulled a thick three-ring binder from the shelf above the desk and started leafing through it. "Well, let's see if we can do something about it."

The daughter's phone number had been disconnected, but there was a granddaughter listed in California.

"That's probably where the daughter is too, lying on the beach, soaking up the rays!" she aide exclaimed.

The nurse dialed the number.

"Hello?"

"I'm calling from Fairbridge Care Facility on behalf of Marjorie Hennessy. May I speak with Diane Harris, please?"

"Diane Harris? Is this some kind of sick joke? Mother died three years ago."

And down the hall, Mrs. Hennessy's phone began to ring again.