“Lillie, I’m home,” she called out, shutting the door behind her and tossing her bag on the table before heading down the hall.
“Hello, Lovely.” Lillian, her mother’s nurse, chirped as she handed Mimi a glass of sweet iced tea and added, “Sit down. I’ll get your dinner from the oven.”
Grinning as she took a seat at the small, wooden dining table by the kitchen window, Myanna Havers, Mimi to her friends and family, acquiesced. “Thank you so much. I am beat.” Taking a sip of tea as the nurse placed a beautiful plate of salsa chicken, yellow rice, and veggies on the table before her, Mimi happily sighed, “This looks amazing.” Adding as she looked up and smiled, “I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
Bending down, the tall, gray-haired woman kissed the top of Mimi’s head and patted her shoulder. “Good thing you won’t have to find out. Your mom has been my best friend since we were knee high to a grasshopper.” The nurse took a deep breath, her voice cracking with sorrow, “I’ll be here until Robin jumps out of that bed and sings ‘High Hopes’ in her awful, can’t-carry-a-tune-in-a-bucket way.”
Chuckling at the thought of how many times her mom had sung that song and how true it was that she was not musically gifted in any way whatsoever, Mimi sang in her lovely contralto voice, “Just what makes that little old ant…” grinning from ear-to-ear when Lillie joined in. As they reached the crescendo of, “Oops, there goes another rubber tree plant,” both women laughed out loud.
Regaining her breath, Mimi chuckled, “Damn, that felt good. I haven’t laughed like that in…well…I don’t remember when.”
Suddenly swamped with guilt at having a good time while her mom was laying just a few rooms away, hooked up to machines that fed her, breathed for her, and kept her heart beating, Mimi’s head fell forward, and her eyes stung with unshed tears. Refusing to cry one more time that day, she took a deep breath and lifted her head just as Lillie confidently stated, “You need to laugh, to have fun, to have a life. It’s what your mom wants.” Pulling a chair closer, the nurse sat down and laid her hand over Mimi’s, only going on when the younger woman looked her in the eye. “You know you’re never gonna hear the end of it when she wakes up. She’s gonna scold your butt good about wasting all your time taking care of her.”
Pushing away the grief filling her heart, Mimi agreed with a shaky grin, “You know that’s right.” She chuckled, the sound weak even to her own ears as she added, “And then she’ll ask when I’m gonna settle down and give her grandbabies.”
“Good. Now that that’s settled,” Lillie stood up and pointed, “eat your dinner before it gets cold. I’ll go check on your mom.” Looking at her watch, the nurse smiled. “She’ll be wanting me to read to her. We’re just about to find out who dunnit.” She shook her head. “I swore she would never get me hooked on murder mysteries, that I was a die-hard romance reader, but dammit, if she hasn’t gone and made me like ‘em.”
Kissing Mimi on the head one more time, the nurse exited the room, leaving the younger woman alone with dinner and her thoughts. As they always did in the few quiet moments she got, memories of happier times came flooding back.
She could feel the wind on her face, hear the whoosh of the breeze as her dad pushed her higher and higher on her favorite swing at their neighborhood park. The sweetness of the grapes she’d hidden in her jacket pocket, the smell of the wildflowers, the image of her mom spreading out the blanket for their picnic…every detail of that perfect day came rushing back. There were so many, but this one took precedence, would always be the most special, forever in her heart, for it was the last one.
From one heartbeat to the next, the sun was replaced with darkness, the smiles bled into tears, and flashing lights filled their once happy home as a knock echoed through the stillness of the night. The words replayed in her a mind, a haunting account of the night Mimi’s perfect little world came to a screeching halt.
“Mrs. Havers?” The policeman’s voice was low and foreboding.
“Yes?” Robin answered, the fear in her voice palpable.
“I regret to inform you that at nine-forty-five this evening there was a two-car collision on the I-95 offramp resulting in…”
Drowned out by her mother’s wails of disbelief and heartbreaking sobs of sorrow, Mimi couldn’t hear the rest, just knew, in the deep recesses of her six-year old mind, could feel it in every beat of her heart – that Daddy was gone. The next few days were a whirlwind. People came in and out of their house, bringing food and flowers, hugging her, telling her everything would be all right.
But it was all a lie… Absolutely nothing was ever the same again…
Shaking her head, refusing to relive what came next and her stomach revolting at the idea of eating another bite after her trip down Memory Lane, Mimi opened the paper Lillian had left on the table. Reading the smaller headline just under the fold on the front page, she groaned, “Oh great, a total lunar eclipse. All the crazies will be out. Whoopee for me.”
When she was in medical school, pursuing her chosen profession as a psychiatrist, Mimi would’ve never thought the day would come when she believed in old wives’ tales and things like the phases of the moon or the barometric pressure affecting people’s behavior. However, since she’d accepted her position at the State Prison, her skepticism had been disproven time and time again by first-hand experience, making her take notice to any changes in the atmosphere.
“Maybe I should call out of work this weekend,” she mused, flipping the large pages of newsprint until she found the comics and laid the paper beside her plate.
Picking up her fork, knowing she needed to eat something or she’d be laying right next to her mom and no help to anyone, Mimi took a bite, grinning at the puns and jokes as she ate the wonderful meal Lillian had prepared. Shocking herself by finishing every bite, Mimi put her dishes in the dishwasher, left the kitchen, and made her way quickly down the hall. Entering her room, she changed clothes, picked up the case files she’d brought home from the office off the table in the foyer, and walked to her mother’s room.
Standing in the doorway, listening as Lillie finished another chapter of JD Robb’s latest mystery thriller, Mimi steeled her nerves and plastered on a smile before commenting, “I could listen to you read for hours, Lillie. Your voice is so soothing and calming.”
“These old pipes?” The retired nurse chuckled, closing the book and standing up. “They’ve had a lot of practice over the years.” Leaning down, she kissed Robin on the cheek before whispering, “Sleep well, but not for too long. It’s ‘bout time for you to wake up. Enough of this lollygagging around.” Standing up straight, she added, “I’ll see you in the morning.” Then turning toward Mimi, the nurse walked toward the door, patted the younger woman’s arm and with a wink, lovingly ordered, “You get some rest, young lady. You can’t save the whole world in a single day.”
Nodding, Mimi snickered, “I’m only gonna read up on my new admits for tomorrow. I won’t be long.”
“See that you’re not,” Lillie called over her shoulder, disappearing into her room at the opposite end of the hall.
Taking a seat in the antique wooden rocking chair that had been beside her mother’s bed for as long as Mimi could remember, she thread her fingers through Robin’s. Taking in her mother’s gaunt, unmoving digits, the skin so thin and sallow it resembled wax paper, Mimi ignored all her training, not wanting to analyze the truth of the situation, and prayed for the day Robin would open her eyes. The young psychiatrist thought about how those same hands had felt her forehead for fevers, made absolutely scrumptious peanut butter and honey sandwiches, and had been able to braid Mimi’s long, caramel locks while answering the phone, cooking breakfast, and getting herself ready for work.
Laying her cheek on their joined hands, Mimi whispered, “Please, please wake up, or squeeze my hand or…hell, twitch your finger. Just don’t leave me alone. I couldn’t bear it.”
After almost thirty minutes, Mimi sat up and wiped her tears. Scooting back, she pulled the empty TV table sitting in the corner in front of her chair and opened her first file. Hours later with her aching eyes seeing double and a throbbing headache, she kissed her mother goodnight, shuffled to her room, and tumbled into bed.
Falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow, Mimi’s dreams came quickly, featuring one of her favorite fairy tales…
Wearing a long, pink dress, dancing with the most handsome man at the ball, who was dressed as if he’d walked straight off an Arthurian movie set, Mimi laughed and chatted without a care in the world.
The scene was all so very magical. Swirling red carpeted staircases cascaded down the far walls, joining in the center to create the perfect entryway onto the gleaming white marble floor, the focal point of the party. Flowers of every color and description with matching ribbons adorned the marble columns, standing like soldiers on either side of the ballroom with food and drink laden tables between them, while candlelight shimmered off the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling like diamonds in the sky, adding to the opulence and perfection of the dream.
Spinning around the room, dancing to the music of a stringed quartet, the heat of her companion’s arm around her waist fed the smoldering fire burning deep within her soul. Goose bumps dotted her skin as a cool breeze skittered over her bare shoulders and the scent of fresh flowers filled her senses.
Following Prince Charming’s lead, Mimi slowed her steps, standing perfectly still beside the stone railing of a balcony overlooking a beautiful garden. Gazing into the deep blue of his eyes, struck speechless by the electricity of their attraction, Mimi was helpless but to sigh as he lowered his lips to hers, kissing her passionately while the music took on a seductive swing behind them.
Kissing across her jaw, making his way to her ear, her Prince whispered, “Myanna, my love, you take my breath away. Make me the happiest man in the world and run away with me. Say you’ll be mine forever more.”
“Oh, Banning,” she sighed, her fingers winding through the long waves of his sandy-blonde hair. “I want nothing more than to live in your arms forever.”
Unfortunately, whatever Prince Charming said next was drowned out by the most irritatingly loud, squawking sound. Rolling over, slapping the wood of her bedside table, the palm of Mimi’s hand finally found the alarm clock, giving the blasted thing an extra swat for disturbing her fantasy.
“It cannot be morning already,” she groaned, her head still under the mauve flowered comforter she’d had forever and a day.
“Oh yes, it is,” Lillian sing-songed as she passed Mimi’s open door. “And if you don’t get up and get dressed, your breakfast will be cold.”
Shoving down the covers and sitting up as she threw her feet over the side of her bed, Mimi rubbed the sleep from her eyes and slid on her slippers. Padding to the bathroom, visions of her dreams from the previous night danced through her mind.
Turning on the water for her shower, the young psychiatrist snickered, “Not only am I making wishes to dragons and throwing coins into fountains,” she looked in the mirror, surprised to see herself smiling and laughingly added, “I’m also dreaming of being a princess with my very own Prince Charming.” Shaking her head, she laughed aloud, “Old Professor Donnelly would say, ‘Physician heal thyself’. To which I would remind him, ‘A patient has to want to get better’.”
Leaning forward, her nose nearly touching the glass of the mirror, Mimi looked herself in the eye and winked, “And this patient, Dr. Donnelly, has decided her dream world beats the hell outta reality.”