My Mothers Keeper

“Gods got me here for a reason.” Sheila sighed, as she stirred her steam covered coffee thinking of her Son.

“These fowl streets will take you before your time” she continued while still sitting by the window.

Sheila was a middle-aged woman who had just lost her son, Marcus. Whom was killed by a stray bullet walking home from their local art gallery. He was only 16. Sheila still seeking comfort from such a loss often found herself sitting at the table near her kitchen window. Through it she could hear the loud horns and tires screeching from the traffic outside. It reminded her of her child hood in the city. Doing whatever she can to help her not think of Marcus, Sheila began to check the mail.

“What bills do we have here?” thumbing through the stack of unopened envelopes seeming optimistic.

“Junk Mail, Coupons, yesterday’s paper, Cremation instit-” she stops. Her eyes immediately fill with tears.

While crying aloud she says, “I’m sorry son I can’t afford to bury you.” As though he was standing before her. Sheila was a disabled parent and Marcus’s dad left long ago, so these funds would be very hard for her to get access to. Thinking of her son not being buried properly really bothered Sheila.

Doom! She immediately looks to where the sound came from and set down the mail.

Doom! She looked again concerned knowing there should be no one else in the apartment.

Doom! The sound enhanced again seeming to come from Marcus’s old room.

She yells “Who’s there?” while glancing at the counter for a knife or some form of protection. The scuffling and loud noises seem to settle once she yelled.

“Mom!” Sheila immediately froze.

“Mom!?” she heard the voice again that resembled a young man.

Then again “Mom,have you seen my black book?”

“Marcus?” Sheila Exclaimed bewildered but mildly content at the sound of his voice.

“Yes Mom!” Marcus responded as he walked around the corner exiting his bedroom.

Sheila gasped as if to faint and says “O my Jesus, I am going insane!”

“No, you're not mom” Marcus responds without delay. “I’m here because my body has not been buried yet.” He reaches for Sheila to embrace a hug. “That’s why I'm looking for my black book I may have something to help”

Sheila backed up and wiped her eyes of the tears. Slightly in shock, and confused that her dead son has returned from the grave. She points to the rectangle black leather strap showing from under the clutter of color pencils and loose-leaf paper.

“There!”

“Yes, thank you mom!” Marcus giving her a big hug then reaching for the book. He hands it to her.

Sheila still in a daze “Why Son?”

“The answer is in there.” Marcus said pointing at the book.

Still in question Sheila then began flipping through the pages in Marcus’s black book. Seeing his drawings of Batman, Superman and a character he created named Spanx. A 3-eyed monster from planet Gazo. It made Sheila smile. She missed her son and his artistic talents.

“What am I missing Marcus”? Sheila said

“The back Mom” Marcus said with a cracking voice trying not cry watching his mom reminisce. At the bottom of the last page, it seemed to be an address.

“103 east Calhoun, What's this Son?” Sheila said

“A Surprise, Let's go!” Marcus said while walking to the door to grab his mother's coat.

Sheila was ready for the adventure. Though excited about the trip she still was unsure if she was delusional. Which again didn’t matter because she was just enjoying seeing her son again.

They headed to the bus stop. By the looks of the address Sheila figured it was about a 20-minute ride. Sheila rode the transit as a kid and was very familiar with distances and how the system worked. While on the bus Sheila began to ask Marcus about the afterlife. Sheila was raised in a very religious environment so had so many questions.

“No, I haven't met him” Marcus says with a smirk knowing what question she really wanted to get to. Sheila smiles.

Others riding the bus were very uncomfortable. Some were laughing, some were confused mumbling words like, “she's crazy!” and “say no to drugs!” Not knowing what Sheila was experiencing was real. Marcus saw it but Sheila did not. She was still in awe from seeing her son again.

Marcus Pulls the string “Ding.”

The bus driver begins slowing down and yells “Next stop, Art District.” Sheila looks at Marcus eyes wide in excitement, just trying to imagine what the surprise could be. They both stood up to get off the bus. As Sheila exits down the bus steps. There is was right before her eyes, as if she had seen a mirror. The tightly woven yarn supplied a quality workplace for Marcus to create a masterpiece.

It was a portrait of her.

They had arrived at the art institution. The President of the institute was doing a portrait contest. Each contestant's portrait was placed in a window of the facility for display. The winner wins $20,000 and free tuition for a year. So, Marcus drew a portrait of his mother an entered into the competition. He captured her smile, the wrinkles in her cheeks, the bags under her eyes. He highlighted these features the most.

“Son, I love the portrait... but you could have chosen a younger picture of me” Sheila said smiling back at Marcus.

“I thought you would say that.” Marcus giggled. “I wanted them to see you how I see you.”

“A woman tired, but not broken.”

“A woman that has loved and cared for the world, when the world treated her harshly and abandoned her.”

“A strong woman!” “That’s what that says to me mom.” Marcus stated as sounding relieved he explained it correctly.

“You did that for me son?” “I Love it!” by this time Sheila is crying her eyes out. It has been an eventful morning. She sits down so she can take it all in.

Marcus glances at the bottom corner of his mom's portrait and says softly

“4th place?” he shakes his head and sighs.

“You got 4th Place?” “Of all these portraits that’s amazing Son!” Sheila says consoling him and rubbing his shoulder.

“I Placed 4th!” “So, we will not receive the reward money and you won't be able to pay for my funeral!” Marcus exclaimed.

“Thats what this was about?” Sheila asked while feeling her son’s pain.

Marcus Cries “I failed.”

“No, you didn’t son, you made a beautiful portrait and you came back from the grave to help me.” “You are the best son a mom could ask for!”

Meanwhile a couple passing see Sheila embracing the air and began to laugh. When Sheila turns around she gives them the meanest look she could muster. They immediately run off.

“I'm not Crazy!” “This is my son Marcus and he is a great artist.” She yells out loud as if introducing him at a concert.

Marcus Slowly rises. “Let's go home Mom.”

“It will be ok son we will figure it out.” “If not, you will just have to stay with me forever.” She said jokingly but with a serious manner.”

Knowing they had sometime before the bus arrived. Sheila began talking about all the memories they had together. Trying to make Marcus smile. Even mentions the future. Giving Marcus a sense of purpose to come.

All of sudden sirens began to grow gradually. Not knowing where the sirens were coming from. Sheila began to look concerned wondering what could be the issue. Sirens still growing louder Sheila grabs her purse. “It's ok Mom,” said Marcus concerned as well but seeing how moved his mother is by the growing siren. Then it appears! A highspeed pursuit. The car being chased was swerving back and forth across the road and the bus stop was in its path! Both Sheila and Marcus knew this. While both the car and the sirens getting closer. Sheila was trying to move so she could anticipate impact. She ducks and closes her eyes.

All of a sudden Sheila hear the sound of a bag hitting the ground but there was no impact. She looks up. The car chase had passed the sirens began to die. There remained a duffle bag. Marcus and Sheila look at each other stunned thinking, ‘What's in the bag?’ Seeing no one was returning they walked over and opened it up. There the faces of thousands of Benjamin Franklin’s stared back at them. Looked to be around $20,000.

Out of Nowhere ‘Beep’ and the sound loud brakes stopping. It was the bus arriving. Sheila grabbed the bag. Acknowledging it would draw attention if Marcus grabbed it.

They both looked each other and said “Let's go,” and they both proceeded to board the bus.

After arriving home,Marcus and Sheila sat by that same window. Setting the bag on the table in between them.

“We can afford to bury me now mom.” Marcus said with a sigh of relief.

Sheila still looking at Marcus in amazement that she could still see her baby. She picks up his black book.

“How about we publish Spanx?” Sheila says staring at Marcus with a huge smile.

Marcus looks at her amazed like she has created a new spectacle that could only be seen at that moment. Marcus cleared his throat and spoke.

“What about the burial?”

Sheila spoke up and said “Well if we did that, I wouldn’t get to see you again until I came to heaven.”

“Stay with me Son for a while, then I will pay for your funeral.”

” Just don’t leave me again. Not yet son, Not just yet!”

Marcus seeing how touched his mother was. Leaned in, gave Sheila the biggest hug he ever had before and said

“Ok Mom.”