Who Does She Think She Is? by Benilde Little

Author:Benilde Little
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Pocket Books

CHAPTER 20

I Used to Love Him

Geneva

I don’t ever think of myself as an old woman. It’s not that I’m going around in denims with half my tail hanging out or that I bleach my gray hair blond. I dress and carry myself as a seventy-two-year-old woman should, but I eat right, keep my weight under control and walk around the block a few times a week. How I ended up falling, knocking myself practically unconscious and losing teeth, I don’t know. All I know was when I woke up I was on my bathroom floor and there was some blood and teeth down there with me. I got myself up to the phone and reluctantly called Camille. I was reluctant because I knew she’d come in here and just start telling me the house was too much and I needed to think about selling it and moving into one of those nice retirement homes.

And I’ll have to tell her for the fortieth time that I am not moving into a home. I don’t care how nice it is. I’d just as soon die first. Anyway, here she comes, her tail waddling down the hall, calling for me as if I might’ve gone to the disco or somethin’.

“Just come on in here and help me get to the bed.”

I hear her running now, which she should’ve been doing all along.

I heard her gasp.

“What took you so long?”

“Oh, Mom, what happened?” she said, squatting down to pull me up from under my arms.

“Can you walk? Can you stand up?”

I put one foot down steady but had to lean on her to get to the bedroom.

“I’m alright. I don’t think anything’s broken.”

We limped together till she got me to the bench at the foot of my bed.

“Let me get a washcloth and clean off your face.”

I could feel that liquid had dried on my cheek.

She put the warm cloth on my face and held it there.

“I can do it,” I said, pushing her hand away, nastier than I should have.

“I’m calling the doctor.”

“That’s not necessary, Camille. I’m fine.”

“No you’re not,” and she went to the phone and started dialing.

Next thing I know, I got a soft cast around my ankle and another lecture from this gal doctor who looked like she was still in high school and who I couldn’t understand half of what she said.

She said something about needing to do an X-ray to make sure there was no damage to my brain when I fell.

“Do you understand?” she said to me.

I was about to say, You the foreigner, what is it that I wouldn’t understand? but Camille jumped in and took over.

“She understands. I’ll take her for the MRI from here and tomorrow we’ll see a dentist.”

The gal doctor put her hand on my shoulder.

“Okay, Mrs. Branch, you take it easy now. I’ll see you back here in a few days.”

Camille thanked her and I didn’t say anything. I just wanted to get away from this candy striper as soon as possible.

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