Until death do us part

"Hi mum, how are things this week?", enquired Joanne cautiously.

"Oh, you know dear, I'm not getting any younger... but the good lord hasn't asked me to join him just yet.", replied Elizabeth wistfully.

"Well, I'm planning to come up to see you once these Covid restrictions are lifted next week, and we can spend some quality time together, do a bit of shopping, and check out that old Chinese restaurant that we used to go to with dad. You know the one, Charlie Chans over in Redbank. Would you like that?"

"That would be wonderful. It's been so long since I've seen you. The phone is just not the same, and these new smart gadgets have me more confused than ever."

"Don't worry, I can give you some simple tips & tricks that should help when we catch up."

"Oh, thanks dear, your brother Tom doesn't seem to be able to teach this old dog new tricks, so I look forward to a bit of mother/daughter time."

"Consider it done. If the politicians stick to their promises, I should be there next week. Bye for now and look forward to seeing you soon. Love you lots."

"OK, see you then. Love you too."

Joanne hung up with a happy, elated air about her. Not too much religion, not too much politics -- she'd skirted the usual rabbit holes nicely. Living in a home must be hard she thought. Lots of hours with nothing to do but think about the past -- past mistakes, past regrets, past happiness. As one of her primary school teachers had once said later in life, 'it's like sitting at the airport and waiting for your flight to be called'.

I'd better let my brothers know I'm coming. It would be good to catch up with them as well. A couple phone calls later, and some online trip planning had everything in place for what would be a memorable family get together.

Joanne got stuck back into work to make the time go faster. There's nothing more annoying than anticipation making time go slower, so 'change the focus girly', she said to herself quietly. Painful, exhausting three hour gym sessions were another outlet to pass the time.

Finally, the infinite waiting period was over, it was time to start packing. Toiletries, beach wear, evening wear, shoes... Then the glaring sound of the phone, it was her middle brother Tom. "Hi, what's up?" enquired Joanne cheerily.

"Sis, the doctors were in this morning, your brother and I signed an End of Life request based on their prognosis. I'm really sorry to say that our mother has just passed."

"What!!!" cried Joanne incredulously, "Why didn't you wait? I would have been there in another 4 hours. I can't believe you didn't give me a chance to say goodbye to my own mother." -- tears stinging in her suddenly, very dark eyes. This was betrayal of the highest order and carried out no less by her own family. She almost couldn't believe what she was hearing. "I talked to her last night, she seemed alright at that time. Just the usual complaints of aches and pains."

"Yuh... you talked to her last night?" stuttered Tom. "I didn't know you were speaking to her."

"I've been calling her every week for the past couple of years. I had forgiven her, for all the hurt she had caused over the years. I wanted a relationship with my mother for exactly this reason -- when the time came to say goodbye. Not like your brother Sam, who pronounced her as dead to him, all those years ago for leaving dad."

"Well, Sam did sign the consent form. We got him to come down early as he was allowed to travel.", offered Tom weakly, "Karen thought it was the right thing to do."

"Karen!!!", screeched Joanne, "What's your wife doing, sticking her nose in family business where it doesn't belong?".

"Well..., I didn't have anybody else to turn to," stammered Tom, "and her daughter has some medical bills that we need to pay for soon... because her husband hasn't been working."

"So, that's what this is about? Money for Karen and her bastard child? You're already living in the basement of the house you bought, so they could live like King & Queen upstairs. Tom, how could you? What was another few hours difference going to make? Especially, when it was our mother - for good or for bad, she was always our mother."

Joanne found out later that Sam didn't even know what he was signing, Karen had orchestrated the whole thing. 'Just sign here' is all she said. "Until death do us part...", whispered Joanne quietly to herself.