The drive back to the house was surreal. It was late by the time I headed out, and the air was cold on my skin. It was so quiet. I was not used to that kind of quiet, but I usually was sleeping by 1 am. I grabbed my stuff out of the back of the Rogue and headed inside. I got the key from mums hiding place under the potted plant on the patio. I figured just about everyone who knows her knows about that plant. She often will just go for that key rather than rummage through her purse for her house keys. I told mum at least a hundred times just put them all on one ring. She said she does not like the bulk of keys in her hand. It wasn't an argument I wanted to have or that I thought I could win. So, I just let her be mum.
When I got inside, I flicked the switch to turn on the lights. Mum's house was just as I remembered it being. I picked up my stuff and closed the door with my foot. I dropped my junk off at my old room and headed back to the door to lock up. Afterward, I went to the kitchen to see what mum had to eat. To my surprise, the refrigerator was full of all of my favorites. She must have known in her heart I would come home. God bless her. She was a good mother. I pulled a chair up to the kitchen table and ate some peach Yoplait and contemplated how little my mother's kitchen had changed since I was last there.
Finally, sleepy, I walked to my room, changed into my tank top and shorts, and got into bed. I was ready to sleep and sleep I did. I woke up around 12:30. I sat up and checked my phone—no news from mum. Gran must be ok. I took a much-needed shower and changed into suitable hospital casual jeans and a tee-shirt. I put my hair up in a ponytail. I went to mom's room and made a night bag for her, including essentials from the bathroom and her toothbrush. I got a cooler and filled it with some of our favorites from the refrigerator and headed out.
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When I got to Gran's room, mum looked up at me from beside Gran. She looked exhausted. I smiled at her and waved her bag at her. "Mum, the nurses said you could use the shower if you want. She got up and grabbed the bag and headed for the shower. I sat with Gran and picked up her hand and held it close to my cheek. "How did you sleep," I asked her. "Fine," I heard over my shoulder. I looked around me, and no one was there. It sounded like Gran but could not have been. She had a tube down her throat. She wasn't awake yet. She was sedated. I calmed myself and stood up and went to the nurse's station. I asked them if they could tell me when Gran would wake up. They said soon and that they were keeping her in sedation until she was out of the woods. I asked why she was still in any woods, and the nurse said I should speak with my mom. That scared me, so I headed back to Gran's room.
Mom was finished getting ready and came back out of the bathroom, there was steam billowing behind her. She gave me her dirty clothes in a garbage bag and asked me to wash them for her. I nodded in agreement. "Mom, they say that Gran is under sedation for her own good and that you could explain that to me."