A Reaper's Mission

Chapter 19: My Mother, Margaret (Emma)

Mom is acting strange around me. She's avoiding me at all costs, and the few times we end up alone she quickly leaves the room. It's like she's keeping something from me.

            I clean around the house. I had been married to Rufus for a few years now. He makes me incredibly happy. Every morning, I wake up wrapped in his arms. Every day, we tell each other how much we love each other. I make him breakfast every morning. Lunch is usually covered by another woman. All the women in the community would have a day where they feed all the hardworking men in the community lunch. Supper...I make it, but sometimes he isn't done with work until super late. He has to go and talk to everyone in the community and work on his sermons.

            I wipe the table in our living room and finish cleaning, "Suppose I should head to Mom's now." I say to myself aloud. Even though she's acting strange, I still want to help her. She did a lot for me and I need to return the favor.

            I put on my shoes and head outside. We haven't grown much more in the community these last few years. As of right now, we have forty-one members. Rufus is a bit discouraged at this development. I do my best to cheer him up, but I don't think I do anything.

            "Emma!" I turn to see Jason waving at me. The other men who are working with him wave at me as well.

            "Morning!" I holler back, waving. Jason is such a sweetheart. He loves the community with all his heart. He's always willing to help other members. He always greets and talks to everyone. Rufus really admires him. Rufus thinks Jason might be his favorite (besides me of course).

            "Heading to your Mom's?" Jason hollers back, taking a break from the yard work. Janine had told me about how she wanted a flower garden, and I passed it onto Rufus. He decided to give her that wish. Jason and the others are helping with that.

            "Of course," I say, finally close enough to them we don't have to yell.

            "Tell her 'hello' for me," Jason says, pushing his hair back out of his eyes. I nod and continue on my way. I look behind me to see Jason getting back to work, his cheeks a bit red. The guys seem to be joking with him. Wonder what about?

            I make it to Mom's. I let myself in to find her sitting on her couch. "Morning Mom," I tell her, taking my shoes off. She jumps and turns her head to look at me. She gets up, looking like she's about to run. "Sit down, Mom. I'm only here to clean." I tell her, moving further into the house. She simply nods her head.

            "Jason says 'hello'," I tell her, trying to make conversation. She just nods again, sinking back onto the couch. I roll my eyes and head to the closet in the kitchen where Mom keeps the cleaning supplies. When is she gonna stop acting strange? What the hell is going on in her head?

            It takes me about two hours to clean the house. Mom and I haven't talked since I arrived. I put all the stuff back into the closet. My stomach grumbles, signaling it was lunchtime.

            "Sit." I jump and whirl around to see Mom standing in the doorway. She's wringing her hands together. She looks like a spooked rabbit. "I'll make you a sandwich." She tells me, heading towards the fridge to get the fixings.

            I silently move to the table and sit. What is going on? Silence rests over the kitchen, only broken by the sound of Mom opening and closing cabinets. Finally, she sets a plate in front of me containing a ham sandwich.

            "I cooked the ham last night." She tells me, sitting across from me. She starts to fidget again. Her eyes are staring at her hands that are going around and around. How are her fingers not knotted together?