Mother

"I don't want to!"

"But you have to! You can't continue like this!"

Moira had had another call. Mother had fallen again. She had been found by the neighbour who had heard her faint calls that morning. Luckily, Moira had had the foresight to give the neighbour her number.

The previous time she'd fallen, the postman had looked through the letterbox to see Mother sprawled on the runner in the hallway and called the police who had managed to glean from Mother there was a daughter called Moira who lived near the Co-op. It was never nice to find policemen at the door, unless they were strippers.

Concentrate, Moira!

She had drifted because she didn't want to have this difficult conversation with Ken, her husband who was insisting that Mother go into a home.

"Moira, love. You're not doing it to be cruel. You're doing it to make sure that she's safe."

Moira was biting her lip, listening to Ken and hating the way that her gut was tightening at the thought of telling Mother that she was giving up on her. Because that is how Mother would view it.

"She has to realise that you can't be there 24-7. You've got a job and other responsibilities."

Ken was looking out for her, she knew. Moira just didn't want to have to tell Mother.

*

Mother was small in the big, white bed propped by pillows. She looked like a stick on a fluffy cloud. Pathetic. Moira's gut churned.

"Hello, Mother," she said and pulled up a chair, taking a deep breath.

"When can I go home?" No greeting. Cut straight to the chase as always.

Moira felt a spike of anger and used it to plough on.

"Well, that's just it, Mother. I don't think they'll let you go home. You need to be cared for."

Mother looked horrified. "Not a home, Moira. No! Not that!"

Moira continued. "It's for the best."

To her horror, a tear fell down her mother's cheek. This was unheard of.

"Can't I come and live with you?"

The screw of guilt tightened, penetrating Moira's heart and presenting a dilemma that she'd feared:

Choose between her mother or her marriage.

***

366 words

Thanks for stopping by! If you do read this, please do leave a comment as I love to interact with my readers.

158/366