Nona
"Don't take her until she surrenders!" I breathed a prayer of desperation.
Later, my dad called in the middle of the urinalysis lab. I knew I had to pick up. I also knew this would be the last conversation we would ever have.
"Doberverched, nona! Cacostay?"
"Dobro, dobro"
Overwhelmed by the pressure of grasping for the last words to say.
"I miss you."
"I love you, sweetheart," she responded.
Fumbling for time, the questions fell out of my mouth:
"How are you feeling?"
"Are you comfortable?"
But that's not what I wanted to say. I was in the back of the crowded lab, hardly the place to have this conversation. I wanted to proclaim to her:
"Peace, be still. Fear not!"
The words refused to form on lips. She slipped into unconsciousness and regret clouded my mind. My dad was distraught, and repetitive.
I wanted to be with my brothers. Fortunately, Scott and I had a date after class. I popped some corn and we watched a movie.
It came that time to say goodnight. We hugged, exchanged niceties, and both noted the clock - 11:14. For a minute, we stood looking at each other uncomfortably. According to Scott, I stopped mid-sentence. He felt like he'd forgotten something. I felt a hesitation, and Grandma passed through my mind.
Fifteen minutes later, a phone call confirmed that she had not only passed through my mind, but passed away peacefully at 11:15. Apparently, she decided to follow Christ earlier that night. She died on el dia de los muertos, only to awake on the other side celebrating All Saints' Day!
Later, my dad called in the middle of the urinalysis lab. I knew I had to pick up. I also knew this would be the last conversation we would ever have.
"Doberverched, nona! Cacostay?"
"Dobro, dobro"
Overwhelmed by the pressure of grasping for the last words to say.
"I miss you."
"I love you, sweetheart," she responded.
Fumbling for time, the questions fell out of my mouth:
"How are you feeling?"
"Are you comfortable?"
But that's not what I wanted to say. I was in the back of the crowded lab, hardly the place to have this conversation. I wanted to proclaim to her:
"Peace, be still. Fear not!"
The words refused to form on lips. She slipped into unconsciousness and regret clouded my mind. My dad was distraught, and repetitive.
I wanted to be with my brothers. Fortunately, Scott and I had a date after class. I popped some corn and we watched a movie.
It came that time to say goodnight. We hugged, exchanged niceties, and both noted the clock - 11:14. For a minute, we stood looking at each other uncomfortably. According to Scott, I stopped mid-sentence. He felt like he'd forgotten something. I felt a hesitation, and Grandma passed through my mind.
Fifteen minutes later, a phone call confirmed that she had not only passed through my mind, but passed away peacefully at 11:15. Apparently, she decided to follow Christ earlier that night. She died on el dia de los muertos, only to awake on the other side celebrating All Saints' Day!