Part 7 (1/2)
”Because we need to talk about something important-just the two of us.”
”Okay.” She was concerned about the tone of Elmo's voice. This could only be bad news, she thought.
”Did you notice that Mallie Mae and Macy were gone today?”
”Well, Ididn't notice. But Carnie saw them getting into a limo this morning.”
”I sent them to Dallas. Mother needed to see a specialist.”
”What's wrong with her?”
”I think she has Alzheimer's. We'll know after we get the test results.”
”So, what does that mean-that she's losing her memory? At least it's not cancer. It's not so horrible if you just forget a name occasionally. Or forget where you put your keys. After all, she is getting old.”
”No. It's much worse than that. Yesterday she was trying to brush her teeth with a hairbrush. She couldn't even think of the word 'teeth.'”
”Oh. That's not good.”
”Yeah. And that's just the beginning. Eventually, you forget how to get into bed, how to put on your clothes, how to go to the bathroom. Then you can't walk or even speak. Eventually, your entire body quits functioning and you die.”
”I didn't know it was that bad.”
”And Alzheimer's victims only live an average of eight to ten years after the symptoms first appear. I suspect that she and Macy have been keeping it from me for quite a while.”
”Well, can't you give her some medicine, or chemotherapy or something?”
”There's no cure for Alzheimer's.”
”So, there's not anythingyou can do for her?”
”There are treatments to slow down the process. And some of those seem to work fairly well. But only for a little while. Anyway, I should get her test results tomorrow. And if they come back positive, I want to postpone the wedding.”
Carsie's heart sank.
”I'm sorry, Sweetie.”
”Okay. If her tests are positive, I'll take care of notifying everybody on the guest list and canceling everything. But do you mind if Carnie stays with us for a while? I'm really enjoying having my sister around.”
Elmo wanted Carnie to move out as soon as possible. There was something about her he just didn't like. But how could he refuse Carsie's request when she was being so understanding about postponing the wedding?
”That'll be fine.”
Mallie Mae and Macy were riding in the rented limo, on their way home from Dallas.
”What do you say, driver?” yelled Macy. ”Wanna pull over and have s.e.x with me?”
”Don't worry-he can't hear us,” said Mallie Mae.
”Just making sure.”
”Well, what would you have done if he started pulling over?”
Macy turned red. ”What did you think about the doctor?”
”He was rather tall and handsome.”
”Medicallyspeaking,” said Macy.
”He was quite good. Very thorough. He ran every test in the book, including the writing tests for memory and math skills.”
”How'd you do? How hard was the math?”
”Easy stuff. But I did poorly.”
Macy smiled. ”I hope you didn't overdoit?”
”No, my dear, I under-didit. But I answered correctly on someof the problems.”
”You are so bad, Mallie Mae.”
”Well, I needed to be convincing.”
”Yeah, but one of these days Elmo's going to find out. And then he's going to disown you and fire me.”
”Honey, he's already disowned me. But he won't fire you.”
”Yes, he will.”
”Then I'll rehire you.”
”Well, I just feel bad about tricking him.”
”Look. You don't want him to marry that woman, do you?
”Well, no.”
”I don't know what it is, but there's something awful about her. I have a sense about these things.”
”But you've never liked anyof the women Elmo's dated. What kind of a woman wouldyou approve of?”
”One who's not going to break his heart and run off with all his money. I'll know her when I see her.”
Macy knew that Mallie Mae loved her like a daughter. She had told her so-many times. But could she love her as a daughter-in-law? It probably didn't matter. She and Elmo were very close-but only as friends.