108 The Meadow wander off? For a short second, Lisa indulges in the luxury of being incredulous. If you combined the political savvy of one daughter with the charm of the other, you’d get a total human being with a lick of horse sense. As soon as the aide realizes her mistake, she lets out a blood-curdling screen. Then one hundred people disperse in every direction. From the shadows emerges the funeral director. “In case you forgot, there’s a lake behind the mausoleum,” he says. “And a canal along the entrance, too.” Lisa takes him in. The purple tie. The orange tan. The white teeth. The man looks already embalmed. “So what are you saying?” Now it’s Jeff ’s turn to step forward. “He’s saying he’s on the walkie-talkie. He’s saying he has some men posted by every waterway in this godforsaken establishment until we find your mother.” It’s Louise who ultimately saves the day. Like she had when they were children playing Hide and Seek, she and her sons travel from gravesite to gravesite giving the all clear. “Olly olly oxen free! Olly olly oxen free!” And sure enough, after two hours of searching, Fran finally is coaxed out. Slowly she emerges from behind an oak tree. Though dehydrated and dirty, she’s unharmed. Oblivious to her family and friends, she had been patiently waiting, lost but eager to be found. At first, Lisa assumes that an assisted living facility provides assistance. After all, her mother could be worse. She goes to the bathroom herself, eats with a good appetite, and with prodding, showers. Of course, they take extra precautions. Unplug the microwave and the stove. Clear the knives. But still the first week is a disaster. Her mother, a walker in her prime, someone who prided herself on keeping in shape, likes to wander. A cop finds
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