The Drive: I get in the van and call Keary… “I’m on my way but I have to stop and get something in my stomach so I will be slow getting home” … he says “they are ordering pizza, do you want some?”, “Don’t think so” Love ya”. I drive to the freeway and since I don’t know my way around too well, I go back to the old neighborhood I remember when we lived here ages ago. I find a Dairy Queen and decide if I drink a milkshake it might make my stomach feel better. I drive thru and get a milkshake and decide to park facing the sun, I take a few sips from the milkshake and laid my head back on the head rest…I pass out. I wake up and it is ½ hr later, I start the van and it doesn’t start. I can’t believe it, again! I take the key out and sit and pray for a minute and put the key back in and it starts! “Thank you Heavenly Father” I get on the freeway and drive to mom’s house. I drive the speed limit my head it killing me and my stomach is churning, I am very sleepy. Thirty minutes later I am at the exit to Othello, I pull over to a side road and turn off the car and pull out the keys and pray the car will start but I am soooo tired, I can hardly keep my eyes open, but I don’t hurt as bad anymore. I lay my head back on the head rest and I pass out, once again! I wake up 20 minutes later and I finish the drive to Othello. I still don’t feel good, I have a stomach ache and my head feels like a cement block. I drive into Othello and come down the bridge and it is so open and wide. I see all the open fields and drive by a farm house where they sell fresh fruit, cantaloupe, cherries, fresh peaches; the area is so clean and uncluttered. Then there is Wal-mart a mile from the farmhouse, and I am in Othello. The turn off to mom’s house is about ½ mile away. I stop at the next light and make a right turn, the houses have nice lawns and large green trees with lots of flowers blooming, it is a warm evening, I make a left and 2 blocks down is mom’s house. As I get closer I see mom’s car and Torrie and Kim’s van in the driveway. It is a 3 car drive way and I park next to mom’s car and the large pine tree. I take my bags out so I can change into my pajamas and take Keary’s bag in also.
Mom’s house Friday night: I walk in and Mom, Dad and Keary are in the family room and Melissa is in the front room and she says “Hi, Aunt Diana” Kids are all around, I really don’t notice who they are. I walk in drop on the couch in the family room, I don’t look for chocolate, I drop the bags on the floor beside me. Keary is in his manual wheelchair. Dad is sitting in his chair and Mom is sitting in hers holding Gavin. Mom asks me how I feel and asks if I would like something to eat. Kim comes in from another part of the house and says hi and gives me a hug. She says Torrie is not here because she is helping Josiah ( Melissa’s husband) at the new house they have bought a couple of months ago. She tells me how Torrie and her have been remodeling the house for a while and this weekend they are done and all that was left was laying down the carpet and Josiah’s dad was doing that now and tomorrow. They were hoping to get done by Saturday night to move in Sunday. I hear Randy come in and some more people. I don’t know who they are. Randy says hi and goes into the dining room to eat pizza. A 3yr old little boy comes running around Dad’s chair, I notice he is looks Hispanic, he has a Mohawk and a diamond stud in his right ear. He is cute. Mom says this is Luke, he is Sarah’s son. Who? Then I see a really cute blond coming around the corner with Randy and Melissa and they are all sitting at the table eating pizza, they’re laughing and having a good time. She is Randy’s new girlfriend.
Lots of conversation going on, I can’t keep up with all of them. I listen to Mom who is holding Samantha now and she’s telling me about Primary and how she learned to say “Hippopotamus” meaning “ I am sorry”, Mom tells me how much Samantha loves nursery and Cameron loves Primary. Cameron comes in and plops down on grandpa’s chair (Kim took Dad to his bedroom a few minutes earlier because he was in pain and needed to lie down and take his meds). I love Cameron; he is a 5yr old with an attitude! He is a little man spirit in a tough little boy body. So he tells us how he likes to go to church and now he will be going to School because he is 5yrs old. Kim comes back and is in the Kitchen. Keary is playing with Samantha and playing with a very loud toy. Keary then tells me how he went out to Wal-Mart to get water (Surprise????) and how a Sherriff stopped traffic so he could cross the street to get to the store. Then he goes on to tell me how he took Cameron and Samantha for a ride on his wheelchair and Cameron jumped off and he ran over him. Cameron laughs. Keary said it scared him. Mom smiles. Kim takes all the kids and the 2dogs outside. Duke is excited to be outside playing and so are the kids. Sarah comes into the room anxiously looking for Luke and mom tells her Luke is outside with the other kids, she wants to make sure and takes a peak outside. The phone rings and Melissa answers and it is Torrie and Josiah they want food. Melissa laughs and says ok and grabs some pizza to take over. Randy comes over to talk to me, tells me he is sorry I’m not feeling well, he has come over to help Melissa move and he is driving the U-Haul truck. I ask him what he is dong and tells me about his new job, he just got certified as Heavy Equipment Operator and is working at a Steel Shop of some sort, he bought a new car and how sweet it is but it is in the shop now. “So how are you getting to work?” I borrow Grandma’s car or Mom’s or Melissa’s. Melissa laughs and makes a smart remark. Randy is a good looking kid, quite built, I think he works out. He could model or something. Says he and Sarah gotta go they are going with Melissa. Sarah gets Luke and he comes running in and they all leave. I comment how happy Randy looks. Kim tells us that they have not seen him this happy in yrs, they attribute it to Sarah. Mom tells us Sarah’s story: It has been a yr since she lost her husband in a fire. Their house burnt down and her husband saved Luke (who is Sarah and husband’s son) and then he ran back in to get her 4yr old daughter and 6yr old son from a previous marriage and they all died in the fire. Sarah was burned also as she tried to run in also but was pulled back. Her husband was Hispanic. (Maybe Sarah and Randy understand each other’s pain). Mom asks me if I am hungry and she brings me some chicken noodle soup and crackers. I go put my pajamas on and Mom brings me some blankets and pillows. Kim is sitting with Gavin and playing with him. She asks me if I want to go to Coeur d’ Alene, Idaho Saturday night to a party that Alana is having (3hr drive) to support her business. I say no, that is the wrong way…I will be in Vancouver then. She laughs and starts talking to Gavin… “ it is time for your bath little man.” Melissa took Cameron and Samantha with her. Megan and Nathan are still outside…it is about 9pm. I hear Kim and some kids in the bathroom…kids laughing and raising their voices, I think she is putting kids to bed. After a while she comes into the family room and I ask her to put my back in. I lay down on the floor and we start laughing then wrapped her arms around me and tries to pop my back. It didn’t work, she tried again, it didn’t work. But it sure felt good to have my back stretched. I thanked her and laid down on the couch. Mom asked me if I need anything and I ask for a sleeping pill. She gave me one of Dad’s. Then Torrie comes in from the Garage and she says…”I would give you a hug but I hear you are sick”. I laugh and I lay down on the couch. Right behind her comes in Megan and Nathan and Cameron. I hear Melissa and Josiah coming in from the front door and more kids. Then the Garage door opens again and here comes a young guy with a baby and a young girl right behind him. Mom says this is Josiah’s brother James and his wife and baby who is younger than Gavin. Everybody is having a good time and talking about how they are working so hard on “the house” …James goes back out to the garage and then they start bringing in stuff, my eyesight is blurry, I’m really tired…then movement kind of stops and soft laughter comes from the front room. Keary has changed into his pajamas and is making himself comfortable in Dad’s chair. Mom is still in her chair …I doze off for a few minutes, and then I open my eyes and mom is holding the other little baby and her mom is at my feet on the couch. What a cute baby…I agree. I hear more soft laughter and mummers from the front room. The voices are soothing…I don’t need the TV to fall asleep…….
I didn't realize you wanted to become a writer. Maybe if you let your imagination go we can move back to TX or CA where it is a bit warmer and/or drier, at least with more sun.
Posted by: Keary | August 29, 2008 at 08:23 PM
Mom really, you get a MILKshake when your stomach hurts. REALLY? You should have gotten 7up and crackers. COME ON MOM!
Posted by: Calixta | August 30, 2008 at 09:39 PM
I got some ice cream when my stomach was sick the other day and I felt a lot better afterwards! Can't wait for part 3.
Posted by: kristy | September 02, 2008 at 08:09 AM