"I've met her briefly . . . at her son's wedding; when I met Sarah."
"Suzanne visits all the time, or so I'm told. Sometimes I have no recollection of her stopping by. Suzanne is very conscientious but Sarah is more honest. I'm not much fun to visit."
My mother's candor was a breath of fresh air. In that way, she was her old self but it shocked me as Suzie's reports of her condition were far less positive. It pleased me she seemed to hold no rancor for my lengthy absence.
We chatted for nearly an hour. I sat in a chair next to her, holding her frail hand while Paul perched on the edge of her bed. Talk centered on happy times gone by and my mother remained not only lucid but at times, funny. All her reminiscence predated my father's death as if happiness died with his passing. She appeared pleased with our visit causing me heart-wrenching guilt for remaining away so many years. During a lull in our memory trip she turned to Paul.
"Are you married?"
"No. My wife died about a year ago after a long illness."
For the first time in our meeting my mother showed a hint of melancholy. "It's the saddest of life's burdens to lose a soul mate you love dearly." Then she asked Paul, "Do you plan to marry Sarah?" To his credit, he answered tactfully.
"I would be honored but we've just met and I'm not certain of her feelings."
My mother considered the answer. "Her last choice was a poor one but you seem to be an honorable man. Don't tarry too long. We get old quickly and Sarah's no longer a child." She looked up at him. "Do you have children?"
"Yes. My daughter Karen is twelve and her brother Timmy is almost five."
My mother pondered his answer. "I'd like to meet Karen. Twelve is a very impressionable age for a young lady." She added, "Timmy too, perhaps when he's a bit older." She smiled and turned to me. "I know girls so much better than boys."
"I wish I did," Paul said. "Karen is bewildering at times."
"Spend a lot of time with her and listen to what she says but don't lecture. Do you play games together?"
"I play games with Timmy. I used play with Karen but now she reads a lot."
"Reading is wonderful but it's a solitary occupation. You should play Monopoly." I smiled as I remembered. "We had fun, didn't we?" my mother asked me.
"I was never very good at Monopoly," I answered.
"You always bought the cheap properties. You weren't very good at wheeling and dealing. Your sister bought the blue ones the green ones, and beat us all."