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By the ti, May had begun to fade There was nofro to make us feel alive
Levi’s reality was harsh; he had no idea what a healthy Mamma was, and he looked at Lexi like she was Mary, Mother of Christ, appearing before hi embodiment of hope And at that hter with a nearded stidda below his left eye I saw a lost little boy who’d had to fight adversity his entire sorry life, knew no other life but heartache, violence, and pain, and had no idea what to do with unconditional affection
Levi sed and, with a shaking hand, lifted his fingers to hold on to Lexi The scene before me went blurry It was then I realized tears had filled my eyes as I watched er’s touch
Hearing a whisper of a sniffle behind me, I turnedmamma in her neheelchair, sat in the doorway to her bedroo on to my Pix with an awed yet terrified expression on his face Tears were strea down Mamma’s pale cheeks, but she made no move to wipe they or whether she was so overco so hard
Silently walking toward her, Mamma’s dark eyes eventually laid upon own, and her hands were shaking from the strain of her sobs
As I brushed back a sweaty strand of Math dark hair froht back on to Lexi and Levi over my shoulder, and I heard Lexi ask, "You want a sweet tea, darlin’? Soht Levi reply, and pride filled ot oodness in her heart
Scoopingof her meds from the table As I made my way to her bed, I folded back the sheets and laid her down Nothing was said between us And as I walked to the nightstand for Mali toward the doorway as though she could see through the paper-thin walls
"Mamma? Take these," I instructed as I handed e pain pills Due to her ALS, her throat didn’t work the sa was now a real hazard She had to take her , all food would have to be in liquid form
Mamma didn’t open her … your… piccolo folletto… here, to us?"
Sighing, I sat next to Mamma on the bed and smiled the o home "I needed to pick up your meds and for that, I needed a car She had one, but she wouldn’t let me come alone"
Mamma’s lip twitched in amusement "Ah, ue, oddly feeling like the defense would be a betrayal to my Pix, but Mamma closed her eyes and attempted to shake her head
"I… do not need… to hear… your answer to… know this… is true" Her eyelids fluttered open and what looked like happiness shone through and sent shivers all along my skin "You are my… son… flesh of… my flesh… a part of your… soul… lives… within me" Mamma weakly lifted her hand and placed it over her heart "I feel the… change… in you You are… free… with her…" Mas… life… a peace to… my heart"
"Mamma--" I set to speak, but she dropped her hand on rave; un… tesoro A blessed… treasure fro a quick look back at the partly open bedrooain and whispered, "She has problems, Mamma Real bad issues with herself I like her… a lot--I admit that--but have no idea how to deal with it, with her If I’ honest, it scares the shit outta hed and looked out the , deep in thought She’d been doing that a lot lately, as if she were cherishing the world, co the view to memory
"I see her issue, Austin… I am a… woman… I see what… others may not She sees… no beauty in… herself…"