See You on the Other Side | ✓

15 | It's Been A While

"Smokes taste like mint, I light a cig. I don't exist." - The Ivories, Red

~~~

It was the Friday a week before Christmas.

I looked at the yellow shopping bag sitting in the corner of my room. I pulled out the black article of clothing and planned to wear it when I went to the old folks' home. Never had I set out a part of my outfit a day in advance or in advance at all.

School was out because of winter break, but it had also snowed. The accumulation was barely an inch. I wasn't complaining about its presence until I noticed the driveway was covered in white.

"Adrian, go shovel the driveway," my grandma ordered from her recliner. She smoked as she let the firewood burn in the fireplace.

"But it's cold outside."

"That's the reason why I'm not gonna do it. If you'll do it though, I will make you a sandwich," she offered. She knew I'd always make an exception for food.

I grabbed my winter coat off the rack and slipped it on to brave the frigid weather. The snow wasn't much, but the temperature was cold enough to make it stick at 23 degrees (-5° C).

I walked outside and noticed it was also windy so, it felt about ten degrees cooler. I looked at the translucent solid at the end of the water spout and knew I'd have the time of my life shoveling this snow.

A part of me felt like waiting for the snow to melt until I realized that it wasn't going to be above freezing for a couple days. So, I shoveled the driveway.

When I came in, I started to question why grandma was rushing me since all she did was sit in the house all day. It wasn't like she needed to get to some office or event.

"Driveway cleared," I declared, removing my gloves and my coat. I let the heat of the house warm me up as I looked into the kitchen. No sandwich yet.

"Great, I'll get started on that chicken sandwich," my grandma said without leaving the recliner. Actually, she inched closer to the fireplace.

"What was the rush for the driveway all about anyway?"

"I wasn't gonna talk about it, but since you're asking me, I was thinking about paying Ms. van Bismark a visit." This time, she actually left the recliner and walked to the kitchen.

"That's nice," I commented since I could see her about to make my sandwich.

"Do you want to come with me just in case things get awkward?"

"I'm supposed to be the one to break the tension if there's any?"

She nodded as she removed some chicken from the refrigerator. It wasn't lunch meat, but the real roasted chicken that had yet to be carved at the slightest.

"When were you planning on going?" I asked as I grabbed a Doritos bag from the pantry. It was the blue kind.

She plucked a piece that jutted out from the sandwich and ate it. "As soon as you're done eating this sandwich."

"Hey, you can't eat that, it's my sandwich."

"The chef has to taste the food to make sure it's good. If you don't like it, make your own sandwich."

~~~

The thought of the reunion between Sylvie and my grandma caused great anxiety for the latter. They, of course, hadn't seen each other in a while which could cause a mixture of emotions to be invoked.

"Does she still look the same? How do I look?"

"Sure and you look like you always do," I responded. It was hilarious to see my sometimes-stone-exterior grandma think so frantically.

She inhaled deeply and exhaled, but a cough escaped to disrupt the exhale midway. She reached for a cigarette in the glove compartment with a shaky hand and I swatted it away.

"The cigarette isn't gonna make any of it go away."

Anger was seen in her eyes before they were calm again. She left the car and I soon followed. She must've adjusted her wool hat a dozen times before she reached the sliding automatic doors.

She gave the receptionist her name and I guided my grandma to Sylvie's room.

Sylvie lay in the bed upright, seeming still and motionless before her eyes landed on my grandma's figure.

"Oh Lord, did Christmas come early?" Sylvie exclaimed in possible disbelief.

Any and all doubt of an easy reconciliation faded in the joyful tears of the elderly women. They talked for hours about the past more than the present since the past was full of memories.

However, in the words, no-one mentioned a second visit or even the possibility of one. I thought, why initiate contact if the friendship wouldn't be nurtured?

We went home and life continued in the form of noxious smoke and a lot of it.

The next day, I put on that Forever 21 pullover jacket and went over to where I usually was on Saturdays. I talked with Sylvie about my grandma, who she referred to as "Lene" or my personal favorite, "Petty Lene."

I would've been lying if I said I didn't like hearing the nicknames Sylvie dubbed her acquaintance. However, all I could do was focus on Avery and how she wasn't there.

Where'd Avery gone?