Greta Mae Jones, my dreams
I sat in the cold hospital, looking longingly out the dingy small window wanting to just disappear. I was tired and in desperate need of sleep, looking down at my dirty short nails I felt I needed a good washing. I pulled my long tangled brown hair up into a knot on top of my head. One wispy hair fell down on my sweaty musty face over my right eye, just as I raised my hand up from my lap to pull the pesky hair back into the knot I had created; the door swung open. I quickly slapped my hands down onto my lap.
A doctor stood in the doorway, he asked "Ms. Greta Mae Jones?" In a husky low voice, his voice reminded me of sand paper scratching across a board smoothing in down; I quickly turned my thoughts back to reality. I jumped out of my chair "yes?" I said in an anxious high shrill voice. A million questions rolled off my tongue "is she ok?" "What is going to hap?" "Greta" the Doctor said quietly cutting me off mid-sentence. "I think we should step out in to the hallway." Before I could respond I felt his firm hand guiding me out of the room to the poorly lit hallway. Sighing the Doctor began to talk about my Mother's condition and what the outcome would be.
Time seemed to come to a standstill; my thoughts were turning to a happier place. Someone kept shouting my name "Greta! Greta!" This came across as odd to me "Why would someone be shouting in such a happy place?" A familiar hand grabbed my arm's shaking me roughly. Reality hit me like a slap in the face. "Greta, the voice said." "Your Mother's tuberculosis and condition...well she's going to die" He simply stated. I stammered out "die?" The voice I now realized belonged to the doctor; he answered meekly back "yes, I'm sorry."
Everything went black, I awoke back where I had first been sitting; next to the dingy window is the hospital room. My mind was a blank slate, I was numb. I felt nothing. Then I realized I should be crying "is that not a normal human reaction?" I thought I waited for what seemed like hours waiting for an emotion to resurface, I even tried pinching my pale fleshly skin with my dirty fingers. Still nothing, a loud cough came from behind me. I quickly ran over to the left side of my Mother's hospital bed. My movements were unplanned they just came.
I tenderly stroked my Mother's worn face, telling her everything would be okay. I felt that by as if by saying everything was okay was a lie, but the word "okay" shot warm feelings across my entire tired body. My Mother's eyes slowly started to flutter open; her hazel-green eyes seemed to bore into my very soul. Her cracked lips parted slightly, as if to form a word. I quickly put my finger up to her lips "Shhh shh Mother it is okay save your voice shh I'm here it's me Greta." I smiled brightly, putting on a façade. She suddenly became tense under my touch, and raised herself up, glaring at me accusingly. My heart came to an abrupt stop. "GRETA? Who is Greta? WHY ARE YOU HERE? DID YOU TAKE RICHARD? NO YOU CAN'T HAVE HIM! MY RICHARD, NOT YOURS! RICHARD? RICHARD!" Hot tears began to roll off my dirty cheeks; I tried to hold her hand again. She yanked away angrily from me. She started pulling wildly at her bed sheets trying to get up she twisted herself in them. The door swung open again. I heard loud footsteps clicking briskly against the title into the small room.
"Sedate her!" The nurse shouted, in a nasal voice at her assistant. I quickly looked away not wanting to see what was happening next. I knew what was going to come next though...the nervous assistant quickly plunged the needle into her arm; I dared to look after this. My mother's body fell limp onto the hospital bed. The assistant's face went almost as peaceful as mother's was after this.
"Young lady, visiting hours are over you should go home and get some rest, your Mother should be fine...for now." Before I could respond I was literally pushed out of the room by the nurse. The door clicked shutting loudly behind me; I knew I should be heading home now so I did slowly. After exiting the Community Hospital I hailed a car for the ride home. The car ride was a blur; I remember the cab coming to a halt and the driver shaking me awake. I quickly apologized, slipped him money and closed the door quietly behind me. I moved swiftly wanting to get out of the freezing winter weather into our small, cozy townhouse. After shutting the door and hanging up my dirty jacket I collapsed onto the couch. All the emotion's I had been holding broke through. I was like a river destroying a dam. My body was shaking, and everything around me. After I felt as if I could not possibly cry anymore I fell into a dreamless sleep.
