Donna met her sister, Evelyn, in the parking lot of Sunrise Village late that afternoon. “You ready for this?” Donna asked looking up at the impressive, brand new building their mother had moved into.
Evelyn shrugged and gave her a wry grin. “As ready as I ever am to visit Mother. I wonder if the movers have left.”
“I don’t know. I don’t see a van out here.”
“Truth. Well, I hope she likes this place and gets settled in okay.” Evelyn looked around. “It sure is lovely here. They did a great job with the grounds, didn’t they?”
“And Mom has a room overlooking the bay, I heard. You know, from back when she was speaking to us.” Donna rolled her eyes, which she was sure was the wrong thing to do regarding one’s own mother. A flicker—a tiny one—flashed through her. Her relationship with her mother was… complicated.
“She’s a bit upset about Blake. A shock to find out Heather had a son that no one knew about. But that’s no reason to ignore us, or to hurt Blake’s feelings. I’ve tried calling her, but she doesn’t pick up.” Evelyn sighed.
“I was actually surprised she showed up at my wedding. But then she just came over, said hi, and ran off. It was kind of strange…”
“It was. Then again, you never can predict how Mom is going to act.”
Which was why they were going to try this surprise visit. She took her sister’s arm in solidarity. “Come on, let’s go up and see her. Hopefully she doesn’t just slam the door in our faces.”
They rode the elevator up to their mother’s unit on the top floor. “Here it is,” Donna said after passing by a few doors. “It’s this one.” She took a quick look at Evelyn, who nodded encouragingly.
She knocked on the door and waited. No answer. She knocked again, louder. Still no answer.
“Maybe she’s not here?” Evelyn said, then pointed at a small doorbell at the side of the door. “Let’s try this.” Evelyn jabbed the button.
“She must be here. She just moved in. Shouldn’t she be here unpacking or something? I thought we could at least help with that. You know, if she ever answers the door and actually lets us in.”
“Sh. I hear something.” Evelyn stared at the door.
The door swung open, and their mother stood there with a not so welcoming look on her face. “Girls. I wasn’t expecting you.”
“Hi, Mom.” Donna pasted on a wide smile. A friendly one. A nice one. “We thought we’d come see your new place. Did you get all moved in?”
“No. I did not. The movers messed up and didn’t unpack. I specifically asked for a move that included unpacking. They said I didn’t, but I know it’s their mistake.” Patricia’s face contorted into her familiar look of disapproval and disdain.
“We could help,” Evelyn offered.
Donna shot her an are-you-crazy look.
“I’ve already taken care of it with the concierge here at Sunrise. He’s arranged for help tomorrow.”
“Do you need anything unpacked for now?” Donna asked, trying to sound as helpful as Evelyn.
“I guess I’ll go stay in a hotel this evening. With nothing unpacked and the bed not made, well… I can’t stay here. Obviously.” Patricia’s face crinkled up in displeasure at the very idea.
“Mom, ask us in. We’ll make up your bed and get some boxes opened with things you’ll need tonight.” Donna wasn’t sure, but she thought her mother was wavering.
“It might be nice to stay here this evening. I’m not even sure where I have a suitcase to pack for an overnight stay at a hotel.”
“Great, we’ll help then.” Evelyn breezed past their mother and into the condo.
Donna followed closely behind her sister, acutely aware their mother hadn’t exactly asked them in.
“Mother, the place is beautiful.” Evelyn stood in the middle of the room, turning slowly around in a circle.
“It is nice, Mom.” Donna headed over to the window. “Oh, wow. And look at your view.” Moonbeam Bay sprawled out before her, sparkling in the sunlight.
Her mother ignored the remark about the view. “I’m thinking I’m going to have to replace the furniture. I’m not sure my furnishings are right for this place. Evelyn, I’m going to use that interior decorator that you use.”
“Well, I don’t use her anymore. Not at my apartment.”
Patricia frowned. “Then how did you know how to decorate it?”
Evelyn laughed. “I’ve gone to the thrift store for most things. And Heather painted a few pieces for me. I think it looks really cute.”
“It does. Just darling.” Donna preemptively rushed to her sister’s defense before their mother could say anything.
Patricia shook her head. “I’ve raised you better than shopping at a thrift store. You know that everything is used there, don’t you?”
Donna grinned at Evelyn. “That’s kind of the point? It’s things people don’t want anymore, but maybe someone else does. And the price is right.”
“I don’t understand you girls sometimes. Used furniture? And then that whole distasteful mess with Heather.”
“Mother—stop.” Donna walked over to stand beside her sister. “It’s not a mess. Heather had a son she gave up for adoption, but he’s here now. Blake is a great kid.”
“But people in town are talking, I’m sure.”
“Maybe,” Evelyn stood up to her mother. “But we don’t care. He’s great. Really, you should get to know him. He is your great-grandson, you know.”
“I hope there’s not going to be a lot of embarrassments like this now that I’ve moved back to Moonbeam.” Patricia frowned. “It simply won’t do. We have a family name to uphold.”
“How about we start unpacking for you, Mom?” Donna changed the subject, knowing her mother was like a dog with a bone when she got on a tirade about something.
“I suppose I could let you do that.”
What her mother meant to say was thank you very much, girls. It’s so appreciated.
“We’ll start in the bedroom and find your bedding.” Donna grabbed her sister’s hand and pulled her toward the bedroom.
“No, it’s that way,” Patricia pointed in the opposite direction. “That side of the condo has the extra bedroom and den. Mine is over here.”
They switched direction and went to their mother’s bedroom. Donna eyed the stacks of boxes. “How are we ever going to find what we need?”
Evelyn went over to a stack and laughed. “The movers who packed her up were good. Look, each box is labeled with what’s inside.”
They sorted through boxes until they found the ones marked bedding and made up the bed for their mother. “Do you think Mom has ever made her own bed?” Evelyn whispered as she plunked down on the end of the bed when they finished.
“Probably not.” Donna grinned.
“So, let’s dig out some towels for her. And I saw a box that said bathroom. We’ll move it into the bathroom and open it.”
“I saw one that said toiletries. Let me find it again, and we’ll haul that in for her, too.”
At least the movers had moved the dresser with the drawers full, so their mother could find some clothing in there. And they must have moved the hanging clothes separately because all the clothes were hanging in the closet, Donna saw as she peeked in. Though, her mother would not be happy. She had a precise order of how she liked her clothes hung, and the movers had not taken notice of that. Dresses sorted by color. Slacks together, also by color, though you rarely saw her mother in slacks other than white or black. Then all the blouses hung by color. Nope, she wasn’t much interested in sorting that out for her mother right now. She just wouldn’t mention it.
They came out of the bedroom to find their mother sitting at a table in front of the window overlooking the bay. Leafing through a magazine, totally unconcerned about lifting a finger to help with the unpacking.
“You should be set for spending the night, now.” Donna waited for a thank you.
Didn’t happen.
“Could you girls find my teapot and cups? I’ll want tea in the morning. I ordered groceries that were delivered a little bit ago.” Patricia frowned. “I had to tip them extra to have them actually carry them to the kitchen. They wanted to leave them at the door. Can you imagine?”
“Hm,” was all that Donna could manage to answer.
“Sure, Mom. We’ll find them.” Evelyn headed to the kitchen and Donna trailed after her, rolling her eyes.
They found the teapot and cups and pulled out a few plates and bowls while they were at it. “Mom, we put the dishes we found in the cabinet to the right of the sink,” Donna called out.
They came out to the main room where their mother was still leafing through the magazine. A fashion magazine, Donna noticed. Most of the people here at Sunrise Village seemed to be wearing a kind of dressy casual. Resort casual or some fancy name like that. They were all dressed nicer than Donna ever did on a daily basis. To each their own.
“Did you say that you put the dishes to the right of the sink?”
“Yep,” Donna answered.
“Donna, don’t say yep. That sounds so classless. The word is yes. And I think I might want the dishes on the other side.”
“When the unpackers come tomorrow, why don’t you go into the kitchen with them and sort things out however you’d like them,” Evelyn suggested.
Their mother sighed. “I guess I’ll have to if I want it done properly.”
Donna wasn’t certain that there was a proper way to have a kitchen, but who was she to contradict her mother? Her own kitchen still had all the dishes and pots and pans in the same cabinet her grandmother had them in. And probably her great-grandmother. Okay, she actually still had some of their actual pans…
“You sure you don’t need help with anything else?” Evelyn, the much more charitable sister, offered. Because Donna was so ready to leave.
“No, that’s fine. I’m going to meet a few friends down in the dining room soon. I hope the meals are as good here as they claimed.”
“I’m sure they’ll be great,” Donna said with absolutely no knowledge if they would be or not, but certain her mother would find fault with them anyway.
“We’ll go then,” Evelyn said as she picked up her purse.
Their mother nodded but didn’t get up. Nor thank them, for that matter, not that Donna really expected a thank you. Their mother was used to having people do things for her. Expected it.
“Bye, mother.” She hurried after Evelyn and they escaped out the door.
“Mom is always going to be Mom. She’s not going to change at this age, you know.” Evelyn said wisely.
“Yeah, I know. I’m not sure why I still expect her to. Or expect her to maybe say thanks. Or something.”
Evelyn laughed. “Expecting Mother to change is like spitting into the wind, sis.”