Page 31 of This Time Around
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The restful sleepKatie craved came in the wee hours of the morning as exhaustion finally took over.She’d set the alarm on her phone for eight-thirty, with enough time to get up, eat breakfast, and have everything ready to take Momma to the eye doctor.
Katie tapped the snooze button when the alarm sounded and fell back on the pillow, lingering for a minute, her eyes wide open.The sunlight streamed in through the thin curtains as the shadows retreated.She took comfort in the familiar surroundings, where she’d spent her whole life until she left town after high school.This was her sanctuary, where she retreated when she wanted to be alone.Where Katie had laughed and cried and dreamed of doing bigger things in life, and it was here the seed germinated to leave her family, home, town, and Chase, the first love of her life.It’d been a scary thought, and she’d shoved it away, cramming it down.But she’d become restless, obsessed, fueled with energy she didn’t know she had.
Jumping out of bed, she dressed slowly, taking a long look around as if memorizing the furniture, the walls, and the items in the room she fondly remembered, making a mental snapshot again before another farewell.
Katie eyed the tired linoleum flooring as she walked into the kitchen to start breakfast.It had looked the same ever since she could remember.The clunky cookie jar on the countertop with a chip on the lid where she’d dropped it, the bread box dinged with use, the cabinet door with its handle sticky with greasy grime.It was funny, she thought, how these details didn’t bother her as a kid, but seeing them now, her stomach twisted.
Dad had promised Momma he’d upgrade the kitchen, knowing how much she loved to cook.But as the years went by, money was still tight.Momma saved and scraped and stretched the grocery money as far as she could, buying packaged food, snacks, and drinks at the dollar store.But other needs always came up.It had been the medical bills and prescription costs when Dad was sick, and fixing the car, which had more and more problems as it got older.And there had been the upkeep on the house.Although they saved some money in their rainy-day funds, the meager savings were near depleted to pay off the bills and rising cost-of-living expenses.Katie hadn’t realized how hard life had been for her parents.They didn’t complain.She had never heard them.
Momma had aged; the lines had drawn deeper as her skin sagged.The last few years had been hard.Since Dad passed away, it’d been a struggle for her.It was grief and the shock of losing her mate for life.She’d gradually lost interest in cooking.Mary would visit whenever she could, and they’d cook and eat together, but she had her own life to live, and it was a busy one.
Katie regretted not coming home more often, especially toward the end of her father’s life when he was sick.And she wasn’t by his side when he died.Momma was at his bedside, and so was Mary, when he took his last breath.
Momma hadn’t been eating a large breakfast.But she loved her caffeine and orange juice.Katie made a pot of strong, dark coffee, poured a steaming cup for her mom, and set it, along with a glass of juice, on the table.She added oil to the frying pan on the stove and cracked eggs.While they were sizzling in the pan, she popped two slices of bread in the toaster.
When everything was ready, Katie went to get Momma.She knocked on her bedroom door.“Breakfast is ready.”It was the least she could do, fix a simple breakfast that took her a few minutes to make.
When she was a little girl, Momma was always the first one up, but Mary had mentioned she seemed more tired lately and lacked the energy she used to have.Momma was not well, but she didn’t let on.
There was some shuffling, then creaking of the wooden floorboards.
“Something smells good.”Momma sniffed as she opened the door.
“Did you sleep well?”
“I got about five hours.”
“Not enough?”
“It’ll have to do.”
They walked back to the kitchen, and Katie dragged out a chair in front of her place setting on the table.“Come and sit.Is this okay?I can whip up some pancakes if you’d like.”
“It’s fine.Lord knows my appetite isn’t what it used to be.”
“You feeling all right?”
“Old age soreness.My body’s falling apart.”
“After we eat, we’ll make sure your eyes get checked out.”
“And next week’s my dentist appointment.”
“Regular visit?”
“My twice-a-year cleaning.”
“What do you want to do after lunch?”
“Aren’t you leaving today?”Momma asked, raising her eyebrow.
“Yes, my flight leaves in the evening.I have a few hours to spare.”
“Don’t you worry about me.Isn’t there something you need to do, hon?”
“I’m all yours, Momma.”Katie flashed a smile, putting on a brave front.She had something she needed to do—apologize to Chase.But she couldn’t say it out loud or admit it to herself.Katie didn’t feel like talking about it to her mother, not now.Maybe it’d make it worse, seeing him before she left.Katie gritted her teeth.She’d loved him once, long ago, and broke his heart then.She did it again yesterday, here in this very house.How could she forget the stunned look on his face, the slump of his shoulders?Yet Chase had murmured to her, “Have a safe trip,” on his way out the door.