This turned into something I wasn't expecting. That's always fun :)
V is for Vase.
It's been in our family for generations. A gaudy ceramic vase, painted with navy flowers and chipped at its mouth. Mother cherishes it though. Says it's the only thing connecting her to her lost mother. Lost, she says, as if we can come back from the dead. Mother's arranging violets in them now, standing before the island and humming that new Maroon 5 song that's been playing on the radio. I'm curled on the couch, my astronomy textbook open on my lap.
"What do you think, Jade?" She asks, smiling down at the flowers.
"They're lovely, mother," I say and roll my eyes. What else am I supposed to say?
"Yes, I thought so too," she says. "One of Delaney's friends is coming over later. She can tell us what happened to your grandmother."
I clench my teeth together so I don't say anything. Seriously? Another one? The house we live in currently is where grandmother died five months ago. I know exactly what happened to her; she overdosed on her pain meds. I saw it coming; she loved those things. Mother is in denial still, says there was foul play.
"You'll be here, yes?" Mother asks.
"Of course," I say. Again, what do I say? Mother hasn't done much in these last five months. The house may be paid off but we still need to eat; the garden doesn't produce much this time of year. I don't think mother has noticed that I got a second job on top of university and my first one. But we're barely living; she took a leave from work a month ago, I need to pay for tuition and books and food. Some days I'm surprised if I can sleep.
I turn back to my textbook in hopes she'll stop the conversation and do something else while we wait for the lady to arrive.
A half an hour later she starts banging around in the kitchen and I see her trying to put out a spread of food. It's just us, Delaney, and the other woman; what does food matter? We're probably not even going to touch it.
I sigh and soon the main floor is filled with the scent of baking as I read. It feels like five minutes when the doorbell rings and I look up to see it's gotten dark outside.
Mother leads Delaney and a woman with long blonde hair, a gypsy type outfit on, and beads decorating her hair towards the kitchen table. Mother gestures me over and I close my book, standing up and making my way over.
"This is Willow," Delaney introduces and I smile and shake her hand before sitting down. The other three follow suit and Willow gets right into it, asking questions, talking to mother, and I feel like Delaney came just because mother hadn't met Willow before now.
"Let's join hands," Willow says and reaches out towards me. I grab her hand and take Delaney's when she extends it towards me. "This will make the connection stronger," she says.
Willow, mother, and Delaney bow their heads and I roll my eyes. Why must I be here? I could be studying on my rare day off. Willow starts chanting and I let my eyes wander the room. The windows are all closed, the curtains pulled to cover them. The tea mother made right before they came is going cold on the counter and the brownies lie forgotten on a plate.
I look over at Willow as she starts talking as if she was communicating with grandmother. Mother is staring at her with wide eyes and soaking in every bit of information.
"You are wasting your life, Scarlet," Willow says to my mother. "Live your life, if not for yourself than for your daughter, for my granddaughter."
Mother's eyes tear up as they've done in every other session we've had. If only she'd listen to the people that come.
Willow blinks and looks over at mother with a smile. "That's all she has to say."
Mother's brow furrows. "No foul play or who killed her?"
Willow tilts her head. "She overdosed. She knows, she expected it. That was her plan. Jade knows this too."
I nod when mother looks over at me. She studies my face before shaking her head. "That's not possible. Mother would never purposely leave us behind."
I want to groan. Seriously?
Willow smiles sadly. "I'm sorry, but that's what she says; what she has been saying for months now."
I nod. Please, mother, let's just move past this and live on.
Mother scowls and takes her hand away. "I see," she says before standing up and storming upstairs.
I sigh before turning to Willow with a smile. "I apologize."
Willow waves that away. "Not your fault," she says. "Thank you for letting me come into your home."
I smile. "Are you two going to head out?"
Delaney nods. "I was hoping Willow could show your mother what we know but she's in a very strong stage of denial."
I sigh and nod.
"Sorry, Jade," Delaney says and pats my hand that she still has hold of.
I smile at her. "Would either of you care for a brownie?"
They shake their heads as they stand.
"No thanks," Delaney says. "We'll leave you to your studies."
I walk them to the door, thanking them again as they leave. I sigh and lock the door behind them. I suppose it was too much to hope for. I turn around to see the vase my mother cherishes go crashing to the floor, water spilling onto the tile, ceramic chips scattering, and violets crushing. Footsteps drum from above before my mother appears at the stairs, flying down them. She gasps and falls to her knees beside it, tears streaming down her face. I watch her pick up pieces, trying to recreate it in her hands, cutting herself in the process and ignoring the blood that pours from her fingers.
"Maybe she'll cut herself too deep," the voice of my grandmother comes from beside me.
I tilt my head, watching mother cuddle the pieces to her chest. "It could happen, though two deaths in this house could be messy."
Grandmother laughs. "I'll protect you, dear."
I turn to her foggy form and smile. "I know."
No comments:
Post a Comment