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I laugh and nod, my cheeks hurting from how much I’ve been smiling today. “Of course, Mom. Lots of extra cheese.”
She pats the seat at the table next to her. “Come sit, honey.”
A lump in my throat forms but I go to her and sit, letting her take my hands in hers.
“I love you, Summer. I’m glad you’re home.”
Unable to speak, I nod.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever told you how proud I am of you, but I am. I’ve always been so proud of how strong and resilient and smart you are.”
Tears well in my eyes, and the lump triples in size. Before I can stop it, a soft sob breaks loose.
“Thank you, Mom. That means…more than you know.”
Her eyes look misty too. “I know I didn’t do the right thing when you were growing up. I should have left your father. Gotten you away from him. I hope you can forgive me.”
Another sob comes out. I rise and move closer so I can wrap my arms around her. “Mom, there’s nothing to forgive. I’ve never been angry with you. I know you did the best you could. I need you to remember that. Okay?”
She hugs me for a moment, and when I release her and sit back down, she meets my gaze. Her eyes are filled with tears, and she looks so incredibly sad.
“I’ve been forgetting a lot, haven’t I?” she asks with a shaky voice.
I bite my lip but slowly nod. I hate having to tell her, but I won’t lie when she asks such a direct question.
“You have,” I finally say.
We sit in silence for a few minutes before she speaks again. “It’s going to continue to get worse.”
“Yes. Most likely. It’s a progressive disease,” I say barely above a whisper.
“I don’t want you to take care of me when I can’t be by myself anymore, honey. Put me in a home where someone else can take care of me. Just please don’t forget about me. Even…even if I forget you.”
Both of us are crying freely now.
“Mom, I’ll never forget about you. I’m moving home so I can be here for you.”
She sniffles and wipes her eyes with a tissue. “I’d love it if you moved home. But don’t do it for me. And if you do decide to come back permanently, I don’t want you to stop your whole life to take care of me.”
I can’t speak so all I do is nod and squeeze her hand. It takes me a minute before I feel like I can talk again.
“Mom, is there anything you want me to know? Is there a place you have in mind where you would want to live? Or would you prefer caretakers to come here to take care of you?”
She looks around and lets out a half laugh. “I don’t think I want to spend my last years in this house. I never liked this place. Your father insisted we buy it. He was such a bastard.”
For the first time since we started this conversation, I laugh. “He really was. But you were the best mom. I never liked this house either. Because he was in it with us. The best memories I have are when you and I would go to the park up the street. Remember when we would go on the swings and see who could swing the highest?”
We both laugh, and I feel like my heart could explode.
“Did you ever marry that boy? What was his name? The one who lived next door. I always thought you two would get married.”
“Dane? No, we didn’t get married. But, uh, I think we’re kind of dating now.”
Her face lights up. “Oh, yeah?”
I bob my head, suddenly feeling like a teenager confiding in my mom again.
“Yeah. We’re seeing where things go.”
