Page 37 of Bearly Familiar


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Rene parked her car in front of an old, but recently renovated building, with the sign A Cloud to Stand On. Rene always thought that it was a cheesy name for a nursing home, but someone who was born in the 60’s might think that was appropriate. She wondered if her mother understood the whole circumstances of her placement here or if she was lost in a perpetual puzzle game, trying to put all the pieces together, one at a time.

Rene grabbed her purse and an almond chocolate bar she got especially for her mother. It was Sunday afternoon, which was time especially set aside every week for a visit. Rene would spend a few hours there, sometimes less, depending on her mother’s condition. Sometimes, it was better and the two would take walks in the big yard, or Rene would read to her mother from an anthology of Hemingway’s tales, which was a book Rene got her for her birthday a few years back.

Rene walked up several steps and rang the bell. A second later, a young nurse whom Rene recognized immediately, opened the door.

“Miss Olsen!” the nurse smiled at her. “Right on time, as always.”

“Good afternoon,” Rene greeted her cordially. “How is she feeling today?”

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Rene walked in and, immediately, there was a smell of old people, which they were trying to cover up with disinfectants and aerosol sprays, like lavender or lime. The end result was a weird concoction that never really managed to mask the original smell completely. Rene wondered why they did that in the first place. Not like it was supposed to smell like a morning meadow in there. Almost like they were trying to hide the fact that old and sick people lived there.

“I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised,” the nurse said mysteriously.

“Oh?”

That was the only thing Rene managed to muster, as she walked slowly, following the nurse to the desk. She was already familiar with the procedure. She had to sign in, with the date and exact time. She didn’t really understand the point of this. Who would be checking the visits? And, more importantly, why? It was probably one of those useless rules which were imposed simply for show.

“She asked us to take out all her old photo albums, because she wanted to look at them,” the nurse informed her.

Rene smiled. Her mother never asked for this. She was hopeful that she remembered something or someone that she normally didn’t, so Rene quickly scribbled her name in the old, faded notebook, then rushed to her mother’s room.

The door was closed. She knocked gently twice, knowing that her mother didn’t have a habit of replying to knocks, but Rene didn’t want to startle her by barging in through the door. She pressed on the door knob slowly pushing it downward, then sliding the door open, just a little.

The room was quiet, as usual. The big window allowed more than enough sunlight, as it oozed through the open curtains. A big, comfy armchair was positioned right next to the window, and to its right side, a small coffee table, covered with dainty lace. The whole room seemed to belong to a different era. The furniture was old and outdated. The carpet slightly worn out. The bed, made of full wood, was immaculately made. One small embroidered pillow decorated the covered pillows.

Her mother was seated in the armchair by the window. A light sweater was thrown over her weary back which leaned forward, as she gazed into a book that was lying in her lap. Rene figured it was either the Hemingway book or the photo album she asked for.

“Hey, you,” Rene walked in, smiling at her mother.

“Milena!” her mother lifted her gaze. “How nice of you to come see me!”

Rene approached her and gave her a warm hug. Her mother didn’t smell like she remembered. She lost that fragrance ages ago, a mixture of homemade cookies and washing soap. Strange, but it always smelled so clean.

“How is everyone?” her mother asked. “Are you taking good care of Rene?”

Rene sighed. It was always difficult, even though it happened every single time for the last half a year. Her mother believed Rene to be her sister, Milena. In her mind, it was about 15 years earlier, and Rene was just a little girl, who was left with her auntie until her mother got better. Rene bore a striking resemblance to her mother’s sister, Milena, so it was no wonder that her mother made that mistake.

“She is fine,” Rene assured her. “Constantly asks about you.”

“My little darling,” her mother’s eyes teared up a little. “I hope I’ll be better soon and go home. I think I’ve had enough.”

Rene turned around, looking for a place to sit down. She went to the corner of the room, and got the chair from there. The obvious lack of any mirrors in the room didn’t surprise her. They got them all out, ever since her mother saw her own reflection and had a panic attack, kicking and screaming at the orderlies, who were just trying to calm her down. Now, that she wasn’t able to see her own reflection anywhere, she could continue to believe safely that she was 20 years younger and so were all those around her.

“You just focus on getting better,” Rene smiled gently.

No matter how many times she had to do this conversation, it never got any easier. She used to hope that her mother might remember her and, a while back, that happened a few times. But, lately, she was always Milena and time seemed to stand still in her mother’s world.

“What have you got there?” Rene eyed the photo album.

“Oh, this?” her mother gleamed, turning to the first page, as Rene placed the chair next to her, and sat down. “It’s my old photo album.”

“Do you want us to look at photos together?” Rene asked.

“Of course,” her mother nodded.

The first photo was black and white. There were two little girls, with long pigtails, holding hands. Behind them, there was a big house, and a tree to the side. Rene recognized that as the farm where her mother grew up.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
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