me home after chemo, but by then I had met you and well, you know the rest.”
Pulling in her driveway , I want to ask her about her mom but I don’t want to overstep my bounds, she will tell me when she’s ready. Holding her door open and offering her my hand to help her out of the car, she says, “It’s not too late, did you want to come in for a while? I’m just not ready for the day to be over. I had such a nice time with your family. Could you stay for a little while, please?”
How can I say no to that? I was thinking the same thing. I just didn’t want to tire her out.
“Sure, I would love to , but I won’t stay too long. You look tired. I don’t want you to do too much.”
“Always the worrier, I’m fine , that’s sweet of you to be concerned though.”
Settling on the couch , she sits Indian style again facing me. Lucy jumps up and curls in her lap, resting her head on Willow’s arm.
“So , I told myself I wouldn’t ask, and if you want to tell me to mind my own business, please do. Why don’t you talk to your mom?”
“ It’s alright, you can ask. I’m too old for games, and I’m more of a say it like is kind of girl, as you know sometimes too much. I grew up in a small town in Illinois in a trailer park. I had friends, but my mom and I never really got along. Well we didn’t not get along either. She worked midnights so we really never saw each other. I pretty much raised myself. When we did see each other it was in passing, she was just getting home from work and heading to bed while I was on my way out to school.
“ When I would get home from school she would already be gone for work. On her days off she slept in. I was probably just the typical teenage girl with an attitude. I couldn’t wait to graduate and get out of there. We had a big argument the day of my senior graduation. She couldn’t get out of work. I told her if she didn’t show up, I never wanted to see her again. She didn’t show up. I felt so alone.
“ All my friends had family and friends cheering them on. They were handed flowers and gifts. I had no one. I was so angry. When I got home, I wrote her a nasty letter that I left on her pillow. I packed up my car and headed out west. I told her to never try to find me and that I hated her. I know it was stupid. I knew she had no way of finding me.
“ As the years went by I realized she was doing the best she could with what she had. A million times I have picked up the phone to call her, and I have written just as many letters that I never send. When I was diagnosed, I wanted to call, her but I didn’t want her to think I was only calling her because I needed something. I think about her all the time. I know how proud she would be of me, for putting myself through college and getting my degree.
“ Wow, that was a lot of information all at once. I hope you don’t think I’m a bad person for what I did. I was angry at her for her not being there for me for so long. Since being diagnosed, I have changed my mind about a lot of things. Things just mean different things to me now. I want to get in touch with her, I really do. I miss her. I’m just afraid it has been too long, and that maybe she doesn’t want me back in her life.”
“Willow, I don’t think you are a bad per son. I think you’re one of the strongest people I know. If you want to get in touch with your mom, I can help you find her. If she‘s moved around, it might be difficult to find her. Just think about it. If you want my help, you’ve got it. I’ll always be here by your side if you need me. My family has always been close, and I don’t know what I would have done without them, especially a few years ago.”
“Why, what happened a few years ago?”
“That is a story for another day, it’s getting late and you need your rest. I should go. Now that I know you work in the building, why don’t you come up to my office for lunch? I’ll order in.”
“Oh , I couldn’t bother
Pulling in her driveway , I want to ask her about her mom but I don’t want to overstep my bounds, she will tell me when she’s ready. Holding her door open and offering her my hand to help her out of the car, she says, “It’s not too late, did you want to come in for a while? I’m just not ready for the day to be over. I had such a nice time with your family. Could you stay for a little while, please?”
How can I say no to that? I was thinking the same thing. I just didn’t want to tire her out.
“Sure, I would love to , but I won’t stay too long. You look tired. I don’t want you to do too much.”
“Always the worrier, I’m fine , that’s sweet of you to be concerned though.”
Settling on the couch , she sits Indian style again facing me. Lucy jumps up and curls in her lap, resting her head on Willow’s arm.
“So , I told myself I wouldn’t ask, and if you want to tell me to mind my own business, please do. Why don’t you talk to your mom?”
“ It’s alright, you can ask. I’m too old for games, and I’m more of a say it like is kind of girl, as you know sometimes too much. I grew up in a small town in Illinois in a trailer park. I had friends, but my mom and I never really got along. Well we didn’t not get along either. She worked midnights so we really never saw each other. I pretty much raised myself. When we did see each other it was in passing, she was just getting home from work and heading to bed while I was on my way out to school.
“ When I would get home from school she would already be gone for work. On her days off she slept in. I was probably just the typical teenage girl with an attitude. I couldn’t wait to graduate and get out of there. We had a big argument the day of my senior graduation. She couldn’t get out of work. I told her if she didn’t show up, I never wanted to see her again. She didn’t show up. I felt so alone.
“ All my friends had family and friends cheering them on. They were handed flowers and gifts. I had no one. I was so angry. When I got home, I wrote her a nasty letter that I left on her pillow. I packed up my car and headed out west. I told her to never try to find me and that I hated her. I know it was stupid. I knew she had no way of finding me.
“ As the years went by I realized she was doing the best she could with what she had. A million times I have picked up the phone to call her, and I have written just as many letters that I never send. When I was diagnosed, I wanted to call, her but I didn’t want her to think I was only calling her because I needed something. I think about her all the time. I know how proud she would be of me, for putting myself through college and getting my degree.
“ Wow, that was a lot of information all at once. I hope you don’t think I’m a bad person for what I did. I was angry at her for her not being there for me for so long. Since being diagnosed, I have changed my mind about a lot of things. Things just mean different things to me now. I want to get in touch with her, I really do. I miss her. I’m just afraid it has been too long, and that maybe she doesn’t want me back in her life.”
“Willow, I don’t think you are a bad per son. I think you’re one of the strongest people I know. If you want to get in touch with your mom, I can help you find her. If she‘s moved around, it might be difficult to find her. Just think about it. If you want my help, you’ve got it. I’ll always be here by your side if you need me. My family has always been close, and I don’t know what I would have done without them, especially a few years ago.”
“Why, what happened a few years ago?”
“That is a story for another day, it’s getting late and you need your rest. I should go. Now that I know you work in the building, why don’t you come up to my office for lunch? I’ll order in.”
“Oh , I couldn’t bother
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