The little green house had always been there for as long as Laura remembered. It was her second home and Mrs Cole was the grand mother she had never had. Laura visited her every day when she was growing up and now as she was away in University she visited each weekend she came home. But things had changed with Mrs Cole and now that Laura only saw her every other weekend, she noticed the differences more. Her mum had said Mrs Cole had what the old folk called, the Memory Stealer illness. And she certainly did look at Laura with different. eyes. Some times she called her Mary who had been her sister and who had died several years previously. Sometimes she thought she was Stella her daughter, who had left the little town when she married and rarely returned.
That last weekend Laura sat with Mrs Cole and looked at her hands, restless in her lap, but no longer busy cleaning or baking.. Her far away eyes said it all, she was in her own world.
‘What was she thinking?’ thought Laura. ‘Was she seeing the children playing outside, rolling out pastry or mixing one of those delicious cakes she had made through the years?’
Mrs Cole smiled, not at anything but to herself. Long past memories only known to her.
‘Would you like me to make you a cup of tea’? Laura asked.
‘I ‘m fine,’ answered Mrs Cole, ‘Your Aunty Mary will be here soon. Do you have to go back to your children, Stella?’ She said.
‘No I am here for you ’ Laura said, but Laura was just a little upset that after all this time Mrs Cole didn’t know who she was. But, as her Mum had said Mrs Cole wasn’t like her old self.
That weekend was the last time Laura saw Mrs Cole in her green house. The next time she was home there were new people in it. But Laura wasn’t sad. There were children running around in the back garden laughing and playing, Mrs Cole would have loved that.
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The circle of life... My heart breaks for the Mrs. Coles and their loved ones.
ReplyDeletewhat a sad tale...
ReplyDeleteI thought you were going to make me sad, but the last paragraph made me feel much better. Perhaps Mrs. Cole is watching those children and smiling...
ReplyDeleteThis is a story of hope, finally. Beautifully written :-)
ReplyDeleteSo many sad stories this week. This one ends on a note of hope. Good writing.
ReplyDeleteOh you have captured the experience of one facing another
ReplyDeletewho doesn't remember
it is painful
But your story is well done and leaves on a happy note
life goes on
and the house wraps its walls around another