“Mom…it’s me, Hunt. I came home, just like you asked.” He waited, and just when he thought she was too far gone to hear, he felt her squeeze his fingers. Relief swept through him. He wasn’t too late after all. “I’m sorry it took so long for your message to reach me, but I’m here now.”
Her eyes opened. He knew she recognized him. Her lips were moving, but she didn’t have enough lung capacity to breathe and talk at the same time.
Finally, she got out one word.
“Sorry,” and then, “love.”
Everything within him was shattering, but it didn’t show. He’d just as soon shoot himself as reveal weakness.
“It’s okay, Mom. I love you, too. I made you a promise and I’ll keep it. I’m sorry it took me so long to get here. I was out of the state for a while and didn’t get your last letter until I got back, but I’m here now and I’ll take care of everything you wanted.”
Marjorie’s eyelids fluttered.
Hunt waited.
His siblings stood and moved around the bed, waiting. They hadn’t seen her respond to anything in days, and all of a sudden, she was conscious. Then her lips parted.
They leaned closer, not wanting to miss a moment of her last words.
Then she said, “Hunt.”
“I’m here, Mom. I’m right here,” Hunt said, and gently squeezed her hand. “I’ll do what you asked.”
Her lips parted again. “Promise?”
He leaned over and spoke softly, near her ear.
“I promise. I’m here now. You’re free to go.”
Marjorie exhaled. The light was brighter, and there was no longer a weight on her heart. She let go of her son and let God take her home.
Now all four siblings were staring in disbelief, wondering what the hell just happened. Their mother had been hanging on to life like this for almost a week, and the prodigal son walked in and told her it was okay to go. And she died? Just like that?
Ava was trying to find a pulse, but it was gone.
Marjorie’s heartbeat had flatlined on the monitor.
Emma’s voice rose an octave. “Is she dead?”
Tears were rolling down Junior’s face, and Ray was wiping his eyes.
Birdie, the youngest daughter, covered her face and started to weep.
Moments later an RN came hurrying into the room. She felt for a pulse, then looked up at the clock.
“Time of death, 1:15 a.m.”
There were tears on Ava’s cheeks.
“I’m so sorry. My sympathies to all of you.”
Emma hugged her. “Thank you for taking such good care of Mama,” she said.
Hunt had yet to speak to any of his siblings, and was still holding on to his mother’s hand. He knew they were gathering up their things and walking out of the room, but he had nothing to say to any of them now. That would come later.
He felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Ava.
“I’m so sorry, Hunt, but grateful you made it. At the last, you were all she talked about.”
“Thank you for taking care of her,” he said, then let go of his mother’s hand, picked up his helmet, and walked out.
Ava had heard pain in the pitch of his voice, but he did not need her concern or her care. Losing a patient was the hardest part of being a nurse, but in this instance, Ava was at peace. Marjorie Knox had suffered a long time. She was no longer sick or in pain, and that was a blessing.
Hunt was on his way back up the hall when he saw his siblings getting in the elevator. He pictured them standing in the lobby downstairs, waiting for him to come down next, and took the stairwell instead.
* * *
He was already out in the parking lot and on his Harley as they finally walked out of the building. They watched him ride away without acknowledging any of them.
“Well, dammit, there he goes,” Ray said.
“Did any of you ever know where Hunt went when he left town?” Birdie asked.
“I didn’t,” Emma said.
“Me either,” Junior said, while Ray shook his head.
“Mama must have known,” Birdie said.
The others looked at each other in silence, finding it hard to believe that the mother they’d taken for granted had kept a secret like that for so long, but the three of them knew why.
“I wonder what Mama asked him to do?” Junior said.
“What do you mean?” Ray asked.
Junior frowned. “You heard him. He told Mama he’d keep his promise and do what she asked him to do.”
“Oh yeah,” Ray said.
“I wonder where he’s going?” Junior asked. “Do you think he’s going to stay at Mama’s house?”
Emma shrugged. “I don’t know. Why don’t you drive by the house on your way home and see if he’s there. If he thinks he’s gonna just move in, he has another think coming. I want to—”
“What you want and what’s going to happen are two different things,” Junior said. “There are four of us standing here.”
“But there are five heirs,” Birdie said. “Whatever money comes from selling Mama’s house will be divided five ways, not four. The house is old. It’s not going to bring anything worth fighting over.”
“Nothing is worth fighting over,” Ray said.
Emma glared at all of them. “We’ve already talked about Mama’s funeral and stuff, and there’s just enough money in Mama’s bank account to bury her and nothing more. Let’s go home and get some rest.”
“Did Mama leave a will?” Birdie asked.
They all stopped.
“I don’t know,” Emma said.
Junior shrugged. “I don’t either.”
“How do we find out?” Ray asked.
“Maybe Hunt knows. He already knows something about Mama that we don’t know,” Birdie said.
“I’m going home. If you want to know where Hunt is at, go look for him yourself,” Junior muttered.
Ray got in his car and left, and Junior did the same.
Emma ignored him. “I’m sad Mama is gone, but I’m glad she’s not suffering.” Then she glanced at Birdie. “I wonder where Hunt’s been all these years.”
“I don’t know, but he sure turned into a good-looking man,” Birdie said.