“Rob, ber, nee, new, cah,” Gini said, walking into the kitchen from the garage the next day.
“Why? What’s wrong with my car?”
“Be, ode.”
“It’s not that old, only about five years.”
“Be, ode.”
Debbie was at the kitchen table making a grocery list. She laughed. “That is pretty old.”
“Deb, I only drive it to work and back. It has low mileage still.”
“Be, ode.”
“Okay, so what do you think I should be driving?”
“Mer, sade, ease.”
“Mercedes!” he exclaimed. “Why a Mercedes?”
“Why not?” Debbie asked. “You’re a renowned physician. You should be driving a prestigious car.”
Robert had just bought a new car for Jessica to take to college. His, Debbie’s, and the big SUV were parked in the three-car garage. Jessie’s and Alyssa’s were parked at the side of the house. His driveway was starting to look like a car dealership.
“And what would this Mercedes look like?” he asked Gini.
“Nave, boo, keem, color, in, side, wiff, boo, tons, tuft, lee, there.”
“Tufted leather, wow, sounds fancy,” Debbie said. “I think she has a Christmas wish list.”
“Nee, of, new, cah.”
“And I suppose if I get this new car, you’ll want to drive it.” He put his hand under Gini’s chin and lifted her face to see her.
Her eyes were open wide. “Rob, ber, Guiney, no, of, can, dive.” She wrinkled her nose and laughed.
The holidays were always full of events at the schools, country club, and church. It was Jessica’s favorite time of year. Everyone gathered at the Young house for Christmas Eve dinner and then went to church. When they all arrived back at the Young house, a shiny, navy blue, top-of-the-line Mercedes was parked in the driveway.
“Daddy, is that your car?” Robbie asked.
“That’s your mama’s Christmas present.”
Robert opened the door and helped Gini sit inside. She ran her hands down the cream leather seats, over the dashboard, and on the tufted door panels. “Guiney, luff, cah, luff.”
Every time they went anywhere, Gini wanted to ride in the Mercedes.
“Oh, Gini, there’s an email from Catherine,” Debbie said. “I’ll read it.
Hi to all there,
I know it has been a while. Hope you all had a great holiday.
The kids are in the American school here and we are going all different directions with school stuff and sports, and us expat wives are always up to something. Singapore is a very exciting city.
I thought we’d be heading back to the States soon, but it looks like we are here for a while.
I know our time zones are opposite days and nights, but it sure would be good to talk to you guys and see you.
Give my love to everyone.
Catherine.
“It was nice to hear from her. We should take some pictures of the kids and send them to her, show her how much they have grown.”
“Cat, ter, rin, be, Dee, bee, fren?” Gini had a puzzled look on her face.
“Baby, you remember Catherine. Catherine White. You worked with her and they have been here many times.”
“Be, of, Dee, bee, fren?” Gini looked up at Debbie and then her eyes slid closed. “Who, be, Cat, ter, rin?”
Oh, my gosh, Debbie thought, Gini doesn’t remember who Catherine is. She pulled Gini close to her and hugged her.
Catherine and Jose had visited often when they lived in DC. And when they had a brief one-year assignment in Boston, the two families got together often. Catherine had two sons, boom boom, right after their daughter.
After the Boston assignment they went to Texas, California, and then Southeast Asia. They’d been gone for almost two years, and in those two years they emailed, but with everyone so busy with family, the emails had gotten fewer and fewer.
Debbie had a discussion with Robert that night.
“She doesn’t remember Catherine? Interesting,” he said.
“Robert, I don’t want Gini to be going downhill so soon.”
“Now, let’s not get crazy here. It has been a while since we’ve seen them. I bet if you keep talking to her about Catherine and showing her pictures, she’ll remember. And it could just be today. Ask her again tomorrow.”
Debbie did ask the next day. Gini still didn’t know her, even after looking at pictures.
Studies had shown that severely traumatized brains aged faster than normal brains in most cases, triggering an ongoing neurodegenerative process that led to progressive atrophy. Eventually, the degeneration caused the neuron cells and brain tissue to die away. Slowly, the brain would fail.
Debbie hoped and prayed that Gini would be one of the cases that did not have aging brain. There had been small signs lately, but not remembering her best friend was more than small in Debbie’s eyes.
Jessica went to prom with Tim, graduated with honors, and took the summer to prepare and shop for college. Her dad even let her drive the Mercedes to one of the goodbye parties at her friend’s house.
The week before college classes started was freshman orientation, and the parents were invited to attend the first weekend.
Robert gave Aly the weekend off, and the rest of them packed up the SUV and headed to Maryland.
Saturday started with a family brunch, a presentation on the school grounds, and then each school was instructed to an area for further information. Robbie was getting antsy, and Gini tired from walking.
Debbie told Robert she’d get the wheelchair for Gini, and then she’d take Robbie somewhere close for a break.
That evening there was an outside dinner in a large park. Gini insisted on walking, but she was dead tired. Robert was with Jessica most of the evening, involved with the parent forums and discussions. Before they ate, Robert pulled Gini close to him, mindful she was tired and losing awareness.
She looked up at him with
