Acta Non Verba

SIX

Needing a ride Beth had called Jim to come and get her, but he was on his way to a press conference and couldn’t. So, she fell back to her mamma for a ride to her interview. But her mom couldn’t make it until after noon so she had had to call the interviewer who seemed to understand and pushed back her appointment until three that afternoon. By the time Beth’s mom arrived, the rain had stopped and the sun had come out. Beth loved the sun it kept her warm and put a smile on her face. When the sun was out, she was eager to get things done. Loaded with plenty of energy and not near enough time to get things done. It disappointed her sometimes when it was sunny and hot but Jim didn’t want to do anything because he was to hot and complained of fatigue from the sun. She had thought at times there might be something wrong with him, but he just said it was the heat and it was nothing to worry about. Many folks say opposites attract, and in this case the two of them couldn’t be any farther apart. One hot, one cold makes for an icy hot relationship. It also means someone is always annoyed by how their body feels.

Swerving across the parking lot to miss a pothole or two Beth’s mom pulled up alongside her and came to a stop in her beat up Ford Escort. It was old but still ran well. Her mom always said it ain’t pretty but it’s paid for. If Beth had a dollar for every time she heard that, she would be a millionaire by now. But she had to agree this time. Because without her mom she would be walking right now.

Grabbing the door handle she swung open the door which creaked loudly and dropped an inch down the farther you opened it up. She gave her mom a quick smile and as she climbed in said, “Thanks mom you are a life saver.”

Beth’s mom was still a young woman just in her mid-forties and still very fit and trim. It was easy to see where Beth’s beauty came from. Her mom was not very tall but had beautiful shoulder length hair and an infectious smile. She flashed that smile and said, “No problem, Baby. Just glad I was at home.” Then she asked, “Where too from here? When is your appointment?”

Beth was relieved to have her mother here now, she felt as safe with her as she did with Jim. Beth answered her mother, “Got a couple of hours, three this afternoon is when Mister Brown asked me to come in.” then she looked out the window in what seemed like a daze.

“Great!” Her mom exclaimed. “How bout I take you out to lunch you could probably use it after this morning’s activities.” She paused then added, “You ok? Are you up for some lunch?”

Beth came out of her stare and stumbled over her words, “What? Ahh, yah thanks mom I could use someone to talk to.”

Her mom sensed something was bothering her. Something more than just her car getting ripped off that morning. She felt maybe the upcoming wedding was worrying her or maybe just the job interview. As she turned the car out of the parking lot and headed down the road towards the restaurant she had in mind, she said, “Applebees, good for you?” Again, Beth was staring out the window and didn’t seem to understand her mother was talking to her so her mother repeated a little louder. “Beth, Applebees good for you?”

“Sure mom, that sounds great.” Beth replied. Her thoughts were swirling now. Wonder if I will get this job? Job, what am I going to do for a car? She turned and looked out the window again. The hustle and bustle of life seemed to catch up with her that day and she was a bit tired of it all herself. Maybe after her appointment she would just go home and get some sleep. Yes, that was it, a relaxing evening would help what ails her. She smiled and changed her thoughts to lunch and talking with her mother.

Once both of them were seated at their table back in a quiet corner of the restaurant, Beth felt like she could relax and get her problems off of her chest. “Mom is life going to be a mad scramble like this all of the time? She asked.

Her mother replied, “Well, you want me to sugar coat it or give you the truth?”

“The truth works for me.” Beth answered.

“No political correctness here either. Life is hectic and there are plenty of things you have to take care of. Twenty, to maybe twenty five percent of it is pleasure and seventy to seventy five percent of it is a struggle. But you baby, have a good head on your shoulders and you are marring a good man. The two of you should be happier than most of us I would think.” She paused then added, “Everything will work itself out in the long run. God has your back he will help you through.”

Beth smiled and cheered up a bit. Then she asked. “I am a bit worried about Jim he has been a bit more tired than usual lately. Lot of stuff on his mind I guess also. Have you noticed that, too?”

“No not really.” her mom said. “But you are with him a lot more than me.

“I suppose.” She then hesitated and started in, “He has a work related physical in a day or two. At least I know if something is wrong, they will find it. Won’t they?”

Her mom retorted quickly, “Oh sure, but he seems healthy to me. Your dad was the same way when he was about that age. No real problems just life slowing him down.”

Inquisitively Beth asked, “Did any signs of dad’s heart attack show up when he was twenty-nine?”

“No not really, he seemed as healthy as a horse. Active and working hard.” Her mother said as the waiter came to the table.

He said, “What can I get for you ladies this afternoon? An appetizer perhaps?”

Both women together replied, “No thanks.”

Then Beth’s mom continued on, “I will have the blackened chicken salad.”

And Beth followed with, “Make that two please, sounds good to me.”

The waiter grabbed up the menu’s and as he was leaving said, “I’ll have those orders up shortly.”

Beth waited till the waiter had cleared listening distance then focused in on her mom and asked. “There weren’t any signs that dad was going to die from a heart attack at thirty-nine?”

Her mom picked up her glass of water took a sip and then said, “No not really, he was under a little stress, but the coroner said no one could have none he had an enlarged heart without a battery of tests.” She then put her glass down and added, “Seems like they would have found something, but unless there are signs of a problem, they don’t usually test for what he had. It is that way with a lot of illnesses. If you don’t let the doc know he can’t look for it.”

This information really upset Beth. She thought that a physical would find just about anything. Her thoughts moved to the things that seemed to be a bit off with Jim. Then she made a mental note of what she thought he should tell the doctor at his physical. She said to her mother, “I will make sure that Jim passes on the odd things that have been happening to him the last few months.”

Her mom now began to question her about what was going on and Beth really didn’t want to get into too much. It still was Jim’s business and she was a little unsure if she should tell her anything else. But her mom insisted, “What has been going on? Is he OK?”

Beth said, “Yeah, just some little things.” It then crossed her mind that maybe her mother had an idea of what it could be. Maybe she had run across the same thing in somebody else she knew. So, she smoothed the edges a little as she talked but began to tell her mom what was happening to Jim. She told her of the fatigue he was feeling in his legs for no apparent reason. This would come and go on a whim and might happen for several weeks then not again for a month or two. She told her mother that he had hand and feet cramping’s that were very painful from time to time also. Usually just sitting down and resting would help but not as much as he would like. Probably more alarming to him was he felt as if he was having problems focusing on things. Trouble remembering some of the simplest ideas. She said it made him feel as if he was a little confused. While they continued to discuss the troubles Beth added that he would always pass it off as something other then what it was. He would always say it was the weather or he was just tired. But she didn’t believe it anymore because these problems where happening more and more lately. Her mom listened intently and could not come up with any ideas of what it was either. No real recollections of others having the same problem crossed her mind.

When they had finished their meals and were headed to the car her mother remarked, “You know if your father hadn’t died, what you just told me wouldn’t really bother me too much. But now being older and a bit wiser, I think you should stick with this and make sure he gets checked out.” She opened her door and as they got into the car she added, “Don’t take no as an answer, you stress to him that he needs to think about two of you now not just one.”

As Beth was putting on her seatbelt, she said, “Your right I will make sure he knows.”

Then she turned and stared out the window again as they drove off towards her interview. Still in the back of her mind she wondered if it was something dangerous or just her imagination going wild. No matter, she wasn’t going to let Jim go to that physical without hearing what she had to say. Plans had now changed and she would ensure Jim had heard what she had to say before his physical not after. They were going to be a team and nothing would break them apart nothing.

More to come........