"Thanks for coming along, Milly. We're going to have a fun time. My grandma's the sweetest woman in the whole world and she loves having visitors."
"I could use some sweetness right now. That old bat Elder Crown really beat me down this week."

"I know. He's horrible. I'm going to make it up to you, all the way. Trust me."
"Yeah? You better! The things he called me... you don't even want to know what he calls you behind your back."

"I promise I'll pay you back somehow. I can give the notary a bigger budget if you want. New copiers, new chairs, new computers. And we could hire another receptionist..."
"Hey! That sounds nice!"

"Next week is going to be pretty light at the Tower. I don't think anyone's going to be very motivated after the long weekend. If you want to hang out with me in my office, help me out a little, we can take our lunch breaks together... maybe finish up some fun projects I've got sitting on the back burner."
"Ooh, yeah! Okay! I mean, yes ma'am! Thank you!"

The two girls had their coats on. It was a windy winter day in Grandebelle. It wasn't that cold, really, but things could take a turn for the worse at any moment. Milly looked up at Miss Planner and noticed something different about her face: Miss Planner was smiling. It was a genuine heartfelt smile of delight and happiness that radiated warmth. She definitely looked tired and worn out, but her expression was one of pure joy. Milly felt warm inside as well. She'd never seen this side of her boss before.

The cold and merciless Miss Planner had a weakness that only her closest confidants ever saw. She loved her elderly grandmother. The woman who raised her in place of her parents. The only family she'd ever had.

Miss Planner's grandma had been transferred from nursing home to nursing home several times over the years. For a while, it seemed like each new place was worse than the last. The worst part was, they all seemed nice at first. But the careful Miss Planner would always eventually notice something was wrong with the nurses, the doctors, the food, the sanitation, the other residents... it seemed like they were all conspiring to kill her only family in the entire world. Sometimes Miss Planner let her grandma stay with her in her meager apartment on the bad side of town for months on end while she looked for a better place to move her. But at some point, Miss Kandel grew too old and sick for that to be an option anymore. She needed help with everything. She couldn't go to the bathroom on her own. She couldn't get out of bed on her own. She couldn't drink water or eat on her own. She needed round-the-clock assistance and Miss Planner was going to make sure she got it.

And so the old lady was moved to an 'attendant care' facility. It didn't look too nice. It didn't have the fancy swimming pools or tennis courts or gardens that a lot of the other places had. It just had the basics. But it was a lovely facility with caring staff, good meals, and clean surroundings. And it didn't just take care of old folks. There were a lot of younger residents living there, from quadriplegics to recovering drug addicts, severely ill diabetics, and people with memory issues. They gave the place a different kind of energy, the sense of a real community. It wasn't just a big sterile hospital ward full of machines and people staring blankly at monitors.

Miss Planner loved it. Her grandma was safe and happy and she didn't need to be taken anywhere else for treatment anymore. Miss Kandel's humble little unit that she shared with a roommate was a far better place for her than Miss Planner's barebones apartment. It wasn't a cheap option by any means, but Miss Planner didn't care about that. The only thing that she cared about was her grandmother's happiness.

"It's this way, Milly. We're going to take things nice and slow today. Grandma's not going to be able to talk for too long. I'll probably just sit with her and play some games or watch television with her until she gets tired. She's been having a hard time sleeping lately."
"Mmm, sure. Whatever you want."

"Not there. That's the nurse's station. We want to go up here. Right here. That's her name on the door. Elsie Kandel. Just call her Miss Kandel though, okay? And be sure to call me Jessica. Not ma'am, Miss Planner, any of that."
"Okie dokie, Miss... Jessica."

Miss Kandel's door was wide open. The room was small, but its two elderly residents had made a lovely home out of it. The air smelled like vanilla. A small vase on the nightstand contained some flowers and candy. Miss Kandel's roommate Olive was nowhere in sight, but judging by her unmade bed she hadn't gone too far.

"Grandma! I brought my friend Milly with me today!"

Miss Kandel's face lit up at the sight of her granddaughter and her brown-haired friend. Her frail old hands fluttered up, grasping Miss Planner in a strong and loving grip.

"Jessica! Oh, it's been too long since I last saw you! Oh, sweet baby! It's so good to see you! Oh, what a nice, sweet girl!"
"I missed you, Grandma!"
"You're my angel! Come here, sit next to me!"

The girls sat on the end of Miss Kandel's mattress, their knees touching on the thin white sheets.

"It's nice to meet you, Miss Kandel."
"Oh, it's nice to meet you, dear! Has my sweet Jessica been a good friend to you, Milly? She makes everyone around her feel good about themselves... she always takes care of everyone, no matter how busy she is."
"She certainly does, Miss Kandel!"

"I love you, Grandma!"
"Oh, dear child. That's enough, now. Let go of your old grandmother... she isn't as strong as she once was..."

"What do you want to do today, Grandma? Do you want to watch TV? Do you want to play a game? Milly brought a fun game for us! It's called 'Cheese Hunter.' You play as a rat in a maze, and you compete to get the most cheese, and there's this cat you have to hide from..."
"Oh, dearie! How did I ever manage to raise a good and kindhearted young lady like you?! You always think so hard about everything... you always make everything perfect for your little old grandmother!"

Milly chuckled.
"That's just how she is, Miss Kandel! Jessica loves to give everything her all!"

"I'll get the board set up for us, okay Grandma? You're going to love this game! Look at the cute little mouse on the cover! It's going to be me and you on the same team against Milly. We'll win for sure with both of us working together! Okay?"

Miss Kandel turned away and looked off toward the corner. Her hands trembled. Miss Planner felt a shiver of anxiety run through her tiny chest. She couldn't read her grandma's expression and it scared her. The last few years had been hard on the old woman and it showed in her appearance. She was thinner, frailer than she was before. It was like she was going through some horrible ordeal of mind, soul, and spirit, slowly breaking down from the inside out.

But Milly didn't notice anything was wrong.

"You really love your granddaughter, don't you, Miss Kandel?"
"My goodness... she has so much love inside of her, Milly. She always tries so very hard to be a wonderful and good girl for me and all the other old folks here. She came by last month and helped an older gentleman down the stairs. And she helped my dear best friend Olive get dressed for a dinner out with her family. She always offers to do little things to help people, always. She stayed home from work for an entire week to take care of me when my chest infection flared up.  She's the greatest granddaughter a woman could ever ask for. She's a sweet, perfect, lovely little lady. My, my, Jessica, I just love you to pieces."

Miss Planner reached out and gently squeezed her grandmother's hand. The old woman's fingers twitched. Miss Planner tried to suppress a wave of emotion, a mix of sadness and joy, but she just couldn't do it. She couldn't keep her feelings locked up in her chest any longer. of emotion, she threw her arms around her old grandma and began to weep. She couldn't stop.

"There, there. Oh dearie, don't cry. I don't want you to cry.”
"Snnnf. I'm sorry, Grandma. Milly, can you grab me some tissues?"

"Right away, Miss... Jessica."
"Thank you... Milly..."

"Don't cry, sweetie. Your grandma loves you. Give your granny a hug. We'll play the mousey game in a moment, okay? Oh, sweet baby."
"Grandma... snnnfff..."