“Look,”Isaid,“here’?”Mymotherreaditaloudslowlyandimmediatelybegantocalmdown.
“Thankgoodness,”shesaid.“She’’swithMaryAnn.”Withthetensiongone, wesatdowntofinishlunchandspendapeacefulafternoonathome.
Thateveninginthehospital, ,“Don’, andthat’senough.”
Thenextday, Martha’sabsencewasstillverymuchonmymother’smind.“Whatcanshebedoing?”shewondered.“She’, IwanthertogotothehospitaltoseeDaddy.”
Iassuredmymotherthatherdaughterwouldcomehomesoon.“Besides,”Isaid,“.”
“SheneedsacleandressforchurchonSunday,”mymothersaid.
“It’sonlyThursday,”Ireplied.“Plentyoftime.”
“Wheredidyoulearntotakeoverakitchenlikethis?”mymotheraskedasIfixeddinnerthatnight.“It’?”Havingbeenacceptedasacompanion, ifnotadaughter, Isettledintoanamicableroutinewithmymother.
Fridaymorningwewenttothehairdresser, thechiropractor, , thehairdresser, saytomymother,“It’snicethatyourdaughtercouldcometostaywithyou.”
“That’snotmydaughter.”mymotherconfided,“shehasthesamename, butshe’snotmydaughter.”Lynnelookedquicklyatmetoseeifshehadmisunderstoodoneofus, andIgaveheraruefulsmile.
Onthewayhomemymothersaid,“Lynnethoughtyouweremydaughter.”
“Youdon’tmind, doyou?”Iasked.
“No.”shesaid.
Itwasn’tuntilmybrothercameonSaturdaythatIwasrecognizedaspartofthefamily.“Bobwilltakethisbed, andyoucansleepinyouroldroom.”.
“Yousee,”myfathersaidthenextday,“.”
“Buttherewasanote!”mymotherwailed.
“Iwrotethenote,”Iexplained.“Iwroteittocalmyouwhenyouweresoanxious,”andcomprehensionflickeredforamomentinmymother’sgraduallydimmingeyes.
