About
that time Daddy came in. He was carrying Sissy in his right arm and holding
Kitty’s hand with his left. Daddy set Sissy on the bed next to Gram. Kitty came
over and stood by me. She put her hand on Gram’s. Gram let my hand go to hold
Kitty’s but only for a few seconds, and then she put her hand in mine. Gram
looked at Sissy and her eyes filled with tears. She said, “You look so much
like your Momma. Come here child.”
Sissy
moved up the bed and laid her head on Gram’s chest. Gram kissed Sissy on the
top of the head. Then Gram looked over to where me and Kitty was sitting and
said, “You children always remember this. No one ever did, or ever will, love
you like your Momma. I am her Momma and I love her like she loves you. And now
it is time for Gram to go and be with your Momma.” Then, after Gram kissed Sissy again, Daddy picked Sissy up, took
Kitty’s hand and went out. After Daddy left, their folks brought in the other
children so Gram could see them.
When
all the kids were gone, Gram looked around the room and said, “I love you all.
You know why I have chosen to do this. We have talked it all out, over the last
few days, and you know my mind is set. Do any of you have anything to say?”
There
was a short silence, then Great Aunt Sarah, Gram’s only living sister, said,
“Well Nora, you know how I feel about this. There is no sense us going over it
again. You have made your mind. Just know that I love you and I will miss you
terribly, but I do understand.”
Then,
one by one, each of them went to Gram’s bed, gently hugged her and kissed her
and told her how much they loved her. She smiled at them but everyone could see
the pain that constantly wracked her body, reflected in her eyes.
Dr.
Ridgelow stood in the corner looking very sad. He and Gram had grown up
together. They had lived in the same neighborhood and gone to school together.
Dr. Ridgelow had even asked Gram to marry him, when they were much younger, but
Gram already had her eye on Pa by then. Even so, Gram and the doctor had
remained very good friends throughout the years.
I
sat by quietly and held Gram’s hand, but I was looking at her other hand. I saw
her thumb move and just barely heard the click of the button. Almost instantly,
and silently, the machine began to send the fluids flowing through the needle
in Gram’s arm. I looked at Gram and saw she was looking at me, at my eyes. Gram
smiled at me and I saw the pain leave her eyes.
After
a few seconds I felt Gram’s hand become limp in mine. Then, as I saw her eyes
stop looking at me, for just a second, I saw the reflection of Momma in Gram’s
eyes.