12 Last Words

The Sixth Goodbye

Just before school started my extended family saw fit to visit me before their schedules were to busy. My Aunt Renee, Uncle Danny and my cousin Nova stayed with us for a week. I enjoyed their company, especially Nova's. Being only a month apart in age it was nice to have a girl my age to hang out with. 

They split their time visiting with me and my parents. I spent a whole day with just Aunt Renee. We were always close. Their was a time when Nova stayed with her biological dad in London for a year and I, be default, became a surrogate daughter. Even after Nova came back we were close. 

We did all the things that we have always done. Even though my life is entirely different, Aunt Renee treated me the same. We went shopping (though shortened significantly), baked together, and spent time reading, something we both love to do. It was refreshing to have a piece of my life from before being sick. 

After spending the day together I'm reminded of a day when Nova was in London and I was visiting Aunt Renee. Our cookies were baking in the oven and we were seated with books in our hands. Her phone rang. She didn't have a cute, catchy ring tone, or a bit of song, she had the classic insistent ringing that irritated you until you picked up the phone. 

She answered it and I could tell from her facial expression that whatever words coming from the other end of the line were worrisome. She nodded her head as if the caller could see her and hung up the phone. She looked at me with tears in her eyes. I wasn't sure what to say, or if I should inquire about the phone call but after a minute she opened her mouth to speak.

"Nova had an accident. That was her father they are at the hospital now. She fell off her bike and hit her head, she's unconscious." I still was speechless at my Aunts panic and Nova's situation. While I pondered the accident my Aunt called my mom to come pick me up. Aunt Renee was headed for an impromptu trip to London. 

Looking at it now I understand even more clearly what Chastity said at the bus stop. My mother felt the same worry and pain as Aunt Renee did when she got the phone call and Nova was hurt. My mom never let me see how much my illness affected her. It goes to show that we never really know how much people care. 

***

The rest of their visit we spent all together.My siblings Ava and Anthony, who are six year old twins loved getting out of the house. They didn't understand what was happening to their big sister. So we took a trip to the bakery, to the zoo, to the movie theater. They enjoyed every minute and were bummed when, after each event, we went home to rest. It was really only me who needed to rest but the adults didn't want to leave me out. We played board games and enjoyed the air conditioned house.

 I was pleasantly surprised to see that my uncle and aunt didn't quarrel about all the petty things they used to. Though I'm sure it was only because they did it behind closed doors. Don't get me wrong, they loved each other and were not going to divorce, arguing was just in their nature. 

The last day of the trip Nova spent her time packing and my parents had to go and do a consultation to work out how the medical bills would be paid. So my aunt and uncle were my entertainment. My uncle was a horrible story teller. He told you the rough frame work and left out all the filling, leaving for a pretty dry story.

However, he had so many good stories from his life that were interesting. So my aunt helped him along prompting him and asking questions so we could hear the juicy details. There were stories of his athleticism as a child. He had been a dancer strange enough and was due to attend Julliard when his ankle was broken, it was during that time that he met my aunt, who was attending college for journalism.  

There were stories of his family trip to the middle east where he was separated from his family after a trip to the market. They were reunited the next day when a merchant helped him find his way to where they were staying.Another story was the story of his brother who died in the service. That was the saddest one though it was the best as well. 

It's crazy how all these stories weave into one person's lifetime. How all these experiences shape character. I thought about my own life and how I had significantly less stories and how much less exciting they seemed. I wanted to live, long enough, and well enough to have stories to rival my uncles. 

Soon after the storytelling the bags and luggage were loaded up into the car and my aunt, uncle, and cousin stood by the door ready to leave. I hugged my uncle and he told me that next time we saw each other I would have a story to share with him. I moved on to my aunt and hugged her and she promised to visit next year. I hope that I will be around to share a story and for them to visit but I have to take life one day at a time. I waved good bye as they got in the car and drove off down the road.