"My mom served this to you before" he asked sensing that Mr. Ellis remembered the taste. It was one of his favorite dishes of his mom. Watching his father enjoy the meal, he surmised that it may have been one of his also.
"This is good Marla… real good… might have to marry you someday" were the last words that Mr. Ellis uttered and then he happily finished eating his food.
* * * * * * *
"Thanks for bringing him back and sorry for the inconvenience." The nurse expressed to Jayden upon his arrival with Mr. Ellis.
"Markus when will you be back?" Mr. Ellis asked again.
"Sorry… He sometimes thinks of other people as someone from his past. I guess you remind him of his son." The nurse told him.
"Where is his son?" Jayden was happy that the opportunity had presented itself and he could ask the question that he had been wondering about.
"It seems like his son and daughter have abandoned him making him a ward of the state."
"Really?" Jayden was surprised to hear this. From what he remembered in the past Mr. Ellis doted on his two stepchildren and he figured that they would have returned the care that he had given them all of their lives.
"What about his wife? Does she come to visit often?"
"Mr. Ellis is a widower… Hmm I think it's been almost ten years now."
"Oh I see. Now I understand why he was always asking me had I seen his wife."
"Yea poor guy… No one comes and visits him and without family these kinds of patients often deteriorate at a quicker pace."
"Markus, we forgot Dinah's earrings… We need to go back." Mr. Ellis said as he checked his pockets.
"Tomorrow Mr. Ellis. You can go again with your son tomorrow." The nurse promised him causing Jayden to look up.
"I'm sorry. It doesn't matter; for patients like this tomorrow never comes. It's the only effective means that we have in controlling them and getting them to comply with their medication regimen."
"Oh I see." Jayden said with understanding.
"Again thank you Mr." the nurse's words trailed off realizing that she didn't know his last name.
"Townsend… Jayden Townsend. Well now that he's settled in I should go."
"Don't forget Markus… Tomorrow I'll see you and we can get your sister's graduation and birthday present."