Jenobi's World

It was about 4:30am when the phone rang, my father on the other end telling me I should come to the hospital as soon as possible. My mother, resting in palliative care, was saying goodbye to the world and I should be there. When I arrived, the first of my siblings, my father was a mess but had his usual brave face. He knew this was the end of a long journey they had travelled together. I went in her room and sat beside her bed. She was tiny and pale, resting painless in a coma. I held her hand and told her I loved her. Our journey together was up and down, but we understood each other in our silence, both very strong women. I knew we could carry the world on our strength, and I am strong today because of her. After my brothers arrived, my sister-in-law and niece in tow, and had their time with her, I saw my niece silently looking at our sad faces. She was only 6 years old at the time, similar to my age when my grandfather passed of the same disease. I wondered how much of this day ...