You're All I Need

Fourteen

August 2000

            "She fell three times last week."

Maxine rolled her eyes and that didn't go unnoticed by Kai. Sydney's eyes watered with tears as she looked towards her grandmother away from her nurse.

"I didn't know until today. She swore the other nurses to secrecy threatening to not eat if they told you." The nurse looked towards Max's way, "But she can't do that mess with me which is why I'm telling you right in front of her."

"Will she need physical therapy?" Sydney asked, her eyes on the verge of tears.

"Well she didn't need it when she moved in so its not on her plan. Depending on how much she gets it a week, will determine the plan you get. It'll be about three thousand extra per month. Unless you get her physical therapy somewhere else. If you do, we can work something out to get her transported there and back every day she has it."

Sydney didn't want to look to Kai because honestly, she didn't want to burden him with paying that additionally on top of what he was already paying for Max to live here. But Kai already committed to it in his head. It was nothing.

"What'chu wanna do Max? See somebody here or somewhere else?" Kai asked her from where he was standing next to Sydney. His right hand was rubbing her back as she sat leaned over staring at the floor, now suddenly quiet as thoughts plagued her mind.

"Some fresh air every now and then won't hurt."

Kai nodded before looking to the nurse. "Y'all got a list of physical therapists in the area?"

The nurse nodded, "I'll have reception give you a list on your way out."

Once she was gone, Kai stopped rubbing Sydney's back and sat down next to her with his attention on Max. Max looked away from Sydney to Kai and gave a small smile.

"I'm in trouble ain't I."

Kai smirked, letting out a little chuckle. "You a grown ass woman Max. You don't wanna eat, that's ya choice." He glanced at Sydney, who was still quiet, and nodded towards her. "But seein' her like that is punishment enough I think."

And it was. Without saying it, Max and Kai knew what was wrong with Sydney. She was the last immediate family Sydney had and reality was setting in that Max was getting older. Max sighed as she watched her granddaughter hurt. She reached over and picked up her hands.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you two. I just didn't want you to worry."

A few tears dropped from Sydney's eyes. "And we're still worried so regardless it would've been the same result. But now I'm more worried at what you don't tell us. Don't do that ever again."

"I promise I won't."

Sydney began thinking about Max's reality. They would be making arrangements for her from now on and she worried about the day the idea of making arrangements would be a nightmare. She didn't want to think about it but that time would be her funeral arrangements. Max was getting there and as much as Sydney wanted to, she knew she couldn't keep Max alive forever.

Kai held Sydney's hand as they walked down the hallway headed towards the exit. They stopped at the receptionist desk for the list of physical therapists in the area for Max before heading out. Sydney couldn't take her eyes off the building when she and Kai prepared to leave. They were both inside of Kai's brand new Cadillac truck and even though Kai's hand was on the wheel and the truck was in drive, they weren't moving giving his foot on the brake.