Chapter 26: my mother

I rang my father a couple of times over the next few weeks and he reported that the new arrangements were working well.

The school term ended and Mum Keaton, Randolph and I went up to the lake for a week - Dad Keaton didn't come because he didn't want to take time away from the family business at that stage. It was so good again.

Then my mother finally came home from hospital, but was mostly bed-ridden and still in need of a lot of care. I wanted to go and see her as Lynda, and I did; one morning a few weeks later I took a couple of hours off school and Mum Keaton drove me around to the house.

Of course, Dad had told Mum all about me so it wasn't going to be a surprise. When I came into her bedroom, she studied me for some time without speaking. Her face looked pale and washed out and I wasn't sure of her reaction.

Then she spoke in a weak voice, "You like it, don't you?"

"I love it, Mum."

She sighed and pulled a bit of a face, "I have to say that somehow it suits you. You are quite lovely."

I couldn't help myself, I put my arms around her and started to cry.

"You're going to be all right, aren't you, Mum, you're going to be all right?"

"Yes, dear, it's just a long slow process."

She was hugging me back, but seemed so frail, so unlike how she used to be.

"Why don't you come and see me again in a month or two, Lyn, when I'm a bit stronger and we can talk more?"

"Okay, Mum, sure . . . er, Mrs Keaton wanted to say hello."

"Very briefly, love, I need to rest again."

While Mum Keaton had a brief hello, I had a quick look at my 'old' room. It was a bit messy as I expected because that's how Matt was, but he'd clearly made it his own. I was kinda pleased about that.

I had a chuckle to myself as I wondered what Matt and my other siblings would think if they could see me now as Lynda; and, you know, I was beginning to think that I'd like to show them.