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Chapter 8
Today was the day, I woke up nervous. What if she’s terrible? What if she hates me at first site? What if she doesn’t know how to cook? I got up and got myself showered and dressed. I put Band-Aids over my “cuts” and splashed on a little cologne. I went downstairs to make breakfast and wait, not having any idea what time she would be arriving. I munched down some cereal and decided to watch TV in the living room. I hadn’t turned the TV in the living room on in months if not years, having one in my room and the big projector in the media room made the living room TV seem pointless. But I sat on our huge couch and flipped through the channels trying to find something to kill the time.
I heard a knock at the front door, I must have fallen asleep for a couple hours trying to suffer through some of the disgusting drivel that comes out of the TV. I jumped up and straightened my clothes. As I ran to the door I stopped at the mirror by the coat rack in the foyer and checked my hair. Then I opened the huge door, a small woman in her 50’s was standing there a suitcase no bigger than a computer bag sitting on the stoop next to her. I smiled wide and stuck out my hand, “I’m Michael, you must be Edith.” She smiled sweetly and took the glove off of her hand in order to shake mine. She said “Well Michael, its wonderful to meet you. I suppose we will become good friends. Is your mother home?” I stepped aside and let her in. She came through the door and I offered to take her jacket and bag. She seemed really nice so far, she may not be as fun as Jennifer but at least she didn’t seem mean.
We walked to the living room and I showed her to the couch. She said “This is an amazing house Michael.” I nodded and said “Yeah, dad bought it for us a while before he passed away.” She frowned “Im so sorry Michael, I didn’t know.” I shook my head and said “Don’t worry about it, he wasn’t around much so I’m not sure it really affected me much.” She looked like she understood and dropped it. “Well I suppose I should meet your mother and have a proper introduction.” I was nervous about her seeing mother and her hiding place so I decided to tell her about it. “Well Edith, it is ok if I call you by your first name right ma’am?” God I’m good at being a good kid. She nodded and I went on “Mother is a very quiet secluded person. She only comes out occasionally, she will take most of her meals in her room. My father’s death as seriously affected her.” Edith seemed to understand but still said “Ok, but I really should meet her in person, its only right.” I went on to explain the condition that she is in and the condition that she lives in. I also warned her not to ask her about any of it because mother gets very defensive.
I asked her to stay there while I went ahead to tell mother that she was going to come and introduce herself. I’m sure Edith was very confused and somewhat concerned at all of this, but I had to protect my mother and make sure that everything went smoothly. I knocked on mother’s door and when she opened it I explained that Edith wanted to meet her. Mother said “That sounds good, I will meet her at dinner tonight.” I smiled a huge real smile and said “Your coming to dinner!?!” She laughed a little, god that was an amazing sound, and said “Yeah I’ll have dinner with you guys tonight, you know what I like, we will see how she can cook.” And with that she retreated back into her room presumably to get ready.
I returned to the living room to find Edith exactly where I had left her. I told her that mother was laying down and said that she would meet us for dinner. I asked “Would you like me to give you the grand tour and show you to your room?” She smiled that sweet grandmother smile and nodded her head again. I took her bag and led her through the main floor showing her the kitchen, mother’s library, the study, the media room, and the long hall that mothers room was at the end of. We went up the huge flight of stairs at the front of the house. I explained to her that I normally use the back door and stairs but this is the main one. I walked her through the halls for a moment showing her our 8 guest bedrooms and all of the beautiful art that the house was decorated with. She gasped and said “This is all so beautiful, I grew up in a very small little house.” I told her “I have been in this house for a long time, I don’t really like to leave the property. People make me nervous. Father bought 500 acres and I know all of them like the back of my hand.” She said “Well maybe I will have you take me around a bit sometime, I love to teach outside.” I think I could get used to Edith, I hope she stays this nice.
We walked down the hall that led to our rooms. I opened the door that belonged to her and showed her inside. She looked around in wonder. I walked across the room and tossed her bag gently onto the bed. I told her “You have your own bathroom and shower. This room connects to the guest room next door through the bathroom, but you can lock that door. Nobody has ever used that room.” Thinking back to the time I had watched Jennifer shower from that room. In the background of my daydream I heard Edith say “Michael, are you going to continue the tour or just stand there all day?” I shook my head hard and apologized “Im sorry Edith, this room brings back some memories for me, I don’t come in here much anymore.” She smiled and I stepped past her to continue the tour.
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