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“Yeah, see if she still feels like seeing me. If she doesn’t even want to turn around, I don’t want to put her on t
he spot. Or myself for that matter.”
“Daddy, this has to happen and it is what it is. But, if it’ll make you more comfortable, I’ll go make sure the coast is clear.”
“Thanks, Jonquinette.”
Daddy leaned against the nearest tree he could find, probably to prevent himself from falling, and I went on to Momma.
“Hey, Momma,” I said, after I got right beside the table where she was sitting.
She glimpsed nervously at me. “Hey, sweetheart.”
“Why wouldn’t you turn around?” I asked.
She shrugged. “I guess I’m just trying to prolong the inevitable.”
“Daddy’s over there standing by a tree because he doesn’t think you want to be bothered with him.”
“It’s not that. It’s just that it’s been ages since I’ve seen him.” She moved a piece of hair that had fallen and placed it behind her ear. “What if he thinks I’ve aged badly?”
“Momma, you haven’t aged at all.”
She laughed. “Honey, we’ve all aged. Some of us just age better than others.”
“Well, consider yourself one of those then, because you look exactly the same to me.”
“That’s because you see me all the time. It’s like when a grandmother doesn’t see her grandchildren for a few months and when she sees them, they look completely different from the last time.”
I found myself getting agitated. Why was I having a discussion with my mother about her looks when this was about something ten times more serious?
“Momma, I’m not trying to be nasty or anything, but Daddy isn’t here to see whether or not you still look fly. He’s here because I asked him to come and help me get cured. Nothing more, nothing less.”
She glared at me with disdain. “You just don’t get it.”
“No, Momma, you just don’t get it. All my life everything has been about you. What Meredith thinks. What Meredith wants. Well, today and the next several months, or however long it takes, will be all about me and why this is happening to me.”
She suddenly got loud with me. “Are you implying that this is somehow my fault? Your mental issue has nothing to do with me.”
“It might not have anything to do with you or it might have everything to do with you, but I’m not trying to place guilt. I’m trying to be normal for once in my life.”
Neither one of us saw Daddy approaching until he was right on top of us.
“Meredith, hello,” he said uneasily.
She finally turned to look at him. Then she turned away from him and stared out into the woods. “Hello, Henry.”
He inched his way even closer and sat the picnic basket down on the table. “How are things?”
“Things are okay,” she said, still not making eye contact. “How are things with you?”
“Okay.”
“So I hear you have a daughter.”
“Yes, her name’s Flower. She’s six.”
“Six. Wow!” Momma must have figured out that her body language was ridiculous. She got down off the table and turned around so that they were face-to-face. “Time has been good to you, Henry. You’ve gotten more character with age.”
