time to remember

My name is Emily, I am 15 years old. I live with my grandmother Marilyn in a house that my grandfather Lewis built. It's in a small town by the name of White Oak. My Mimzy Marilyn has been ill this summer and has had me worried. There are times when I find her (like this morning) standing on the front porch just staring out at the long gravel drive. As if waiting for someone to pull down it at anytime.

Who is she waiting for?

I guide her back into the house and set her at the kitchen table and start a pot of coffee. Mimzy stairs at me while I'm busy gathering coffee grounds and water. The rising aroma reminds me that I am home every single time. I sit down next to Mimzy, she smiles at me, I place my hand into hers and I tell her "I love you."

Mimzy's reply "I love you too Rose, you are a sweet girl and I thank you for helping me pull the weeds from the garden this morning." With a shocked expression on my face I begin to look at her with confusion and concern. A little heart broken, I gently squeeze her hand "Mimzy it's me Emily!"

Rose was Mimzy's daughter that had drown in the river while swimming with a group of friends when she was 17. This was a very long time ago. This doesn't happen to Mimzy very often but these spells are happening more frequently and lasting longer. They wear her out and cause her to sleep a lot when time catches back up with her. She claims to never remember the incident's but I'm sure the strong sense of not being in control is frightening her. Finding herself doing unusual things and moments of complete blank are causing her to withdraw a little from me. Mimzy doesn't talk about it much but I can tell it has her worried.

Mimzy and I have had a great week, we are now sitting on the back porch enjoying each glide from the porch swing. Ahh drinking ice cold tea with a little bit of honey and lemon. Feeling a nice end of summer warm breeze blow across the porch while Mimzy and I talk about our plans for her "Rose" garden. It is going to give birth to our favorite...pumpkins. A nice way for us to start off our soon to be harvested fall and a tradition that Mimzy and I have been doing for years.

Ever since my parents past, 5 years ago this December it's been hard for me to adjust but Mimzy has done a great job showing me love and happiness with each passing day! On the 19th of December Mimzy lights candles in remembrance of her daughters and my father. This really does help me, I'm pretty sure it helps both of us. Knowing the we have each other and share sweet stories of the harmonious past.

As I am lost in thought of future events I hear Mimzy get up and tell me that she will be back in a moment. I get up also and begin to wander around the yard running my hand over plants and flowers that belong to Mimzy. She has such a gift a true green thumb, I've never seen a yard quite so alive before, alive and happy. There's a field that i lay in sometimes and remember childhood adventures. I use to have so much fun here as a kid, on weekends, on holidays meeting up with the whole family. Playing Cowboys and Indians in this field with my cousins.

I round the house and head back to the porch, I'm waiting to see if Mimzy is ready for some lunch. I'm ready for some of her blackberry cobbler that she has made for us. I peer up through the porch railing before I climb the stairs, Mimzy is not there. "Well I wander what she could be doing that is taking so long?" I open the wooden screen door and head my way into the kitchen, this is where Mimzy likes to spend most of her time. "Huh! Well maybe she's upstairs?" As I begin climbing the stairs to the second floor I start calling, "Mimzy" "Mimzy are you ready for some lunch?" I'm close to her room and I can hear mumbles seeping past the cracked door. Dust particles glimmering from the peering light escaping through the door cracks. "Mimzy are you okay?" I ask as I open the door to find Mimzy sitting at her vanity combing her long beautiful white hair. Mimzy has a smile on her face and is having a complete two sided conversation with herself and her reflection. She does not recognize her own reflection in the mirror. She keeps asking herself questions~ "How long do you plan on staying?" "Is Lewis going to be there?" "You have such pretty hair may i brush it?"

I raise my hand to my mouth and tears start to roll down my face. I realize at this moment that we are in trouble and we need help. I become frightened and sob for my grandmother, oh I love her so. I will comfort her and never abandon my love for her. I will always remember my Mimzy's love for me and hold her hand as I stand by her side as she has by mine.