top against the huge wooden headboard.
I sat on it and looked around. There was also a matching dresser, armoire, and two wood night tables, each with a blue glass shaded lamp sitting on top. I lay back trying to get a feel for the room and looked up.
On the ceiling were what seemed to be a zillion small stars. They were everywhere. At first I didn’t notice them. The stars were almost invisible, all appearing to be the same color as the ceiling, but after a few seconds I could make out their outlines.
I couldn’t help my smile.
“You had your father place each and every one of those stars.” I sat up and saw my ‘mother’ standing in the doorway. “That huge cluster above where you are laying is the Milky Way.” She let out a short laugh, “You insisted on it being accurate. Your poor father…” She shook her head, smiling at the memory.
“I did?”
“Yes, they actually glow at night. It’s really quite pretty. It’s like the whole night sky is shining above you.”
“I’d like to see that some time.”
“Later, when it’s dark, after dinner. You come back up here and lay back on your bed. You’ll see it then. But now it’s time to eat lunch. I hope you’re hungry.”
“Seems I’m always hungry.”
“That’s good. I can see that you are already putting on some weight.”
We walked down the large curving staircase, my ‘mother’ stayed by my side, keeping my slow pace with me. Talking about how I used to swim all the time, and when I was little I collected bugs.
Yuck, really?
She laughed at the face I made.
“Have you had any memory of Jez since I last asked?”
“No. I haven’t. But Brad told me a few stories about her. Said she used to follow me where ever I walked, like a puppy.”
“That’s the truth. She did. Especially when she was little, but she’s been acting so strange of late. I think it’s because she’s never gone so long without seeing you.” She looked intently at me, “I tried giving her apples and sugar cubes, but that girl won’t take them from me. She misses you terribly. We all do.” There was a sadness in her voice that triggered instant guilt. I really wanted to remember everything.
“Do I ride well?”
“Yes, you do. Did.” She looked down to the bottom of the stairs, then back at me, “Don’t get me wrong. You had your share of falls, especially when you were stubborn and insisted on making a jump you weren’t ready for. Your father would get so mad at you when you pushed yourself too hard, but you were hard-headed, took after him if you ask me. You took the jump without a second thought. I swear there were times when you fell off that horse when I didn’t know who felt worse, you or Jez.” She laughed. I joined in. I could see me being stubborn.
I found myself really wanting to see ‘my’ horse. Jez.
We walked into the dining room and sat at the table. The smell of tomatoes wafted through the door as Trudy walked in carrying a tray.
“Smells heavenly.” I said.
“Do you know what it is?” Trudy asked.
“No, I’d guess tomato something.”
She placed a bowl in front of both my ‘mother’, and I. I was pleased to see I was right. It was tomato soup.
Trudy shaved fresh Parmesan on the top of the hot soup, which immediately melted on the surface.
“With fresh basil, just the way you like it.” Trudy stepped back and smiled.
“Mmmm. It looks fantastic. I can’t even describe how it smells.”
It was weird, at how weird it was, that I didn’t mind sharing my meals with people who I saw as total strangers. Where food was involved, I was comfortable. Don’t ask me why.
Trudy beamed. My ‘mother’ let out a small chuckle as she lifted a spoonful to her mouth.
“Trudy, you’ve outdone yourself.” She threw fresh croutons on top of her soup.
“Oh, we are getting serious here?” I laughed as I lifted a large spoonful of croutons and placed them on the top of my soup. “What else am I smelling?”
“She’s onto
I sat on it and looked around. There was also a matching dresser, armoire, and two wood night tables, each with a blue glass shaded lamp sitting on top. I lay back trying to get a feel for the room and looked up.
On the ceiling were what seemed to be a zillion small stars. They were everywhere. At first I didn’t notice them. The stars were almost invisible, all appearing to be the same color as the ceiling, but after a few seconds I could make out their outlines.
I couldn’t help my smile.
“You had your father place each and every one of those stars.” I sat up and saw my ‘mother’ standing in the doorway. “That huge cluster above where you are laying is the Milky Way.” She let out a short laugh, “You insisted on it being accurate. Your poor father…” She shook her head, smiling at the memory.
“I did?”
“Yes, they actually glow at night. It’s really quite pretty. It’s like the whole night sky is shining above you.”
“I’d like to see that some time.”
“Later, when it’s dark, after dinner. You come back up here and lay back on your bed. You’ll see it then. But now it’s time to eat lunch. I hope you’re hungry.”
“Seems I’m always hungry.”
“That’s good. I can see that you are already putting on some weight.”
We walked down the large curving staircase, my ‘mother’ stayed by my side, keeping my slow pace with me. Talking about how I used to swim all the time, and when I was little I collected bugs.
Yuck, really?
She laughed at the face I made.
“Have you had any memory of Jez since I last asked?”
“No. I haven’t. But Brad told me a few stories about her. Said she used to follow me where ever I walked, like a puppy.”
“That’s the truth. She did. Especially when she was little, but she’s been acting so strange of late. I think it’s because she’s never gone so long without seeing you.” She looked intently at me, “I tried giving her apples and sugar cubes, but that girl won’t take them from me. She misses you terribly. We all do.” There was a sadness in her voice that triggered instant guilt. I really wanted to remember everything.
“Do I ride well?”
“Yes, you do. Did.” She looked down to the bottom of the stairs, then back at me, “Don’t get me wrong. You had your share of falls, especially when you were stubborn and insisted on making a jump you weren’t ready for. Your father would get so mad at you when you pushed yourself too hard, but you were hard-headed, took after him if you ask me. You took the jump without a second thought. I swear there were times when you fell off that horse when I didn’t know who felt worse, you or Jez.” She laughed. I joined in. I could see me being stubborn.
I found myself really wanting to see ‘my’ horse. Jez.
We walked into the dining room and sat at the table. The smell of tomatoes wafted through the door as Trudy walked in carrying a tray.
“Smells heavenly.” I said.
“Do you know what it is?” Trudy asked.
“No, I’d guess tomato something.”
She placed a bowl in front of both my ‘mother’, and I. I was pleased to see I was right. It was tomato soup.
Trudy shaved fresh Parmesan on the top of the hot soup, which immediately melted on the surface.
“With fresh basil, just the way you like it.” Trudy stepped back and smiled.
“Mmmm. It looks fantastic. I can’t even describe how it smells.”
It was weird, at how weird it was, that I didn’t mind sharing my meals with people who I saw as total strangers. Where food was involved, I was comfortable. Don’t ask me why.
Trudy beamed. My ‘mother’ let out a small chuckle as she lifted a spoonful to her mouth.
“Trudy, you’ve outdone yourself.” She threw fresh croutons on top of her soup.
“Oh, we are getting serious here?” I laughed as I lifted a large spoonful of croutons and placed them on the top of my soup. “What else am I smelling?”
“She’s onto
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