“What if we do the tattoo at the end of the month?” I suggested as a compromise. “We’re doing the book club meeting the first of August. Why don’t we get it on July thirty-first?”
Aunt Addy nodded. “I can agree to that.”
The photoshoot was scheduled almost immediately, and since she had lost a few more pounds, she insisted on going shopping to find a new dress. After twelve stores and almost four hours at the mall, she found three dresses she loved, shoes she’d never wear, and a handbag just because.
“Never let unpleasant circumstances keep you from enjoying life,” Aunt Addy said as she examined the bag. “Treat yourself.”
I thought about that advice for the next couple of hours.
“I still think this white one looks bridal,” I commented when we got back to her house and I hung up her dresses.
“I’m going to wear these two for the photos.” Aunt Addy pointed to the blue-and-purple dress and the black dress. “The white one I’m saving.”
“Saving for what?”
She winked. “You’ll see.”
“I like that the blue-and-purple dress goes so well with your hair!” Monica commented.
And it really did.
During the photoshoot, Aunt Addison looked radiant. There was only one time when she looked like she was getting weak, but the photographer was so good with her.
“And that’s it,” the photographer concluded with a big smile. “That was great, Addison. You will have these back in two weeks.”
I helped her into her wheelchair as she peppered him with questions.
“You’ll be able to hang these beauties up in your home no later than the first week of August,” he continued.
As they finalized things and shook hands, I caught the tail end of the conversation.
“… we will see you out there in a couple weeks,” Aunt Addy said to him with a wave.
I waited until we got outside to ask, “Where will we be seeing him? When we pick up the prints?”
“He’s going to be at the jazz festival!”
As per the schedule we had created, we’d knock something off her list and then take a day or two to rest in between. On those days we’d talk, we’d tend to her garden, we’d take walks, and we’d play games. Her energy didn’t seem to be depleting, and she didn’t seem any sicker than she had before. But there was a sacredness to those moments that reminded me that time was a luxury.
It was a reminder to not take one minute for granted.
When I took her to the botanical gardens that Lamar had taken me to, we had a picnic. It was the perfect temperature, and Aunt Addy wanted to see the flowers. We were only halfway through ourPhilly cheesesteaks when an unexpected storm moved over us. I was pushing Aunt Addy in her wheelchair, and Monica decided to get the van so she could pull up to the front. But in her haste, she slipped and fell in a puddle.
I tried not to laugh, but Aunt Addy kept crying out, “Lawd have mercy!”
By the time we made it to the van, we were all soaking wet.
It was quiet when we first climbed in. I had tears in my eyes from holding in my amusement.
“I busted my ass,” Monica blurted out.
“You sure did! Now, Monica, if you need to take a minute and let your knees rest, let’s do that,” Aunt Addy joked.
I was weak.
We laughed the entire way home.
“I’ve always wanted to have a picnic,” Aunt Addy told us with a contented sigh.
