Chapter 8 #2
“Momma, I ask you all the time if you want me to take you out. The furthest you let me take you is a few feet to that courtyard. I’d love to take you out to eat or to the mall sometimes.”
“I know, baby. I just don’t like to be a burden on you. You gotta deal with me, my oxygen tank, and my wheelchair. It sounds like too much.”
“I don’t care about that. I’d actually love to get you out of here for a change.”
“Okay. I’ll let you know when I’m up for it.”
“No, you won’t. I’ll plan it myself and tell you what we’re gonna do.”
Setting the bags on the bed, I walked over to her and kissed her soft cheek.
Since she was relaxing in the recliner, I immediately went to strip the neatly made bed.
While my mother told me the latest gossip about other residents in the facility, I changed her sheets and pillowcases.
By the time she was done, I was tucking in the comforter.
“Oooh, I love the color scheme. It’s giving fall in here now,” she said as she looked around the small room.
A bowl mixed with acorns and small pumpkins now rested on her dresser while a glass pumpkin sat in the middle of the windowsill.
The new bedding consisted of cream colored sheets and a dark brown comforter.
I hadn’t gotten around to handing the decorative bathroom towels, but those were also different shades of brown and orange.
“Yes, ma’am. The season is starting to change, so I figured I might as well get you ready. I need to go through your closet and see how many sweaters you have. You want any new boots?”
“I want those boots you showed me about a month ago. The ones you said you’ll have in store for fall.”
It took a second for me to recall, but I knew exactly what she was talking about.
I’d found a vendor that manufactured quality boots comparable to UGG.
Jade and I tested them by wearing the samples they’d sent for long periods of time.
I was still going back and forth on finalizing the colors, but the boot would be in stock at the end of September.
“What color you want?”
“Chestnut and black, if it’s not asking for too much.”
“Anything for you, Momma. I’ll bring them when I get them in. You ready to shower? It’s almost seven.” I asked as I stepped into her walk-in closet.
“I am. I was just relaxing a little after eating dinner. We actually had something memorable tonight.”
“What was it?”
“Smothered pork chops with mashed potatoes and string beans.”
“Oh, that does sound good. You know I don’t care for smothered food, but a win is a win.”
After gathering the essentials for my mother’s shower, I went into the ensuite bathroom and started the water.
Using my hand to constantly check the temperature, I nodded in approval once it was the right amount of warmness.
As I helped my mother out of her clothes and into the shower, my emotions heightened when I was reminded that she was no longer the same woman from the past. Back in the day, my mother was a force to be reckoned with.
We had our disagreements when it came to the male company she kept, but my mother was my everything.
She always made a way and there was never a time I went without.
She was headstrong, a trait she’d passed down to me.
Outside of dealing with Allen, I didn’t take shit from anyone and I’d gotten that from Cora Peterson.
Now, the woman before me was thin and frail.
With her oxygen off, I visibly saw the deep breaths she took to keep herself in control.
Seeing this hurt because she was so young to be going through it, but it was my job to take care of her.
Although I trusted these nurses wholeheartedly, no one would ever care for my mother like me.
“I’ve been thinking a lot lately, Celeste,” she said, breaking our silence.
“About?”
“I don’t have much time left, sweetie. I know you don’t like talking about it, but I wouldn’t be doing you any justice if I didn’t prepare you. We’ve already been over how I want my arrangements to go and what I want to wear, but I need you to remember what I’m about to tell you,” she said sternly.
My body stiffened as I continued to lather soap on the sponge to wash her back. I may have felt like I was now in control, but I knew when to not play with my mother and listen to whatever she had to say.
“The day the Lord calls me home, I need you to know I love you and did the best I could as your mother. I’ve made many mistakes from the time you were born, but I need you to know I always did what I thought was best at the time.”
“I already know that, Momma. I’d never think differently.”
When I completed my statement, she looked up at me with sadness in her eyes, like she had much more to say but didn’t.
I didn’t press her since this was a topic I hated discussing anyway.
The thought of my mother no longer being here wasn’t one I was ready to experience.
She was all I had. As I washed and rinsed her, we switched the topic to what activities she’d be participating in tomorrow.
The conversation lasted while I moisturized and dressed her for bed.
Once I had her tucked in, I left the room to get her a fresh jug of ice water and applesauce she liked to have as a late-night snack.
By the time I made it back into her room, my brows knitted in confusion when I realized she was on the phone.
Setting the items on the bedside tray, I rolled my eyes when I noticed it was Allen.
He was asking her how her day had gone and how she’d been feeling.
There was no doubt in my mind that he cared for my mother, but he was only calling because he hadn’t heard from me all day.
Once he got all the fake greetings out the way, he’d surely start questioning her about me.
“That’s good, Momma Cora. Have you talked to Celeste today?” I heard him ask.
“Yes. She’s been here with me for a while now,” she answered as she looked over at me.
“Okay. Tell her I said I love her and to call me when she leaves.”
It wasn’t until the call ended that I spoke. I was trying so hard to keep my mother out of the bullshit I had going on with Allen, but I had to tell her soon. Especially if I decided to take her out of this facility.
“What’s going on with the two of you, Celeste. I could feel that eye roll from a mile away. Are you and Allen fighting?”
“No, Momma. Everything is okay.”
Thank the Lord she didn’t have social media. If she did, it would be damn near impossible to lie about Allen’s cheating ass. The less she knew, the better. I’d come clean once I was footing all her bills.
“Celeste, you keep saying that. I’m no fool, especially when it comes to a man. You and that boy have been at odds for quite some time now. I won’t pry since you don’t wanna talk but know I’m here whenever you need me. I may need you physically, but I’m still your mother,” she stated seriously.
“I know, Momma. Get some rest and I’ll call you in the morning.”
I placed a kiss on her forehead and made sure her oxygen was secured before turning the light out and leaving her room.
I waved and spoke to the nurses I was familiar with as I left the building.
When I got to my car, I placed the bag filled with my mom’s things in the backseat and placed a call to Shane.
It was now a little past eight and I truly wanted to see him.
“Hello?”
“Yes. I’m about to be on my way to the lakefront. Are you on your way there?”
“I’m walkin’ out to my car now. I’m about twenty minutes away,” he said.
“Me too.”
After discussing where we’d meet once we got there, I ended the call and drove the rest of the way listening to my favorite R&B girlie, Marshall.
Marshall had only been mainstream for less than a year, but she was killing the game.
She gave that nineties vibe and I loved the way she told stories in her lyrics.
Being with Allen, I’d been in the same proximity as her a time or two, but I’d never been close enough to have a conversation.
Her debut album and mixtapes had gone triple platinum in my car alone.
When I approached the light to turn into the small parking area of the lakefront, I spotted Shane’s truck.
I turned my car off and grabbed a throw blanket I kept in my car just for lakefront trips.
Gwendal was bordered by Lake Michigan, so hanging out at the lakefront was a part of life here.
I damn near had a heart attack when I saw Shane standing outside my door.
“What’s up, beautiful?” he asked when I was out of the car.
Butterflies burst in my stomach and I couldn’t help but lower my head as I blushed. This man was so damn fine. A mixture of weed and expensive cologne tickled my nostrils. I wanted to ask him what he had on, but I was too busy staring into his light brown eyes.
“Hey, you. How you been?” I asked, unable to think of anything else to say.
“I’ve been good. It’s an empty spot over here,” he said as he took my hand.
As he led me to our designated spot, I cherished the feel of our hands clasped together.
Relief washed over me and I felt safe with him.
He’d already shown me that he cared when he picked me up after the club incident.
If I didn’t have so much shit going on with Allen, there would’ve been nothing in the way of letting this man take me away.
Stopping at our spot, I lay my blanket on the step I’d be sitting on.
It was always cooler close to the lake and the breeze tonight felt perfect.
“How did the visit go with your mom? She good?”
“She’s as good as she can be,” I admitted as I exhaled.
“What’s the deal with that? What’s happening with her?”
“Heart failure and it’s on the severe side.”
“Damn…I’m sorry to hear that. How old is she?”