Becca was the glue that kept the sisters together. Of course, it was a natural fit since she was the oldest of the three, but it was also because she felt a twinge of maternal responsibility since she was the one who had spent the most years with their mom before she passed.
Jan was 4, Beverly (Bivy) was 6, and Becca was 9 on that cold, drab day their mother didn't come home. Those early days were a tearful blur, but slowly over the months and years, the girls found comfort in their individual memories, each clutching one of her worn, pilled sweaters still lingering with perfume that they'd pull up tight to their chin each night.
Every August, the sisters, now accomplished independent women, took four precious busy days off, leaving behind meetings and school schedules to meet in the same small Maine town of their mother's birthplace and to celebrate what would have been her birthday. Hours were spent catching up, sharing silly rants, giving pep talk encouragement, and, of course, laughing over their favorite stories of mom, especially the one where one year, she burnt the prized Christmas roast, so they all went out for fast food instead.
Blocking off the same calendar dates year after year sometimes felt burdensome because of their schedules, and even some years, one of them would secretly think that maybe they should skip a year, but once they are sitting in the sun together, they realize there's no other place they should be.
Photo by me. Story is fictional.
A beauty! I am the oldest of three sisters...and our Mom just passed this October. And now begins the time when we are trying to connect on our own...without Mom being the glue...the connection. We share so many memories together...but we live far apart....all three...and so it's not easy to find time together. This lovely story really resonated with me...and wonder if it would be wonderful for us to meet in Maine...MY favorite place...to connect and begin the next chapter of sisterhood sharing time together. Thanks for sharing your amazing, evocative writing, Megan!
Lovely story, Megan.....I enjoyed it so much. I love the way you write; you pull us right in!!