Naomi's Visits

Melanie always made sure to fix up two hot drinks every night when she settled in to read before bed. She never knew when to expect a visit from her daughter. But it was always a short while after she put the same daughter to bed.

Naomi was about two or three the first time the young woman showed up one night claiming to be Melanie's Naomi. The girl looked a great deal like Melanie - and a lot like how she'd imagined Naomi would grow to look - but that first night it took the stranger all she could for Melanie not to call the police or scream loud enough to wake the neighbors.

It was when the girl had shown her the birthmark near her collar bone, the tiny, curved-in pinkie toe, and made her feel the girl's head for the mole in the exact same place as Naomi's that Melanie began to believe her.

ThisNaomi looked to be in her late teens or early twenties that first night, in pajamas and bare feet. She never explained the how of it all, how she was able to appear back in their 'old house' in their'old time'. She would just suddenly be there, coming up the stairs from the den and join her mother for some hot chocolate, or sleepytime tea, or whatever Melanie had on hand to make.

AlthoughNaomi never explained the how she did tell her mother the why. Every time the older Naomi would appear she'd say she missed it, something from her past that she wanted to see or talk with Melanie about.

The night Naomi lost her first tooth, Melanie let the older Naomi help her play Tooth Fairy. The Christmas eve before giving her daughter the kitten they would come to name Samoa, the older Naomi told her not only what they would name her, but that in a year, Samoa would have three kittens and they would be named after other Girl Scout cookies.

She didn't come every night, and when she did it wasn't always to talk. Sometimes older Naomi would simply want to look at photo albums with her, or talk about what the younger Naomi was doing in school. Sometimes she would just wander silently through her hallways of their house, smiling softly and taking in what - to her - were the memories of her past.

Melanie noticed that as her young Naomi grew older, so did the older one. While she never gave up much about her life outside of her visits, Naomi had mentioned college in passing once or twice, a man's name a few times, and only recently two more names that she refused to tell Melanie whether they were pets or grandchildren.

"How old am I tonight?" was the question she always asked Melaniewhen she had found her mother in the kitchen.

And the higher the number her answer became, the fainter Naomi's smile grew.

This night, Melanie had just put the kettle on and sat down on the couch in the living room to read a few pages in her book before the water boiled when she heard the creak of the stairs coming from the den downstairs.

She spotted the older Naomi's head as she appeared as if out of the floor, and her smile was affixed to her face at the sight of Melanie.

"I had a feeling you'd come tonight," Melanie greeted her warmly as she closed her book and stood to greet her daughter properly.

Naomi came and gave Melanie a long, tight hug. It had been a long time since her last visit, and this was the oldest she had ever seen her. A few wrinkles were settled around her mouth, and her hair looked darker as if she'd dyed it to hide the gray.

If anyone had been looking at them through the window, they'd have thought the two were sisters.

"So, how old am I tonight?" She asked when she finally let her go.

"Fifteen," Melanie answered. "And you're every inch a teenager. You're driving me up the wall." Melanie said this with affection, for even if the Naomi asleep in bed was a trying thing right now, she had known for long enough the lovely woman her daughter would become.

As she went to get the kettle off the stove though, Melanie tried not to notice the sadness in her adult daughter's eyes, and ignored the tone in which she'd asked her usual question... like she knew the answer and it wasn't what she wanted to hear.

Melaniepoured them each a cup of tea and they sat at the kitchen table, waiting in silence for a moment to let it steep.

"So, was tonight the play?" Naomi asked. "The Sound of Music?"

"It was," Melanie answered with a smile, pleased to be able to discuss something happy when the air of the room had grown dimmer."Opening night. You wanted to go out with your friends to celebrate but I made you come home. We fought but I promised you could after the closing show on Sunday."

Naomi listened as she leaned down to stroke Samoa who had come to rub against her legs, purring loud and fast as she always did for her human.

"You were beautiful and you sang like an angel. I know you wanted to be Liesel but Brigita was a fine role, too. You did have your own part in that goodbye song."

Naomi chuckled softly to herself, which she did a lot when she came to visit. "I was so mad at Anna for getting it, I almost didn't talk to her ever again."

"But you couldn't stay mad at her, especially when the rehearsals started."

She made a sound of agreement and they fell silent again. The hesitation radiated from Naomi as clearly as the steam rising from her mug.

"Mom, I have something to tell you, and I can't explain why, but... tonight is the last night I can visit. "

Melanie took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. She had sensed this was coming, from the last two visits they'd had. Younger Naomi wasn't so much younger anymore, Melanie knew that this special time would eventually end. She tried to be prepared, but it still hit her with awash of grief.

"I had a feeling," she answered. "I never thought that whatever this was couldn't be forever. I suppose you can't tell me why or what's changed?"

Naomi shook her head, her eyes shining with tears already.

"I don't want it to end but--- but it has to. You'll understand someday,I promise."

"DoI need to do anything for you?" Melanie asked.

Naomi shook her head again. "Just give me a little time to walk around the old place one last time."

Melanie nodded, and let her daughter rise from her seat. She allowed her to wander the house as she did sometimes, asking her light, pleasant questions to bring up happy memories for her.

They laughed a few times, but as always tried to keep it down so as not to wake the sleeping Naomi.

Melanie never could get a straight answer about how Naomi's visits occurred, but it didn't take her long to stop asking and simply enjoy it for the miracle it was.

She got a small window into her future whenever her grown-up daughter appeared, she got to see and hear a tiny bit about what Naomi would become. She seemed healthy, happy, and full of life and with little regrets. And in the end, wasn't that what Melanie wanted to know the most about her future?

Their final visit was only half an hour or so. Melanie allowed Naomi to linger for as long as she wanted. But she heard the clock in the hall strike, and her tears fell again.

"It's time," her voice was a quaver. "I gotta go."

She turned to Melanie, and Melanie took her daughter's hands with a smile, trying to hold herself together.

"Sing me your song before you go, from the show. "

Naomi laughed a sad sort of laugh, but nodded and composed herself. She sang quietly and softly the song from which she'd had a tiny solo. Ironically it was titled 'So Long, Farewell'.

When she'd finished, Melanie kissed her hands and then brought her into a hug.

"Beautiful, still beautiful," she whispered in Naomi's ear.

They parted after several moments, probably too long for Naomi, who rushed down the stairs with barely a look back.

So she was gone now. Really gone this time. Once she was sure of it, Melanie let the tears fall.

-------

The next morning Melanie woke up late and called up to her still-sleeping daughter five times during the making of and the eating of her breakfast. It was getting very late and she absolutely had to leave to get to work even barely on time.

Stomping up the stairs, she called one more time as she fast-walked down the hall.

"NaomiBeth, you'd better be dressed and ready or I am leaving without you," she threatened as she swung the door open.

Light streamed in through the curtains on an empty bed. The sheets and blankets were moved aside as if she'd indeed gotten up, but there was no sign of Naomi anywhere.

Melaniesearched all through the house, a panic rising inside her. It was only after going around the outside of the house did she remove the pajamas she'd seen Naomi wearing when she came to say goodnight.

They were the same ones she'd seen on her all those years ago. The first time the older Naomi came to visit.

She smiled at the memory, tears brimming again. It wasn't her time anymore, but this was something new.