Going Home

Part 4

"Delila, oh baby girl let me see you!"

"Mother" I stepped onto the porch the smell of apple pie and sweet tea waved out of the house. It lingered in my nose almost as long as her arms did around me. It felt good. I missed her.

" Oh, Dels did you drink the entire plane on the way here? You smell horrible!"

"Good to see you too Mom. "

"Oh, Dels I never could tame that wildness in you."

There it was, disappointment. The familiar tone I was used to. In the living room, I heard laughter, one I would never forget. I dropped my purse and went through the kitchen to see Jess's glowing face on my mother's couch sitting next to Ben and Mr. Thompson the town's preacher.

"Jess!"

"Dels!" She jumped off the couch and embraced me almost knocking me over. She smelled like strawberries and it instantly calmed my nerves.

"I don't ever get treated like that, geez get a room you two." Ben laughed.

Jess pulled back," Ben really? The preacher is here and you're gonna be saying inappropriate things!"

"Hell, he's known me since I was in diapers ain't nothing gonna shock him. "

Jess just shook her head at him and turned back to me and took both my hands leading me back to the kitchen. She grabbed my mother and me some tea as we listened to my mother finish a phone call she had received while I was greeting Jess.

" Yes, Yes, Delila got here a few minutes ago. Mhm. Ok. How did the auction go? Mhm. Oh, well Lyle would be so pleased you know better than anyone. Ok. I'll have your coffee on in the morning "

I sat in wonder. Did my mother have a boyfriend already? Jess just sipped her tea and looked down at the table occasionally watching me look at my mother. As soon as my mother hung up the phone she sat with Jess and me. Jess began talking about everything we have to do this week.

"Patty if you need me to take Dels around tomorrow I can. We can pick up the flowers and take care of the caterer."

I felt Jess reach over and put her hand on mine. It's like she knew how numb I was. I was confused. How was my mother not crying, and why is everyone acting like it was a normal Monday night?

"That would be wonderful, Jess." My mother smiled at her and finished her tea.

"Ok, well we've all done enough damage for this evening we are heading out," Ben said coming from around the corner with the preacher.

They both hugged and kissed my mother and waved goodbye to me.

"Dels, it's so good to have you back. I'll pick you up in the morning." Jess hugged me again and left. My mother walked her to the porch.

I was left in the house alone in the quiet. I left the table and took my bags to my old room. Dragging them up the stairs at the corner of the kitchen. They were so loud I never could sneak out without getting caught. At the top of the stairs, I saw there was a makeshift medical room made up. It took my breath away. A medical bed, with a rocking chair next to it. Pill bottles on a table beside the bed and bags of saline. I stood there numb. So numb and deaf I didn't hear my mother walk up those squeaky stairs.

"Delila, honey we need to talk."

"What happened?" "Why didn't anyone tell me Dad was sick?"

Tears, they were trying but I wouldn't let them win.

I walked to the closed door across from the bed it was my old room, it looked the same as when I left it. I sighed. Almost relieved something hadn't changed.

My mother followed me in and sat on my bed with me.

"Delila look. Your Daddy was sick for a long time. He didn't want you to be bothered with it. He knew you were busy."

"Mother, do you hear yourself? I was never too busy for this!"

"Really Delila? Then why didn't you pick up when I called? Why? You've always been a stubborn girl and your Daddy knew it. But he was proud of you. He didn't want his death to be mourned he lived a good damn life."

Tears I'm not going to let you win.

"Ok?" and she slapped my leg with love as she always did. "Now get some sleep we have a lot to go over this week."

"Ok."

"I love you, Dels."

"I love you too Mom"