Sweet Margareet

7 am grocery store runs with the woman who I am blessed to call my mother, Sweet Margareet. Her name is Margareet, but I add the sweet because she’s so kind and it sounds perfect. Store shenanigans of trying to get things I don’t normally get. “Ouu, ma I love this candy.” Peaking out from a side eye to see if she picked up on what I was insinuating. “Go ahead Luna, and don’t ask for anything else.” Smirks came upon our faces because we both knew that it wouldn’t be my last. Roaming the aisles and humming a soft tune; also, stopping by the peanut dispensary to grab a quick a snack.

Mom calling for me “Luna.”

“Hmm?” as I spin around with a mouth full of peanuts.

Trying her best to hold in her laugh “ha, um, do you mind running to aisle 14 to grab some more pens?

I give her a thumbs up and make my way to grab them. As I’m getting closer to my destination a display made my feet stop moving. They were the cutest little black notebooks I had ever seen. And they’re on sale. “No self, mom said no more.” Do you think she would say no to a journal for “educational purposes”? “Hm, only one way to find out.”

“Mommmmm! Where are you?” shouting from aisle to aisle. “10” she shouted back. I found her and immediately had a kool-aid smile on.

“What do you want now little girl?” I slowly brought my hand that was gripping the book to eyeview. “Please, please, please, I promise this is the last thing. Educational purposes.” Trying to hold back my laughter. Mom begins to laugh “go ahead silly girl. Now, nothing else, I don’t have much extra money to spend.”

Now that we have gotten our groceries, were heading home. Our town is so tiny that the grocery store is right in front of our neighborhood. I let mom know to not worry about groceries and that I would get them put up. She’s a heavier set woman, older, and cannot do as much heavy lifting nor constant moving. I try to get my sisters to come by and help but no one seems to care much anymore. But Sweet Margareet, Mom, has me. I am the baby of the family, so I believe its natural that we are super close. I do wish we had the help though because between my school, car, groceries, moms’ medical bills, gas, and every other bill under the sun we are beginning to cut it close on finances. I am a very smart girl so I am in a few different talent challenges but I have not received any winnings, yet.

She’s off today which means I must get to school. I only have one class on Thursdays so I’ll be home in less than two hours. I go to knock on her door “hey ma, I’m heading out the door for school. I love you.”

“I love you too. Hey baby, can you grab me my pain medications out of my bathroom.” Without hestitaion, I swiftly move to her bathroom to make sure she gets her medicine. Her pain has been getting worse over the past two weeks; She continues to brush it off and acts as if everything is okay when it is very evident, it’s not. “AAHHHHH.” I yelled once I got in the car because it just dawned on me that I have a test today and I did not study. Yay, a whole car ride dedicated to listening to Chemistry via my auxillary hookup. How exciting. Windows down, its sunny and super humid. Louisiana weather is a special type of comfort. Bzzt bzzt bzzt. “Ugh, I’m not coming into work today so they can cancel that.” I was going to press decline, but the number wasn’t one I was familiar with. “Hello?”

“Hello, good morning, may I speak with Luna Clark?”

“This is she. Who is this?” Asking suspiciosly.

“This is Calvin Briggs, from the Radio Show Calvin & Alvin: Talks, you entered in our contest and you are one of the winners.”

“Wow. What did I get? Third?”

“No, first place prize. $20,000 and your writing in a section of Time’s magazine.”

My brain stopped for a second. “I won? Fir- first place? Is this a prank?”

“No ma’am, we’d love if you could stop by our studio and come pick up your check. All details and location are being sent to your email address that you put on file. See you soon, Luna!”

That’s it, I am skipping school today. I make it to the radio studio, pick up the check, say a few words, and head home to let my mom know that I finally won something. And its huge! Bzzt bzzt bzzt. “That must be my mom now, I can’t wait to tell her! We’re going shopping tomorrow!”

“Hello, this is me.”

My older sisters voice cuts in, stuffy, sad “Luna, you need to come to the hospital now. Mom was rushed to the hospital.”

I’m sure I was going well over 90MPH trying to hurry and get to that hospital. I finally make it and meet everyone inside the lobby area. “WHERE IS SHE?” I am frustrated and I am worried. The nurse walks over “Hi, you must be the one who looks after her mostly. Your mom is currently in the ICU being prepped for surgery because she has Stage 4 Uterine Cancer. She needs an emergency hysterectomy because starting chemo now will not work. Bu- but she is without insurance so we cannot perform the surgery unless someone can pay the total today.”

“The total?” becoming agitated.

“Yes maam. $16,500. Its hospital policy, I’m sorry.”

My mind is absolutely blown and blank. I look towards my sisters who have nice paying jobs and financially set men, hang their heads low. They always have their nails done, new clothes, new phones, but now they are silent and broke?

“I’ll cover it,” I said firmly. Everyone looked at me shocked.

“You’re barely scraping by now, how you going to cover it?” The oldest daughter said.

“Well you all sure won’t. So, I will, I want my mother to live. I love my mother. I lose her and I don’t have nobody el-se.” My voice is beginning to crack because after everything my mother has done for those women this is what she gets in return. I walk off and leave every bit of hostility there. I set up my bank information for the payment and the surgery is to proceed. I found a really comfy spot, I need to lie down.I doze off but begin to feel gentle hands rubbing me with a soft voice “Luna, your mom is out of surgery and you’re welcome to come see her.”

I walk in the room, she is covered in tubes. But she is awake and smiling.

“Baby, the nurse told me you covered this. How?” in a raspy voice.

“Hey now, Sweet Margareet, don’t worry about nothing except getting back on your feet. Now get some rest because I am ready for you to come home.”

I got this. We’re going to be just fine.