The Limbic's Game

Chapter 25

Dylan Crammer

I was now able to see a large room.

In each of the four corners, there were large marble pillars that spanned from the roof to the ceiling. Everything that I saw was painted intricately with gold detailing – from the carefully carved wooden furniture to the large glass table top at the end of the super king-size bed.

Linen from the bed was strewn everywhere in a state of untidiness. I was sure that someone had only just woken up and got out of bed. No one was in the room with me.

My sense of smell then faded in from the back of my mind, making the strong scent of perfume stab at my nostrils. I knew that smell from somewhere… And then the image flickered – adding something else to the picture, as if with a second thought.

The bed was now neat: having being made again, although there was now someone sitting on it. The woman I didn’t recognise, but the voice that came out of her mouth did come to my attention.

‘Mom.’

No matter how loudly I whispered, I could not grab her from the emotions that she was experiencing. The face that I did not know was in a bad place.

She was made up, wearing her best dress and make up.

Holding a tissue in her hand, she slowly dabbed her eyes, being careful not to smudge her perfectly applied eyeliner. She could do it quickly and it always be following her eyelids without a single quiver. GREAT. All I can remember about my mother is the way that she can apply her make-up.

Not the fact that she might be able to cook – or not. Not the fact that she might to be able to comfort me, no matter what the problem may be.

Just her smell.

The door opened.

I changed my direction somehow and saw Tasha enter the room in her little black dress – my mini Audrey Hetburn. I had no choice but to feel attracted to her; after all, I had already seen what was underneath that perfectly cut dress.

‘Are you OK Mrs. Crammer?’ she asked cautiously, crouching down to come level with my mother’s eyes.

‘Yeah, I’m fine!’ she said with as much enthusiasm as she could muster, forcing a smile.

‘Come on, Dylan’s party is about to start! I’m about to go and get him from our room and take him down to the lobby. You should come with me, do it together: you know?’

‘OK then,’ dabbing her eyes for a final time and taking a deep breath, ‘I can’t miss my own son’s 18th, no matter what’s happened.’

My vision focused on Tasha’s hand. She gently took my mom’s hand and made her stand up from the bed before giving her a hug.

She made sure that my mom felt slightly better before leading her out of the room and shutting the door behind them.

Waves of pain and guilt passed over me as I came to terms with the fact that my own mother was only an extra in a movie, when she really had the acting skill to play the leading lady. My girlfriend knew the one that gave birth to me better. It really hurt me, but I needed to accept it: my memories were going to be faulty like a wet laptop.

It is touch and go if I will ever get the precious memories back.

I’ll just have to wait and see…