Flashes of Memories

I sit on her couch. 20 years old, but solid. Comfortable. Her favourite coffee mugs, now in my cupboard, amongst the cat-themed mugs and the few ones I actually use. I cook with her knives. Sewing, I find fabrics she never got around to using, buttons and ribbons. Her books scattered through my shelves.

Parts of her life, blended into mine. 

I’ve still kept all of her things. Storage tubs in the garage, with clothes and paperwork and things I don’t know what to do with. I want to make quilts - which I’ve never done before - out of her jeans and t-shirts. One day. 

But a lot of things, I don’t know what to do with them, or there’s nothing I can do with them. Like me, mum kept a lot of things that don’t necessarily need to be kept. But I can’t bring myself to get rid of them. 

Five years. It feels like a lifetime ago.

The day before the anniversary, I got a message from Brother. Unexpected. We don’t really talk much these days outside of the obligatory birthday and Christmas messages. Short, perfunctory, not exactly a conversation. 

He did visit me in hospital last year, after the near-death thing, before I went in for the second surgery to fix the oopsie. Just in case, I suppose. That was the first time I’d seen him in over a year.

Brother came down to Geelong on the day, and we went to the cemetery. I’ve made it three months in a row now. Often enough that the previous flowers are still there, dead but still nice enough to not have been thrown away by the caretakers. The native flowers really do hold up well - mum was right about that. 

It was strange to see him. I guess I feel like I don’t even know what to talk to him about anymore. To anyone, really. I’ve become so disconnected from everyone. I suppose that might be why I’ve been blogging semi-regularly again. It’s the only place I can get my thoughts out. 

Even I’m tired of myself. 

S will be back from her holiday on Friday. I’m so happy to see her again. It’s been a long month, with a lot of empty space. After spending some time with the temporary/backup support worker, it really made me appreciate just how well S and I get on, how our opinions and values match, how comfortable I am with her. She really is my best friend. 

The same flowers, a month later. 

xxBella