Icing on the Sibling Cake

The phone rang...she knew before answering who it would be.

“Your brother’s here, do you want to see him?” queried the aging voice on the other end of the phone.

“Sure...be down shortly.” The phone went dead before she could say goodbye.

It was a pattern that would not be broken, at least not in this lifetime. Oh, she’d asked and even cajoled the old woman into trying to end a phone call with goodbye...maybe - and this she was learning as time went by - saying goodbye was not in the old woman’s vocabulary.

“Why say goodbye, when I see you again anyway,” was the retort, time and time again, so, she gave up fighting ‘the closing salutation’ fight and hung up the phone.

A wee bit of preening later and down she went to what was affectionately called "the hovel” - a cosy and very inviting space inhabited by her determined mother. She smiled and wondered if she would be as spunky at eighty.

Of the four siblings, he was the icing on the cake...because he cared enough to stay neutral - hard to do she was sure of that, but he aced it and for that she was grateful.

The visit was soul nourishing and smile activating; batteries were being recharged and a sense of family restored; it felt good.

There were extra hugs to be had when the time came for him to head out for his drive home; a mountainous drive that often took its toll on, and the occasional life of, those that braved it throughout the winter months.

She hugged a little tighter and breathed in a little deeper - a memory was being set - it needed to last a lifetime, just in case.

Do you find yourself taking a moment to imprint the ‘now’, into the deep recess of your mind, knowing it might be all there ever is?

Jenny