Let the Willows Weep by Sherry Parnell

Author:Sherry Parnell
Format: epub

We sat at the kitchen table in the same seats and in much the same way as we had done the day that Daddy was buried. Denny placed a cup of tea in front of Mother, who sat rubbing her hands together as if she were cold. Without a sip, she stared at the tiny pink-colored cup as she laced her fingers together only to pull them apart again, over and over. Wordlessly, we watched her.

Pushing the cup to the center of the table, she never took her eyes from it as she said, “I didn’t have an easy time carrying Caul when I was pregnant with him. I was always sick, and I got the strangest pains the doctor couldn’t explain.”

Taking her eyes from the cup, Mother rested her cheek in her hand and now seemed to look at nothing as she said, “He fought harder than both of you comin’ into this world. He was just fine where he was.” Lifting her head, Mother sat straight and tall. “I pushed for over two hours. I passed out twice.” Sighing, she said, “I pushed as hard as I could to pull Caul into my life.” Her eyes welled with tears as she said softly, “And he walks out of it like it all meant nothing.”

Quiet once more, Mother turned back to the teacup. Without looking at either of us, she said, “I’m guessin’ you’ll be next.” Thinking she meant Denny, I said nothing until she turned sharply to face me. “You. You’ll leave next, right?” she said as she pointed at me with her trembling finger. I didn’t answer. I didn’t know how.

Suddenly angry, she shouted, “Are you next? Are you leaving? Tell me!”

Denny rushed to Mother’s side. Leaning down in front of her, he took her hands in his, and then as he had done in another moment much like this one, he said, “It’s okay, Mother. It’s goin’ be okay.”

Crumbling into him, she allowed the tears to fall freely upon his shoulder as I quietly watched. We were now three. But seeing the sad look of longing in my brother’s eyes, I knew such a number wouldn’t last. We were each dividing, escaping, and fading away.

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