Another long, drawn out whistle sounded signaling it was time to get back to it. However, rather than resume events, Dan wanted nothing more than to juststayput.
Dan’s mum released her hold, ready for round two; it seemed that she had differentideas.
‘Do we have to?’ he asked, watching her rise toherfeet.
‘Well if you’re not interested in Maeve,’ she said, as she glanced around the room. ‘Who’s to say you won’t be interested in one of these lovely ladies?’ She looked him square in the eye. ‘Although we do still have those profiles to gothrough.’
‘Profiles?’ said Dan. What on earth was his mum talking about now? ‘Whatprofiles?’
‘Didn’t I mention it?’ she replied. ‘I could have sworn I told you. I’ve signed you up with an Internetdatingsite.’
10
‘Oh,Mum. What are you doing now?’ asked Dan. As he entered the kitchen, he took in the sight before him. Worried for the woman’s safety, if she carried on like this, she was going to be the death of him, never mindherself.
‘Stop fussing, Sweetie. I’m not aninvalid.’
Dan despaired. His mother could be so frustrating when she wanted to be, he wished that, for once, she’d listen to hisadvice.
‘No, but keep going like this and you soon will be,’ he said. ‘What if you have a funny turn while you’re up there and there’s no one here tocatchyou?’
Seeing her part way up a step ladder, bottle of disinfectant in one hand, and a dishcloth in the other, it didn’t matter how many times he insisted she start taking things easy, his words only fell on deaf ears. No matter how many times he offered to get on with things himself, according to her the place needed a good old spring clean; a job that apparently only she could do. Yesterday, it had been the utility. Today, it seemed the kitchen cupboards warranted her attention. It was as if she needed to put on a show most of the time, pretending the cancer wasn’t takingitstoll.
‘And you are sick, remember,’ he said. ‘You could easily fall.’ However, as usual sheignoredhim.
It wasn’t that he hadn’t tried to understand. He knew people dealt with the prospect of death in their own way, and in their own time. As for his mother, in her refusal to slow down, she seemed to be tidying up every loose end conceivable. Including jobs like this, so that when the inevitable came Dan would only have himself to think of. However, would he really care about a speck of dust loitering at the back of a cupboard upon her death? He very muchdoubtedit.
As he watched her, Dan wanted nothing more than to be there for his mum. Not just emotionally, but through the physical pain she was clearly doing her utmost to hide. A difficult task when she refused to even acknowledge theCword, let alone talk about its impact on her body. Some rancid tumour was eating away at her insides, for God’s sake, and as far as Dan was concerned, that was the immediate priority here, not thehousework.
‘We’re going to have to talk about it at some point, Mum,’ he said. ‘You can’t stay in denial forever. There are things we need to discuss. I need to know what’s happening to you, what’s going to happen. How else am I gonna be ofanyhelp?’
Finally, she began making her way down the step ladder. As tempted as he felt, Dan resisted the urge to jump in and assist. She’d remained as independent as ever these last few weeks and hated him makingafuss.
‘I understand all that,’ she replied. ‘Just not yet. I’m notready.Okay?’
He thought it strange how someone could accept the fact that death was looming, but at the same time failed to address its cause. He wondered where this inability to express what her body was going through came from. Did it stem from fear? Did she think an acknowledgement of what was happening to her physically would somehow speed up the dying process? Whatever her reasoning, Dan couldn’t help but feelshutout.
‘I understand you’re scared, Mum. I’mscaredtoo.’
Her eyes seemed to beg him to let it go, leaving Dan feeling guilty for pushing her on the matter. ‘Okay,’ he said. ‘I’ll shut up. But only for now.’ He stepped forward to give her a hug. ‘What are we going to do withyou,eh?’
As he looked over at the kitchen table, he spotted a pile of Internet dating profiles next to his mother’s laptop. He had hoped she’d been joking when she said she’d signed him up, but his mother was clearly on a mission, determined to get him on the road to marriage one way oranother.
‘What’s going on?’ he asked, suddenly noticing her passport too. Surely she wasn’t planning a holiday as well as a bit ofmatchmaking.
His mother followed his gaze and suddenly perked up. ‘Well you know that Bucket List I’ve been puttingtogether?’
Considering the speed dating episode, how could heforget?
‘Yes,’ he cautiouslyreplied.
‘Well it made me realise there are still lots of wonderful places to see. I’ve been so busy taking myself off to the likes of Australia and Africa I’ve completely ignored what’s on thedoorstep.’
Dan dreaded what wascomingnext.
‘Such as the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Eiffel Tower.’ She raced over to the table and picked up a travel guide, eager to show him the pageswithin.
His stomach sank. What was wrong with the woman? ‘Please tell me you’re not going to Paris?’hesaid.
