“Just stick with me,” he said, hugging her around the shoulders. “We’ll get your food and get you into your chair.”
Gini wanted to smile, but she was too tired. There were many visions in her head: the beautiful grounds of the university, many cars on the streets, Jessica standing next to her dad talking to one of the professors. That vision slipped into one of Jessica graduating from elementary school. Do I have two daughters? she thought, and then there was nothing, no visions, no thinking, just darkness.
The Youngs and the Gileses connected at the dinner. By the end of the evening, the two mothers were in their wheelchairs sitting next to each other. Yuri’s mother reached over and took Gini’s hand when she saw how Gini was determined to stay focused on the activities but was having great difficulty.
Gini didn’t know the unfamiliar hand on hers, but it was warm, and she felt the tenderness of the person. She wasn’t even sure where she was, but happy feelings from Jessica let her know she needed to be there.
The next morning was another brunch, and then the families took the students to their dorms.
Yuri asked Jessica to dinner after their families headed home. On their way back to campus, he stopped. “Jessie, I have something to ask you.”
“Okay.”
He knelt down on one knee. “Will you marry me?”
“Um.” She got down on her knees.
He pulled a ring box out of his pocket.
“Yuri, wait. I…” She cleared her throat. “I’ve committed myself to my career. The only thing I want is to be a doctor and help people. Marriage… well, no, marriage is not in the picture for me right now. Please, understand. I… no, I just can’t.”
Yuri stuck the box back in his pocket and helped her up. They sat on a bench close by. “I’m thinking I should have talked to you about this before I did such a foolish thing.”
“It’s not foolish, and yes, we should talk about it. Marriage is a big step. I don’t think either of us is ready for that at this point. I mean, classes haven’t even started.”
“I love you. You have been the best thing in my life, and I mean that with all of my heart.” He took her hand and half smiled. “You kicked me right in the butt and told me to get my head out.”
“I did not ever say that.”
“Okay, not the words, but you are so strong. I so admire how you are with your mother. Have you ever been embarrassed that she is… that… way… disabled?”
“Embarrassed? Heck no. I’m not strong. If you want a strong woman, that’s my mother. She could have died, but she didn’t. And not only did she not die, but she said if this is the way it is, then I’m going to live my life to the fullest no matter what. You’re ashamed of your mother?”
“No, no… I just felt like everyone was looking at her and pitying her. I didn’t want that, so I just shied away from people so I couldn’t hear our friends’ words or see their looks after she’d had her surgery. That’s why we moved from Portland.”
“People were talking about your mother’s misfortune in a derogatory manner? Yuri, it’s good you left; they weren’t your friends.”
“I can see that now because you helped me see what is right and what’s good. You will always be my one and only. And I can wait forever if need be.”
She laughed. “Well, forever is a long time; maybe only half our lives.”
He laughed with her.
The first two months included hard work and homesickness for Jessica. The family tried to video-call every weekend. She was looking forward to going home for Thanksgiving. She was getting mixed messages from her mama. Even though she looked okay and said the right things on the calls, there was an uneasy feeling inside of Jessica.
“Rob, ber, where, be, dah… ter…?”
“Our daughter?” He lifted her head up as he talked.
“Nay… um?”
“Sweetheart, Jessica is at college, remember? She’ll be home in a couple of weeks. I know you are excited to see her, as am I.”
“Jess… eek,” Gini said, and tried as hard as she could to put her name to memory. “Jess… eek,” she repeated.
Robert took in a deep breath and let it out slowly and hugged her tight to him. The last couple of days had been very confusing for her. He prayed she would have better days again soon.
Jessica was surprised Gini was in her wheelchair with a blanket on top of her when she and Robert returned from the train station. “Daddy, what’s wrong with Mama?”
“No, ting; fee, of, sore.”
She looked at her dad, and he smiled. Jessica went to Gini.
“Let me see those feet.” She took Gini’s slippers off and examined all around her mama’s toes and heel. “There’s nothing wrong with that beautiful foot.”
Gini grinned, and Jessica leaned forward and kissed her. “I’ve missed you, Mama.”
“Miss, of, all, time.” Then Gini started signing. Tell me about your week and how the train ride was all by yourself.
The minute Jessica walked in the door, Gini felt all the life come back into her body. And the touch of her fingers on Gini’s foot reminded her that was their wonderful daughter.
That night Robert and Jessica were the only ones up. “Daddy, what is wrong with Mama’s feet?”
“Could be her ankles or her legs. John thinks maybe a pair of shoes that didn’t fit correctly threw her balance off. She’s been having issues since the trip to Maryland.”
“So you’re telling me she’s walking different. Daddy, that could be a sign of a whole different problem, it could be brain atrophy.”
He reached over and grabbed her into his arms. “You haven’t even
