"Yes," she lied. But first, take your pill." She
handed it to him and gave him a glass of water, and he
downed the pill quickly.
He looked at me. "Will you be here for dinner?"
he asked. "Yes, Linden."
"Good. We can get reacquainted then." He
stopped smiling and pressed his lips together as he
stared at inc. "Iran sorry," he said. "I've forgotten your
name."
"It's Willow. My name is Willow De Beers." "Yes, of course it is Sorry I've had a great deal
on my mind these last few days. De Beers, De Beers...
didn't we know a De Beers. Mother?"
"Yes, Linden, we did," she said, the tears filling
under her lids.
"Of course. I'm sorry." he said. rising. "With all
this talk about moving. I've got so much to do. You'll
have to excuse me. I'm sorry"
"It's all right." I said as he walked out of the
kitchen and back toward his bedroom.
The tears, now free to move at will, charged
down my mother's cheeks. She blinked through them
and took a deep breath.
"For a while I actually thought... it seemed as if
he was well again." she said, and moaned.
"I'm sure the forgetting and the confusion are
just a normal and expected part of his condition,
Mother."
"I don't know about on to lunch and then to a
beauty parlor. Willow. I don't want to make a fool of
myself and embarrass you, and with him like this." It will be fine, Mother. You've got to make an