Easy on the Bitters

Written for contest: 10 Words I Give, Deadline 5/9/2017

      Here, in her house, the woodsy smell of her ever-present balsam candles permeates every room.   Fragments of her are everywhere and the flood of memories is a hefty burden.  The funeral isn’t until noon and already I’ve gone through an entire box of tissues. 

      If I were to canvass the neighbors, I would confirm that none knew her well, but they would agree that she was an avid golfer and loved her dog.  They would probably remember the time she called Animal Control to catch the large snake she found in her garage.  The truck had arrived with lights flashing, alarming the whole neighborhood, and many residents had rushed to see what was happening.  The uniformed man had appeared professional, but was, in fact, a lubberly oaf.  It was she who ultimately captured and encased the snake in a burlap bag.

      I can’t bring myself to tamper with the pile of mail on her desk, some of it opened, some still sealed in envelopes.  There will be time enough next week to delve into her personal affairs. 

      Looking through the sliding glass door I see the pomegranate she had halved and lay open on a rock ledge that bordered her garden.  The juicy crimson seeds shimmered in the sunlight and she would sit in her chair near the window and watch for the jackdaw to come retrieve a bauble.  Most of the plants were in bloom.  I cut a single coral gladiolus, her favorite, to lay across the casket.

 

      It was a lovely service they said.  Such an inappropriate word, I think, for ceremoniously putting one in her final resting place.  

      It was five o’clock somewhere.  So just as she would do, I pull a bottle of Dewars from her liquor cabinet and find the grenadine and the bitters.  Easy on the bitters I remind myself, making a Scotch Old Fashioned just the way she liked it.  I swirled the glass to let the ice cool the drink.  I raise it into the empty air and say, “Here’s to you, Mom.  Here’s to you.” 

Author's Note

The highlighted words were required in the story for the contest.

Reviews

[Wicahpi]

What a wonderful story, sad, but wonderful. "Cheers, Mom!" As it was Mother's Day over this last weekend, this fits right in with that. So to all the moms in Heaven, this one is for you!

Thank you for joining the 10 Words I Give contest. All ten words are present and placed well. I enjoyed this sentimental journey!