In March, or as close as we can get to the anniversary of Mom’s passing, we’ll meet here again, but instead of Scotch, we’ll toast with her favorite drink—an “International” made with chocolate vodka, Irish cream, Kahlúa, crème de cacao, and vanilla ice cream topped with whipped cream and chocolate syrup. International was what Mom called it. We had an ongoing competition to see who could get her to admit that it was the same drink as a chocolate mudslide. None of us ever won.
After the cemetery, we hang out at Elsie’s rustic log cabin. She has the biggest fireplace I’ve ever seen—five feet tall and six feet wide. Ash and I build a large fire. We don’t need it for the heat, Elsie has the air conditioning on full blast, but the flames are comforting. Then we lounge around on her plush furniture under a chandelier made with deer antlers. A giant elk hide lies at our feet as we reminisce about our childhoods. This is what life is all about.
After a while, Elsie and Ash go to the kitchen to whip up something to eat. I take the opportunity to pull out my phone. We’ve texted so much over the past couple of months, and I’m really enjoying our friendship.
Riggs:Happy Fourth!
Maddie:You too. Are you doing anything special?
Riggs:Besides visiting our parents’ graves? Not really. You?
Maddie:Just hanging out with my mom playing Rummy. What happened to your dad, if you don’t mind my asking?
Riggs:I don’t mind. He died of a broken heart.
Maddie:Because your mother died?
Riggs:Yeah, after she passed he was depressed and withdrawn. In a way, I think we all were, but it was different for him. About two months later I think he just couldn’t spend another day without her. That’s when he had a heart attack.
Maddie:That’s horrible. I’m so sorry you went through that.
Riggs:I’m not going to lie, it was rough. But you just keep breathing and find ways to live your life. You’re sad, you miss them, you think about them all the time, but you move forward. That’s what they would want us to do, to live the best life we can.
Maddie:I feel like you’re preparing me.
Riggs:I guess I kind of am. What is your mom’s latest prognosis?
Maddie:Not as good as I wouldlike. She just did another round of tests so we should hear something in about a week.
Riggs:Sounds familiar. We made the most of the time we had with our mom like every second counted. Looking back, it did.
Maddie:It’s nice to talk to someone who understands. BTW, my mother is practically kicking me out of the house for the Vegas trip. She’s not giving me a choice.
Rhonda told Maddie’s mom about the trip two weeks ago, and that’s when Maddie told me she’ll be coming, but she had one condition. She made me promise one more time that we’ll be just friends and nothing more. I promised, and it’s a promise I intend to keep.
Riggs:Sounds like it will make her happy. Nothing is more important than that, right?
Maddie:Yes, of course you’re right. She’s actually doing a lot better now that she’s eating more so I don’t worry about her quite as much.
Riggs:That’s good. Did you get the package I sent?
Maddie:I got it this afternoon. Big box. I wish you hadn’t. I never get you anything.
Over the past couple of months, I’ve sent her a few things based on what I’ve learned from our conversations, like a few weeks ago when I had a guy come to her houseand put four new tires on her car. In passing, she complained about the price of used tires like it was a really big deal to her. From our chats I’ve gathered that she’s really struggling so I love helping when I can, even if she hates it. Apparently, the worst thing you can do is treat her like a charity case, but I don’t care. If she needs things and I can provide them, she’ll just have to deal with it.
Riggs:I can’t remember, are you a billionaire too?
Maddie:I didn’t bounce a check buying groceries this week; does that count? I don’t think anyone under seventy still has a checkbook, but sadly, I do. It comes in handy when you need to buy gas or food the day before payday.
Riggs:LOL! Believe it or not, I totally get it. Ash and I ate a lot of Top Ramen in college. It was all we could afford, and there were times we couldn’t afford that. Anyway, I would have been upset if you’d gotten me something. I just hope you’re not upset when you see what’s in the box.
She doesn’t respond.
Riggs:Hello?
Still nothing. Could something have happened with her mother? Images of Dad clutching his left arm and falling to the floor in front of me and Ash come rushing into my head. I’m about to dial her number when a text appears.
Maddie:OMG!!! It’s too much. How did you even know about this?
