Family Visit

Walking in
was like a trip down
memory lane, a faded
version of post-war living
where wives waited for
their men to come home
from work, a hot dinner
waiting on the kitchen table.
 
But now, that woman lives
alone, her husband having
passed years before.  She
moves slowly across the
living room to her bed
sitting by the window,
moved downstairs by her sons
who didn’t want her to
 
navigate those old wooden
stairs at the frail state
she was in.  They always
stop by to tend house, handle
any needed business matters,
and sometimes just to sit and
keep her company.  Family
coming by is the norm and
 
today it’s her niece and great
nephew.  She hadn’t seen the
young man since her sister –
his grandmother - passed away.
She marveled at just how
much he had grown.  She then
pointed to the far wall where
her collage of family pictures
 
were clustered.  Pictures of
her husband, sons, grandsons,
sisters, and all the other
family members seem to
surround the small picture of
the great nephew as a youngster,
a broad smile from many years
ago.  The visit itself wasn’t
 
a long one but it was good
for all.  Goodbyes were said and
the niece and great nephew
headed home.  It was a quiet ride
but driving away the niece kept
telling her son that that was her
last living aunt, wondering  
aloud how many more times
will she get to see her.