"Can
you put this in the attic?" Mom handed me a bag of old clothes. Mom always
had a thousand too many projects to complete.
Wanting
to help I replied, “Sure.”
I shuffled upstairs and staggered around
hundreds of cardboard boxes. Suddenly my toe caught on to the carpet and I
yelped as I stumbled to the ground.
“Are you
okay, Hon?” Mom called up to me.
“All
good,” I reply. I pulled my self out of the mess of boxes when one box hidden
in the heap caught my eye. I held
my breath and reached for it. I had
to open it. It was the most beautiful old fashion package. I held my breath and
raised the lid. There laid a heap of shredded newspaper. Hiding my
disappointment I dug deeper into the box.
My eyes raced through the box and just before I give up I saw a blue
corner sticking up. I gently pick it up baffled; it was an old fashion photo.
It must have been from my Mom’s age. Deciding to look at it closer later, I slip it in my pocket
and leave the dusty attic.
That
night I walked into Mom’s office. I tried to hide my phony smile. “Hi Mom,
sorry to interrupt your work. I just have one question,” I say cheerfully. A
little too cheerfully.
Just
when Mom was about to talk her computer light buzzed. “Uh, sorry Honey, I got
an important message,” she frowned turning towards the laptop.
I left
the room like it was no ‘biggy’, but inside my heart was racing. I wanted to
ask about the photo but instead I would have to figure it out alone.
My mom
and I don’t chat together. She has her work; I have my life. And somehow they
don’t intersect.
“Hey Honey, snacks on
the table. Love you,” Mom smiled as I entered the room.
“-Wait Mom. Umm, can
you, uh. Can we talk? I found a photo of you and…”
“Sure,
of course.” My mom said reluctantly. She obviously had work to do, but I didn’t
care. We headed for the kitchen.
Sitting down I pulled the photo out of my special pocket. When my mom first saw
it she gasped.
“I
haven’t seen that in years! It’s my class photo, where did you find that?” Mom
sighed.
“In the
attic,” I force. I am shocked. I honestly forgot my mom was my age.
“Wow.
Well, yes I went to school just like you. I had great friends, but when I was in
Middle school my family moved-“
“Oh
yeah, Uncle Bill and Aunt Susan!” I giggle. “Why did you move?”
We
talked for almost an hour and when we were done we promised to keep talking. It
was the best feeling in the world.
Some days
we would do our own things and others we would cuddle up and chatter. Mom would
always find time for me and I would always have time for her.
