Claire had planned to move out when she started college, desperate to escape. Chrissie had begged her to stay at least until she graduated, terrified of being left to face their father’s wrath alone. Claire tried to shield Chrissie as much as she could, which left her an easy target for her father. He had never physically struck them nor did Claire think he had her mother. Words were his weapon of choice, and he used them like knives.
For not the first time, Claire thought about how much easier it would be if her mother lived in a condominium that included maintenance and upkeep because the price of maintaining her home as well as her medication was staggering. She would also love to never have to see this house again. After the death of her father, her mother lived comfortably on his life insurance payment for a few years but in the last year that money had dwindled and now Claire was forced to pick up the medical bills that her Medicare didn’t cover; which seemed to be numerous as well as the maintenance of the home. With a sigh, Claire made her way up to the front walk and was met at the front door by Louise. No matter how bad her day, Louise always made her smile. Standing at just five feet tall, Claire’s taller 5’7 frame seemed to tower over her. Louise still insisted on getting a curly perm in her hair every few months and also claimed that as long as they made hair color, she would never be grey. She might not be grey but Claire had seen various other colors over the years when the hair color went wrong. At the present, it was more of a dark brown and what could possibly be a burgundy highlight. She gave Louise a hug and entered the foyer of the house. The original hardwood floors caught the light and gleamed. The staircase was straight in front of the door with the dining room to the right and living room to the left.
“How is mom doing today Louise? Did she take all her medications without too much of a fight?”
“She’s been having an off day, but seems better now.” Her mother seemed to be having many off days lately. “Her blood sugar was low this morning,” continued Louise “and that really takes her awhile to recover from.”
At that moment, her mother walked in from the kitchen at the back of the house and her eyes just seemed to light up. Her mother rushed forward and grabbed her in a hug excitedly saying, “Chrissie; I knew you’d come by today, I’ve been waiting for you!”
Claire looked over at Louise and saw the tears in the corners of her eyes. Louise stepped forward and put her arm around Claire’s mother and said, “now Evelyn, you know this isn’t Chrissie; this is Claire, remember?”
Her mother looked at Claire in confusion and then Claire could see the agitation beginning. “I think I know who my own daughter is,” said her mother indignantly.
Saddened, Claire looked at Louise and said, “It doesn’t matter Louise.”
The confusion and the agitation that followed was the reason Claire was forced to have a separate residence when it would be much easier financially for them to live together. For some reason, her mother never seemed to forget Louise, but she often confused her with Chrissie or didn’t recognize her at all. Even though she forgot that Chrissie was dead at times, she never asked after her husband. It was as if she could accept his death but couldn’t process Chrissie's.
“I’ve the dinner ready Claire,” replied Louise, and she gently turned her mother around and they all headed towards the kitchen. With just her mother, Louise and herself, the formal dining room had long ago stopped being used in favor of the smaller breakfast nook in the kitchen. Louise made a simple dinner of tomato bisque soup and ham and cheese sandwiches. Louise settled her mother in a chair, and Claire took a seat on the other side of the table careful to keep from startling her mother in her present state of mind.
Her mother suddenly looked at her and said in an excited voice, “Oh Claire; you made it for dinner! When did you come in honey?”
“I got here a few moments ago mom.” Louise looked over at Claire as she was sitting down with a sad expression on her face.
“How was your day honey?” continued Claire’s mother.
“It was fine mom, just busy as usual. I’m going to Columbia on business this weekend, so I won’t see you guys again until Sunday evening.”
“Oh Claire, you work so hard, doesn’t she Louise?”
Louise winked at Claire, “You know these young people today Evelyn, work, work, work.” the rest of the meal was spent in relaxing conversation.
After dinner was finished Louise led her mother into the living room and settled her in front of the TV to watch her favorite soap opera on DVR. When she returned to the kitchen she looked at Claire and said, “The roof is leaking again in the master bedroom upstairs.”
Looking at her in dismay, Claire said, “I just had that fixed last winter, how in the world is it leaking again?!”
“Honey, it was two years ago and that’s about how long the roofer said it would hold.” Claire sat down in a kitchen chair and wearily closed her eyes for a moment. “The lord never gives us more than we can handle, things will turn around soon, just have faith,” soothed Louise.