by Laurie Ames
Elaine walked into the room. Her mother was propped up further and she had a mask over her nose and mouth. She was breathing slowly and steadily. Elaine saw quite a difference in her mother. Janine's face was pale and there were dark circles under her eyes. Her breathing was loud and raspy.
Elaine sat back down on the edge of her mother's bed. She gently reached out her hand and grasped Janine's hand. "Mom, are you okay? You sounded like you were coughing pretty bad. Does this happen often?"
Janine sighed and turned her head to look at her daughter. "It's been happening more and more often. I'm okay. If I have a fit like this, the nurses come and give me a treatment and I get feeling better. I'm glad you're here Elaine. It's been a long time since I last saw you." Her mother turned and looked at Elaine. Elaine was again taken by surprise at how elderly her mother looked.
"I'm glad I came to see you, Mom," said Elaine as she gently patted her mother's hand. The two of them sat in silence for a little while.
"It feels good when you pat my hand like that," said Janine. "Remember when you were a little girl? Whenever you were sick, you used to want me to pat your hand like that. You didn't want me to hug or cuddle you. Just sit beside your bed and pat your hand." Janine closed her eyes and leaned back against her pillows. Elaine decided that this was a good opportunity to ask her mother about Sasha.
"Mom, do you remember my stepsister, Sasha? She was Edward's daughter. We lived with them until I was done high school." Her mother's face took on a thoughtful look. Finally, Janine nodded and said “Yes of course I remember Sasha”.
"Well, Mom, I was wondering if you knew what had happened to her? I know that Edward died about a year after I left. I remembered seeing Sasha at the funeral and we sort of lost touch. Do you know where she is now?" Elaine tried to keep her tone of voice as casual as possible but inside, her heart was racing and her palms actually felt sweaty. She was hoping that her mother would be able to help her find Sasha.
"Oh honey, I'm afraid that I lost touch with Sasha after her father died." Janine's voice grew faint and Elaine could tell that her mother was trying hard to remember. "I know that she moved out of town for a little while to attend school but for some reason, I think she might have come back." Her mother paused again and breathed deeply into her mask. "I'm sorry that I can't be more help than that." Janine sighed deeply. "Elaine, will you be in town for a while? I need to rest for a bit. Would you come back later? I really need to rest." Her voice became fainter. "These coughing fits make me so tired, you know. I just need to sleep a bit. " Janine's voice trailed off completely and it was clear that she was dozing off. Elaine quietly got to her feet, collected her purse and her coat, and started walking out of the room.
Just before she reached the door, Elaine saw her mother’s eyes open and her head turn towards Elaine. "Oh! Oh!" Janine said, her eyes glittering. "Elaine, we sent each other Christmas cards every year. I kept the envelopes with the cards. They should be at the house. I don't know where I put them but I know they are there." Janine looked at Elaine.
"I don't know why you are looking for your stepsister after all of these years but I know that the two of you were close when you were younger. I hope you find her, Elaine, I really do." Then, Janine sagged back against her bed and closed her eyes. Elaine watched her mother until she knew that Janine was well and truly asleep. Then, she walked quietly out of the hospital room and prepared to head back to the house for the evening.
She finally had a chance of maybe finding Sasha. She could hardly wait to get back to her mother's house and start searching for the envelopes. Elaine’s pulse quickened with excitement as she tried not to speed to her Moms. Even if it took the entire time that she was visiting, Elaine vowed that she would not head back home without finding Sasha.
Chapter 6
Elaine spent the rest of the evening sorting through stacks of papers. Outwardly, her mother was a neat and tidy person but there were certain things that Janine tended to hoard. Personal correspondence was one of them. It seemed like Janine had kept every postcard, every letter and every greeting card that anyone had ever sent her. Some of them were still stuck inside the original envelopes. Finally, after hours of searching, Elaine found a stack of cards. They were all tied together with a ribbon. Elaine saw that they were Christmas cards.
The cards from Sasha to Janine were all stacked neatly together. Elaine grabbed them and sat at the kitchen table as she started looking through them. Each card had been written in extensively. Apparently, Sasha hadn't been interested in simply sending a card that could be purchased at a store. The cards contained detailed information about what Sasha had accomplished in the preceding year. Elaine was thrilled that she was able to read up on what her stepsister's life had been like. The dates also helped her figure out which address was the most current.
It appeared that Sasha had, indeed, gone away for college. Those cards were full of news about people Sasha had met, relationships that had started and ended. Sasha had described jobs that she had held in great detail and Elaine found herself laughing out loud at the stories that Sasha had told.
Then, one year, the letter was very brief. It had been the year that Edward had died. Instead of long, rambling descriptions of things, Sasha had simply written that she appreciated how Janine had taken care of her father and the kindness that Janine had shown her at the funeral. That letter had ended with 'If you see Elaine, tell her I miss her dearly'. Elaine felt a lump well up in her throat.
Once Sasha had lost her father and graduated from college, it seemed like she had gone back to her home town and settled down. The letters had gotten shorter and were interspersed with talk about random meetings and gossip about people and events in town. Elaine loved reading the letters. It was interesting to see what her stepsister thought about things. Elaine could almost hear her dreamy voice as she read them.
Elaine found the most recent card and checked the envelope. Sasha's return address was clearly written in the corner. Elaine opened the web browser on her phone and plugged Sasha's name into a search website for phone numbers. Sasha's name came up and Elaine cross-checked it with her address. It matched. Elaine wrote the phone number down on a piece of paper and tucked it into the envelope with the card, then returned it to the stack with the others. She looked at her watch and was shocked to see that it was well past midnight. It was too late to call Sasha.
Instead, Elaine went back to her room and climbed into bed, then stared at the ceiling until she fell asleep.
Her dreams were filled with erotic images of Sasha. Elaine imagined casually driving over to Sasha's house and pulling up outside. She imagined walking up to Sasha's front door and knocking on it. The redheaded woman who opened the door was stunning. Elaine pictured the woman crying out in joy and the feeling of her wrapping her arms around Elaine. Elaine could feel the heat from the other woman's body. Her hands reached up and twirled in Sasha's hair, enjoying the feeling of how silky and soft it felt. She smelled enchanting in a delicious way. Elaine imagined Sasha smothering her face with kisses as her lips accidentally grazed Elaine's. Elaine's lips parted and she could feel Sasha's tongue probing into her mouth.
Before long, they were inside and laying side by side on Sasha's bed. In her mind's eye, Sasha had grown into a beautiful woman with a full curvy figure. Her waist was slender and her hips and breasts were round and lushly feminine. Elaine ran her hands over Sasha's skin, feeling how soft it felt. Sasha's nipples hardened when Elaine touched them and before long, Sasha was purring and moaning as Elaine caressed her.
Elaine found herself doing what she had been aching to do for so long. She slowly kissed her way down Sasha's body, over her smooth flat stomach and down to the cleft where her legs met. She could hear Sasha's moans in her ear, feel the pressure of Sasha's hands on her head as she urged Elaine down further and further. Elaine found herself purring and moaning against Sasha's mound, and could almost taste Sasha's sweet juices on her tongue.
Then, far off in the d
istance, Elaine heard a phone ringing. It was startling. Elaine slowly felt the dream start to fade as she woke to the sound of the house phone ringing off the hook. Her cell phone was also going off at the same time. Elaine sat up in bed and tried to get her thoughts together. The transition from dreaming to wakefulness had been jarring and her pussy was now very moist. Elaine felt so tired that at first, she didn’t know what she needed to do.
She gave her head a shrug, then fumbled the phone off the hook and stammered a greeting. She soon realized that it was the hospital on the phone. A no-nonsense voice on the other end asked her to confirm her identity. When she did, the tone softened a little.
"Miss Dillard, I'm so sorry to call you, but your mother passed away last night. The nurses found her this morning when they started their rounds. It appears she passed in her sleep. You're going to need to come to the hospital. There will be some administrative paperwork that you need to sign."
Elaine felt the phone starting to slip out of her hand. She felt numb. She clutched the receiver tighter. "Yes. I understand. I will be over shortly. Is she...." Her voice cracked. "Is she still in her room or has she been moved yet?" Her face felt hot and a faint headed feeling enveloped her.
The nurse told her that Janine was still in her room but that Elaine needed to come as soon as possible if she wanted to view her mother's body. Elaine promised that she would be over shortly and, after the nurse had hung up, quickly threw on a pair of leggings and a baggy t-shirt. At this point, her choice of clothing was the least of her worries. Elaine felt a wave of numbness move through her body. Her mother was gone.
Once she had reached the hospital, Elaine badgered the nurses to tell her what had happened. Apparently, her mother had a coughing fit late that evening and it had been difficult to ease her cough, even with medications. They had left her that night resting comfortably and had not heard from her all evening. That morning, when the incoming shift had conducted their rounds, they had found Janine. She had passed away.
According to the nurses, Janine had made sure her wishes were very clear and that the staff knew what to do in case something final had happened. There were already plans in place to receive Janine at one of the funeral homes in town and the nurse let Elaine know that someone would be by shortly to collect Janine's body. If she wanted to spend time with her mother, the time to do so had arrived.
Elaine crept into the room to look at Janine. Her mother was resting in bed. Instead of the head being up, however, it had been put down so that Janine was laying flat on her back, a pillow under her head. Janine's hands were neatly folded in her lap and her eyes were closed. It was clear that someone had wiped her mother's face and all of the tubes had been removed. Her mother looked like she was sleeping and Elaine was pleased that her mother looked at peace.
She sat, watching her mother for what felt like an eternity. She heard a soft knock on the door and looked up. The nurse she had been speaking with was standing there, flanked by two young men wearing scrubs. They all had a respectful look on their faces. Elaine stood up and faced them, a lump beginning to form in her throat.
"Elaine, it's time. They've come to take your mother. You need to leave so they can do their job. You can go on ahead to the funeral home. They'll meet you there. They're expecting you." The nurse gently led Elaine out of the room and closed the door behind them. Elaine could hear the men moving around in the room. Suddenly her legs felt weak and she found herself slumping to the floor in the middle of the hallway as a wail forced its way out of her throat.
Chapter 7
It took a while for Elaine to be able to drive. The nurse had helped her to her feet and had ushered her into a small, private room. She calmed down enough to call her aunt and relayed the information about Janine's passing. As she did, she felt her voice trembling and she deliberately choked down her sobs. Once she had felt able to drive, she headed to the funeral home.
Once she arrived, Elaine found out that her mother had made some very detailed plans for her funeral and had paid for it all in advance. That was a pleasant surprise. Elaine wasn't used to her mother thinking ahead like that. Janine had always been more of a "live in the moment" kind of a person so this level of forethought was highly unlike her.
Elaine and the funeral home staff member had discussed what the obituary would say and planned the dates for the visitation and the funeral. Then, all of the business completed, Elaine found herself with nowhere to go and feeling hopelessly empty inside.
She found herself driving aimlessly around town. She was only partially surprised when she realized that she was driving down Sasha's street. She looked for the number. Elaine had made sure to transfer it from the piece of paper to her phone so that she was sure to have it with her. She had no idea what to say so, as she drove slowly and swivelled her head back and forth trying to find house numbers, she rehearsed what she was going to say. Finally, she felt somewhat comfortable in knowing what she was going to say.
She rolled to a stop in front of what was supposed to be Sasha's house. There was a woman in the front yard. She was digging in the garden and had a large hat on. It was impossible for Elaine to figure out what color the woman's hair was. Elaine put the car in park and opened her door. As soon as the woman heard the car she stood up and turned around. Elaine grinned, there was no doubt in her mind that it was Sasha.
She didn't look like she had in Elaine's dream. If anything, she was more beautiful simply because this Sasha was real. Elaine could touch her. This real Sasha had shoulder length red hair that fell in thick waves. Her face was freckled and her green eyes sparkled in the sunlight. Her form wasn't as curvy as Elaine had imagined. She had the slender build of a dancer or a gymnast and appeared to move gracefully. She was much more elegant than Elaine remembered than when they were young. Elaine felt her stomach constrict with need and longing as this real Sasha walked towards her.
Elaine waited to see if Sasha would remember her and, at first, it didn't seem like the woman did. Elaine watched as the other woman hesitantly walked down the driveway, slowly coming closer and closer to the street. When she got close enough, Elaine saw recognition flash across her face. It was followed quickly by confusion. The woman opened her mouth and spoke a single, questioning word. "Elaine?"
Elaine nodded, wordlessly and she was pleased when the woman rushed over to her. "Oh, my god! It's really you! After all this time, you're really here!" Sasha was starting to babble faster and faster. Sasha grabbed Elaine and held her at arms' length and then, when she had spent a moment or two drinking in Elaine's face with her eyes, flung her arms around Elaine and crushed her in a tight embrace. She held her tightly for a few minutes and then invited her inside.
Sasha insisted that Elaine sit at the kitchen table while she threw the kettle on for tea. The kitchen was attractive if not overly large. Everything about the house was compact but beautiful. Sasha had decorated it with great attention to detail and it was easy to see what a talented decorator her stepsister was. Once the tea was ready, Sasha poured it into mugs and handed one to Elaine. She sat down at the table and Sasha turned to Elaine.
"It's so good to see you again. Believe me, I always wanted to see you again and find out how you're doing. But, I mean, I never heard anything from you for so long. Why have you come to see me now?"
"Sasha, I came here because I wanted to let you know that my mom passed away." Elaine choked back a sob. It was still to fresh and hard for her to talk about. "I know that you guys weren't close and that you didn't see much of her lately but I wanted you to know she was gone." She stared at Sasha for a minute or two, trying to talk. All she could do, though was to open and close her mouth as she tried to figure out what to say next.
She watched, dazedly, as Sasha approached her and gently wrapped her in a hug. "Oh honey, Wow…I’m shocked. I am so sorry to hear about your mom," murmured Sasha. "She was a good woman and I always loved writing to her. She always sent me such funny letters and cards. She always talked about you, where
you were going to school, where you were working, and so on. And about you and that boyfriend of yours, Tom. Is that still going on?"
Elaine let out a groan and burst into tears. She felt Sasha gathering her up and helping her over to the couch in the living room. Then, for the next while, Elaine simply let Sasha rock her back and forth while she broke down completely.
After awhile, Elaine felt the tears beginning to slow down. After another long while, they stopped and she was able to wipe her eyes and try to see clearly again. She saw Sasha, still sitting on the couch, watching her intently. "Are you feeling better now?" Sasha put a long, slender finger under Elaine's chin and raised her head up so that she could look at her more closely. All Elaine could do was nod.
"Okay, you're not in any shape to be doing much today," said Sasha. "Let me take care of you. I know I had some friends who helped me when my father died and this lets me pay that forward. I'm going to lend you some good clothes, let you get cleaned up here, and then we're going to go out for a nice relaxing meal. Things are going to get rough in the next few weeks and you're going to need a chance to recharge your batteries." Sasha stood up and helped Elaine up. Elaine wobbled a little. Her head felt strange and she felt weak all over.
Sasha walked Elaine to her bathroom and handed her a towel. "You go and get cleaned up. Take all the time you need. I'll put some clothes out on the bed in the guest room. It's just through the door to your left. When you're ready, we'll go to dinner. I know a great Italian place that should be nice and quiet. I know you're going to need to talk and this is a place where we can do that without being interrupted." She looked at Elaine with a sympathetic look on her face then turned around and headed out of the bathroom leaving Elaine alone.
The meal at the restaurant was phenomenal. Elaine had never heard of the restaurant. It was small and intimate and dimly lit. Elaine found herself talking about her mother before changing the subject to Sasha and what had been going on in her life. Sasha had been reluctant to talk about herself but finally, after Elaine had asked her about her life for the umpteenth time, Sasha started talking about what she had been up to.
