Joy Argento - Carrie and Hope Read Online Free PDF

again. She hoped it wasn’t too soon. She would be better prepared next time. “All right. Let’s just drop it for the moment. Now let’s finish this nice healthy salad so we can get to the cream filled cupcakes I bought for dessert.”

Chapter 4
       

     
    Sandra Martin rearranged the knick-knacks on the small table set up by her mother’s bed. Carrie watched her in silence. Her mother’s endless chatter was giving her a headache. She liked it much better when she was alone during her visits with her grandmother, but sometimes her mother showed up at the same time.
    “I brought more of these cute little collie figurines, Mom,” Sandra said to the old woman lying in the bed. “I know when you wake up you are really going to love these.” She held one out in front her mother’s closed eyes and then held it up for Carrie to see. Carrie nodded. “I also took your car in for an oil change yesterday. I know that you are always …” Carrie tuned out her mother’s voice. The non-stop talking for the last half hour was beginning to give Carrie a headache.
    Sandra continued to talk as she ran her hand over her short black hair, no gray showing through, courtesy of Miss Clairol. Sandra Martin refused to show her age. She spent far too much money on magic creams and lotions to stay away the wrinkles, in Carrie’s opinion. Her grandmother had aged naturally and gracefully and beautifully, a much better way to grow old, Carrie thought.  
    Carrie absently rubbed the back of her neck trying to release the tension that was building. Her mind wandered to the previous evening and meeting Hope. Her idea about joining a support group was misguided, but it turned out well if it meant she made a new friend.
    “…so what do you think about that, Carrie?” The sound of her name brought her out of her thoughts.
    “What did you say, Mom?” she asked.
    “I swear that I get about as much of a response out of you that I get out of your grandmother here.” She didn’t try to hide her annoyance. “I asked you what you thought of this blanket.” She held up the corner of the blanket covering the bed. It was a standard tan, cotton weave blanket used by the nursing home.
    “Do you think your grandmother likes this one, or should I bring her one from her house?”
    Carrie sighed. “Which would you like better?” she asked her mother.
    “I like the one from her house better and I think she would like it better, too. I am going to stop over there tomorrow and get one for her. How about that green one that she has over the back of the couch? Don’t you think that would be good? Or should I get her the one that’s on her bed?”
    Carrie nodded absently and picked up an old People magazine from the table by the bed.
    “Well, which one do you think would be better?” Her mother wasn’t going to stop talking to her until she answered.
    “The one from the couch would be fine.”
    “All righty then. I’ll pick it up on my way home so I can wash it before I bring it here. I think it’ll really cheer this room up.”
    Carrie thumbed through the magazine and looked for an interesting article to read to her grandmother. She knew her mother would be leaving soon. She never stayed long and she never stopped moving the whole time she was there. Carrie wanted alone time with her grandmother so she would just wait her mother out. She didn’t have too wait long.
    “I have to get going,” her mother said, offering no explanation.
    Sandra gave Carrie a hug and kissed her mother on the cheek. “Bye, mother. I’ll see you in a few days. Try to get some rest now.” She patted the old woman’s hand. “Bye Carrie,” she said with a wave as she walked out the door.
    “Bye, Mom,” Carrie said, but her mother was already gone.  
    Carrie leaned in towards her grandmother. “Okay, Gram, we’re alone now. I hope mom didn’t make you too crazy. Wish I could say the same about me. I know she means well. I guess she is just having her