I’m exhausted when we arrive in San Sequoia a few hours later. But rather than going straight home where I can nap, Maia insists on stopping by and checking on her father first.
Maia: We won’t stay long. I just want to make sure he’s okay.
Wade: What makes you think he wouldn’t be?
Maia: He seemed a little confused when I spoke to him yesterday. He kept repeating stuff he’d already told me.
Yeah, I’d say that’s cause for concern. Clyde isn’t on my list of favorite people, but I’d hate for anything to happen to the old guy.
Maia walks up to his front door and knocks while Tami and I stand a few feet back-ready to return to the car if he doesn’t answer. But he does…
Clyde: Come on in!
We’re greeted by loud soul music when we step inside. Clyde ignores me as usual, but he hugs Maia immediately.
Maia: You didn’t even ask who it was, and you left your door unlocked. We could have been anyone.
Clyde: Do you think you get as old as I am if you sit around worried about little things like that?
Maia: Those aren’t little things. Someone could walk in on you.
Clyde: For what?
Maia: To take something…
Clyde: Good luck with that – I ain’t got nothing to take.
Clyde waves Maia’s concerns away and directs us to the couch. Then he turns his attention to Tambara.
Clyde: There you are, darling. You look just like your mother at your age.
Tambara: I look like me!
Clyde: *chuckles* Yeah, I guess you do! And you’re feisty like your grandma.
Clyde: Does your old grandpa get a hug?
Tami steps closer and allows Clyde to pull her into a hug. But it all goes wrong when he reaches down to pinch Tami’s cheek. She turns her face at the perfect moment and bites down on his hand hard. Clyde jerks it away quickly.
Clyde: Ouch! Did you just–? Yep, feisty like your grandma!
Clyde sits down in his favorite chair.
Maia: Tami, no! Biting is not okay.
Tami ignores Maia’s corrections, moves towards Clyde’s record player, and begins dancing to the music.
Maia: Are you okay, father?
Clyde: I’m fine. It’s just a little bite. It’s not the first time I’ve been bitten.
I want to hear more about the other bites, but Maia changes the subject.
Maia: How’s everything else going? Are you feeling okay?
Clyde: Why wouldn’t I be? I’m as healthy as an ox.
Maia: What’s that on your hand? Did Tami do that?
I look at Clyde’s hand and see what Maia is referring to. It’s a bruise of some type. There’s no way it’s from Tami’s bite.
Clyde: Stop all this fussing! I’m fine. I want to know about you two.
Clyde: Wade, you’re awfully quiet over there. What’s this I hear about you sneaking my daughter over the border and marrying her?
Wade: Well, you already knew about me searching for a gem. I finally got it and proposed. We didn’t plan to get married right away, but it happened, and here we are.
Clyde: Well, I’m happy for you.
Happy for us? It’s not exactly what I expected to hear from Clyde.
Clyde: *continues* I can see the bling from here! But you’re wearing it on the wrong finger.
Maia: Yeah, I know. It fits better on this finger.
Clyde: Well, at least you have one.
I already know what’s coming next…
Clyde looks over at my empty finger.
Clyde: Why don’t you have a ring? You still trying to keep your bachelor status for the people you talk to in that camera of yours?
Wade: No, we’ll be buying wedding bands. We didn’t set out to elope when we left for our trip.
Maia suddenly gets up from the couch.
Maia: Excuse me for a moment. I need to use the bathroom.
I stare up at her, silently pleading for her to stay, remembering what happened the first time she left me alone with Clyde.
But I have nothing to worry about. Clyde turns his attention to Tami instead.
Clyde: *To Tami* I see you also have a taste for soul music, Maia. It’s in your blood. Let me show you how to move to it.
I open my mouth to correct him, but stop. It’s not unusual for older people to get names mixed up. Tami knows he’s talking to her, so I leave it alone.
Clyde: Where’s my cane?
Wade: It’s in your hand.
He plays it off.
Clyde: Oh yeah, I knew that!
Clyde struggles to get up, but once on his feet, he sways to the music.
I look down at an alert on my phone and notice that our tenants failed to pay the fine for the loud party they threw while we were away. Now, I have cause to evict them, which I do immediately. They have only a day or two to get out, and we’ll be free of them forever. Now that it’s taken care of, I look up to watch Clyde and Tami dance. Clyde isn’t moving much, but I can tell he was probably a pretty talented dancer when he was young.
Clyde: In my day, we really knew how to get down. I don’t know what you call the stuff these young people do nowadays.
Maia finishes in the bathroom and reads the Post-it notes on her father’s bathroom mirror. It’s not unusual for her father to post notes, but in the past, they were reminders about doctor appointments or other important things he needed to do. What concerns her about these notes is that they include simple everyday things. Maia reads one note out loud.
Maia: Turn off water after brushing teeth!
Why would her father need to remind himself to do that? Maia looks around for other clues that he may not be as healthy as he says.
She goes into the kitchen. It’s clean, and there are no dirty dishes in the sink. But she opens the refrigerator and sees why.
Maia: *to herself* There’s hardly anything in here! What has he been eating?
Maia grabs a soda out of the refrigerator, hoping that her father won’t suspect that she’s been snooping, and returns to the living room.
Maia: Father, it’s time for us to go.
Clyde doesn’t respond to that.
Clyde: *To Maia* You remember this one, Elise? This is how I wooed you on our first date.
Maia looks just as confused as I am. Something is seriously wrong here.
Maia: Dub, can you and Tami wait for me outside?
I quickly get up and lead Tami out the door. The sooner we can get home, the better. I’m almost asleep on my feet at this point.
After Dub and Tami have stepped out. Maia turns to her father.
Maia: I’m Maia—your daughter.
Clyde: I know! You think I don’t remember my own little girl?
Maia: Yeah, but you just called me mother’s name. I’m worried about you! Has this been going on for a while?
Clyde pulls Maia into a hug.
Clyde: I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Maia squeezes her father tight and then steps back.
Maia: I saw the reminder notes on your bathroom mirror, and there’s barely any food in your refrigerator.
Clyde: And? I haven’t gone grocery shopping yet.
Maia: Yeah, but even our phone calls have been off lately. Listen, our tenants are moving out soon. I’d feel better if I knew you weren’t always alone. You can move in next door and have your own space.
Clyde: So I can live off of your rich husband?
Maia: It’s not like that. I’d feel better if you were closer. And you’d get to see Tami as much as you want.
Clyde: I promise I’m okay. But I’ll think about it. I guess we’d all be moving on up!
Maia ignores the last part.
Maia: Good! That’s all I ask.
(Generation 4 Chapter Summaries)
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