roses

"Cause with my family, we know where home is. So instead of bringing flowers, we the roses."

There they were. Betsy, Darlene, and Little Ann. Betsy was the oldest. And she had always been the busiest. Today she was in her usual pattern of directing then doing. She would literally go tell you to stir the cake batter and then 30 seconds later come take the bowl right out of your hand and stir it herself.

Darlene was the middle child yet somehow had managed to be the star of the family. She was always certain to be the center of attention. Today she was talking endlessly about the tiff she'd had at the grocery store last week with one of the stock boys. And as usual was busy making herself look busy, but not really doing much.

Little Ann was the youngest, hence the "Little". She was a quiet, gentle soul. She never complained and always smiled, an amazing feat with these sisters. Today she was vigorously peeling potatoes and patiently nodding to Darlene's long-winded tale.

My aunts. My dad's sisters. He had been the oldest of all, and he often talked about how he had helped raise them all after their father died. Dad was only 15 years old. Me and Dad were kind of alike in that sense. Except my mom left us when I was 13. Today he sat in the living room with the aunts' husbands, watching some predictable old movie. Probably Shaft or something Pam Grier related.

And there were more. There were cousins and baby cousins out in the backyard and all through the house. My little brother had just called to tell me when his bus arrived. I came in with my arms full for my aunts. Needed items from the grocery store that I had to stop at before driving my rental car to the house.

Today everything seemed normal. We were all in our usual patterns. But everything was about to change because Little Ann's husband had been diagnosed with a terminal cancer. His first treatment was tomorrow and we knew they both needed us.