The Blow

Today I really wanted to go over the hill to Santa Cruz and Capitola as we have done some many weekends, as if nothing had happened this past week. One family, with the Dad in it doing well and enjoying his wife and kids.

We were late getting to the coast as we went twice: once with no money and the second time with. We plumbed for lunch at our usual haunt Vassili’s first and I was halfway through my gyro when Ali called. I knew it wasn’t going be good news as Ali always texts first. My Dad had called an ambulance for my Mum and she was in hospital. This wasn’t out of the blue; Ali had kept me informed of my mothers decline over the past few weeks. It’s just when these things finally do happen, the awful reality sets in. That’s why she had sounded so ill yesterday. That’s why the phone was off the hook when I called this morning. That’s why there was no one answering.

Ali calls the emergency department in Kettering to get more details while I pay the bill for lunch. Dena is very distraught: She hadn’t phoned my parents when I was in the hospital because I didn’t want them to known (it would have sent my mother over the edge with worry) and Dena didn’t want to lie and pretend I was at work.

Ali gives me the number for the emergency department and I get my Dad on the line. He is talking very, very fast, and it doesn’t sound good.

What do we do now? Dena wants to go home, but what will that do? My mother liked Capitola and Mr.Toots coffee shop so I propose we go there and remember the times we had with her there. We do just that, sipping (decaf) cappuccino at Mr.Toots and letting the kids play in the sand and surf till their dripping. A normal weekend event for them as Dena and I hold each other and wonder what will happen next.