Chapter 5: Saturday Morning
Lauren arrived first.
She came through the door carrying a leather portfolio and wearing the same white wool coat from Father's Day.
Jared was a step behind her, holding two cups of coffee from the place downtown.
He set one on my kitchen table without asking if I wanted it.
"Morning, Dad." He looked around the apartment the way he had on Father's Day — the same quick scan, the same tightening around the eyes.
"How are you feeling?"
"A little foggy," I said.
"I didn't sleep well."
Lauren set her portfolio on the table and unzipped it slowly.
"That's all right, Oscar," she said.
"This won't take long.
We just need a few signatures."
She laid three documents on the table, face up, and turned them toward me.
I leaned forward and squinted at them as though I was having trouble reading.
"What is all this?"
"It's just paperwork to make sure your finances and medical decisions are handled properly," she said.
"In case you ever need help.
It's standard for someone your age."
"Lauren." Jared's voice had a slight edge.
"You said routine."
"It is routine." She didn't look at him.
She kept her eyes on me.
"Oscar, do you understand what I'm explaining?"
"I think so," I said slowly.
"You want to help me."
"Exactly." She picked up a pen and held it out.
"Just sign at the bottom of each page.
I'll take care of everything else."
A knock at the door.
All three of us looked up.
Jared frowned.
"Are you expecting someone?"
"I don't think so," I said.
He opened the door.
A woman in her late forties stood in the hallway.
She wore a lanyard with a county ID badge and carried a clipboard.
"Good morning," she said pleasantly.
"I'm Carol Marsh, from the Cook County Senior Services office.
We received a referral for a wellness check on an Oscar Blake at this address.
Is this a good time?"
Lauren's hand, still holding the pen, went very still.
"A referral?" Jared said.
"From who?"
"It's standard procedure when a resident's living situation changes," Carol said.
"It was flagged in our system a few weeks ago.
Nothing to be alarmed about." She smiled at me.
"Mr.
Blake, would it be all right if I came in for just a few minutes?"
"Of course," I said.
"Please."
She stepped inside.
Lauren had not moved.
Carol looked at the documents spread across the kitchen table.
She looked at the pen in Lauren's hand.
She looked at me.
"Am I interrupting something?" she asked.
"We were just finishing up," Lauren said.
"Actually," Carol said, setting her clipboard down on the counter, "I'll need to speak with Mr.
Blake privately for a few minutes before any documents are signed.
It's part of the assessment protocol." She looked at Jared.
"Would you mind waiting in the hallway?
It won't be long."
Jared looked at Lauren.
Lauren looked at Carol.
Something moved behind Lauren's eyes.
Not fear exactly.
Calculation.
"Of course," Lauren said.
She gathered the documents back into the portfolio and zipped it closed.
"We can finish this another time."
"Leave the documents," Carol said.
Her voice was still pleasant.
"I may need to review them as part of the assessment."
Lauren's hand tightened on the portfolio strap.
"They're personal," she said.
"They were on the table a moment ago." Carol smiled.
"I'll make sure they're returned to you."
May you like
The two women looked at each other across my kitchen table.
Lauren set the portfolio down.
