A collection of very short

Nana

"Nana you have to eat your peas," Jacob insisted. He thrust the spoon into her face but she swatted it away.

"No, I don't like peas."

Jacob kept his composure. "Nana, remember, you like peas. It's green beans you don't like. See, these are beans." He sighed, showing her the plate filled with beans and white rice. This happened every time. It was as if his life was on repeat, every single day.

"Is that right?" Nana asked. "Let me try," she added in a sweet voice, a smile on her face.

Patiently, Jacob got up and picked up the spoon. He rinsed it and came back to sit across her. He placed a few peas onto the spoon and presented it to her, stopping at her lips. As usual, like for his own children, she slowly opened her mouth and only let the spoon in halfway, enough for her to grab ahold of two peas. She closed her mouth, swallowing and leaving the rest of the peas on the spoon.

"These are goods," she said with a smile. "Really good. I feel hungry."

"I know Nana, I know."

Jacob knew this was only a temporary victory, one that would not be enough for her to be satiated, far from it. He dipped the spoon into the plate once again and presented it to his grandmother. What he knew would happen, happened.

He sighed as he went to pick up the spoon on the floor. This replayed for the better part of an hour. By the time they were done, half of the plate's content had ended up on the retirement home's cafeteria floor. He felt sorry for the cleaning staff that would come clean up after him.

Before returning to work, Jacob left a kiss on his grand mother's forehead.

"Can you bring Jacob next time you come?" She asked him. "He is my favourite. He used to visit every day but he doesn't come anymore."

Jacob smiled. "I will try Nana, I promise I will try. He is a busy man you know, hard to get ahold of." He gave her another kiss and left her behind, alone at the small cafeteria table. The moment he was gone, four staffs arrived and helped her up. She fought one back, but they ultimately overpowered her. They helped her up and took her back to the common area where other pensioners were watching tele.

As Jacob passed the reception, one of the nurse at the front desk approached him:

"Why do you do it Mr. Dupierre?" The nurse asked him. This was not the first time he was asked the question. "She doesn't recognize you and keeps asking where you are day after day. She also asks the nurses about you."

"She is my grandmother, ma'am. She raised me. She was there every step of the way. Without her, I wouldn't be where I am now. It's sometimes difficult but I still believe that deep inside she knows that it's me coming every day. She just teases me, that's all. It's her way of saying thank you and come back."

"If everyone was as good a grandson as you are," the nurse replied, "this place would be very different. You cannot imagine the number of people that are left behind here, never to see family again."

Jacob didn't reply. He didn't know what to reply. The nurse felt a little embarrassed.

"Mr Dupierrre, may I ask who your grandmother think is coming to visit her every day?"

"Well, me, of course," Jacob answered. "See you tomorrow," he added before the nurse could speak again.

As he left the facility, the nurse stayed behind, puzzled.