Chapter 19
I pulled into the driveway happier than I had been in a long time. Walking up the giant, white marble steps I thought about how lucky I really was. The first 9 years of my life had most definitely been the best years of my life. I know now that those few years I had with my mother were a blessing. I actually got to spend time with her and that’s all that mattered. And then there was the dark period. Yes, my mother killed herself for reasons still unknown to me and I did have it rough for a long time. But I found my silver lining. Well, more like The Turners found me.
Sitting down on the top step, gazing out over the vast front yard, past the fountain in the middle of the driveway, to tree line, a sense of bliss falls around me. I couldn’t imagine my life any other way. Of course there would always be that curiosity in me that wonders what life would be like if it was still just me and my mom. We’d probably live out in the country like she always talked about. We’d have a ranch style brown house, with a white picket fence, and a golden retriever named Buddy that would greet me every day I got home from school.
I smiled, she would have loved that. Looking up at the sky, the sun warming my face I pictured her, long brown hair-always pinned up, a creamy complexion, and her smile. I use to think it was the brightest thing in my universe. My center point. Whenever I saw that smile I knew things would be okay. As the breeze swept across my face I could feel her. I was my mother, through and through. I was almost annoyed with myself for never realizing this sooner. She was finally at rest now. Now that I was finally with people who cared about me, now that I was finally safe she could rest peacefully for the first time.
The door opened behind me, “Oh, I didn’t realize you were home.” The voice belonged to non-other than Rebecca, who took a seat next to me.
“Yeah, just got here.” I replied simply.
“Are you okay?” She asked placing her long, soft arm around me.
“I’m fine. Why do you ask?” I gave her a skeptically look. Why wouldn’t I be fine? I was practically beaming.
“Well, Malcum called. He told me about where you’d gone.” She responded, almost embarrassed.
Why would Malcum call Rebecca? Going to visit my mother was a personal matter. Malcum shouldn’t even have been there to begin with. Not that I’m not thankful for his arrival. I’m sure I would have told Rebecca and Michael in my own time where I’d mysteriously disappeared to on such short notice. I just needed time for myself to process everything. I looked at Rebecca and smiled, trying to show her without speaking that I really was fine. She returned with a knowing smile of her own. For only knowing this women a year, she knew me well. Almost better than I know myself sometimes.
“Shall we?” She asked, gestured with her head toward the door.
Nodding my head, I grabbed her out stretched hand to stand up. Rebecca pulled me into an unexpected hug, squeezing me tightly. It reminded me of the way my mother use to hug me before I left for school. So I hugged her back, as hard as I possibly could to show how much she meant to me. When we finally pulled apart I could see her emotion in her eyes. She was a proud mother. A loving mother. She was my mother.
Wind whipped over me once more at my thoughts. Looking up to the sky one last time before entering the house I saw her. Whether it was a figment of my imagination or natural occurrences, I saw my mother in the clouds smiling down. The same warm brown hair and eyes. The same creamy complexion which radiated underneath a white floor length dress. There she stood watching over me for eternity. There is where I could always find her. She was indeed my silver-lining. With a small wave, and whispered ‘I love you’, I turned away from her I walked arm and arm into the house with Rebecca.
