Page 92 of Feuds and Interludes
“So you’re going to take her side because you’re shacking up with her grandson? Is anyone in this family in their right mind?”
“Mom—”
“Christina, I’m going to ask you one last time. If you cannot show some respect for my fiancée and for me, then I want you to leave. You’re not helping this situation.”
“I’ve already had my lawyer draw up medical power of attorney paperwork and you need to sign it. This was a close call. I don’t want your health left to her the next time?—”
“Christina, I’m fine. It was indigestion, for the love of Christ?—”
“Mom, I want to speak to you outside.” I took her gently by the arm and led her out into the hallway, where I knew she’d be less likely to raise her voice.
“Shane, I know you andmyfather are close, but you have no idea?—”
“Mom, I have power of attorney for Pops. We took care of it a few years ago before he had his last surgery.”
I hadn’t seen my mother in person since that day four years ago, when Pops had to go in for a procedure to give him some peace from a back injury. Mom had thrown a fit a year prior to that, when he’d had to have an emergency triple bypass surgery and he hadn’t told her until the day before. She’d threatened to take over his medical decisions at that point, so Pops and I went to see his attorney and took care of the paperwork. We agreed we would tell her if any more health issues arose, but he’d been doing so well, I think we both forgot about it.
Mom meant well, but she hated not being a part of the decision-making process. She felt she knew best and thought Pops and I were too lackadaisical about his healthcare.
She had no idea what I’d done with my life, how much I’d accomplished, how robust my financial portfolio was, because I didn’t feel like she’d earned the right to be invited into my inner circle, not with the way she’d treated me since I was a teenager and decided the life path she’d chosen for me was not the one I wanted for myself.
But having to tell her to her face that her father had chosen her son over her, well…it was not sitting well.
“So you two just took it upon yourselves.”
“Mom, it’s not like that.”
“Then what’s it like? I lost my mama because the two of them didn’t have their shit together and were too busy partying to get her medical attention when she needed it. She had cancer, and they chose to let her die rather than take her in for treatment.”
“Pops did what she wished, Mom. She didn’t want to go through chemo and radiation. She wanted to go out on her own terms.”
“How do you know? You were a child!”
“And I’m a man now, and I’ve been taking care of Pops for the past fifteen years. He trusts me to make his decisions for him if the need arises. I’m sorry if that’s not how you want it. It’s up to you to decide whether you can accept it.”
Her lovely sepia face, that so resembled her mother’s, turned red in the cheeks and storm clouds passed before her eyes.“What did I ever do to make you treat me like this?”
I sighed and shook my head. “You refused to accept that you are not the only person in this family who knows what’s best. There is room for all opinions and experiences to coexist, and I hope someday you realize that.”
And I hoped it was soon, so that she didn’t lose her father before she made peace with him.
“I guess you got it all figured out, huh, rock star?”
“Mom.”
“Tellyourgrandfather when he’s ready to talk sense, I’m a phone call away.”
She slung her bag over her shoulder and walked out of the hospital, her fists clenched at her sides.
I let out a long breath and tried to focus on keeping the tears at bay. When I felt like I had control of my faculties, I went back into Pops’s room.
He took one look at my face and shook his head. “I’m sorry, son. Come here.”
He gave me a hug and kept a hold of my hand as I took the seat next to the bed.
“She loves you in her own way, son. She’s like her mum. Headstrong. She thinks if ye don’t agree with her, yerdisrespecting her. I just hope she realizes what a wonderful son she has before it’s too late.”
I squeezed his hand and nodded. My phone buzzed, and I pulled it out.“It’s Boone. Would you like Vera Jean to come back?”
