- One Last Act of Kindness
- by
Traci Poole
- August 4, 2000
Sydney fumbled
with the tiny yellow ribbon nestled in her dark locks.
She stood in front of the tiny house that held many
memories of her as a child. Sydney slowly turned the key
of her childhood home and immediately the memories of her
mother came rushing forth. She crept to the kitchen and
sat down. A long and tender sigh escaped her quivering
lips. Sydney could still smell the aromas of pies baking
in the oven. She looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse
of her past but instead the sounds of emptiness invaded
her memories. The memories of her childhood crashed upon
her deafened ears. Sydney longed to hear the laughter of
her mother again.
Sydney steadily
stood up and walked back to the living room. Family
pictures stood neatly on the fireplace mantel, awards
hung neatly on the old painted walls, and the dried
bouquet of roses had begun to collect dust. She crept
down the empty hallway and opened the door of her
mother's bedroom. The bed still neatly made and the
curtains drawn back in an orderly fashion. The vanity
mirror beckoned to the tired woman as it had done in her
childhood past. Sydney sat down and studied the
reflection in the mirror. She saw her mother's
reflection. The familiar hands gently combed out the
tangled curls from her hair. Sydney could feel the tender
tugs from her mother. She felt her mother's hands
releasing the curls from the tangled yellow ribbon. Tears
began their trek down her lovely face, plunging softly to
the wooden table of the vanity. Sydney grabbed a kleenex
and blew her nose. Her mother's cologne still lingered on
the tissues. She sniffed again.
The visibly,
tired woman lifted herself from the vanity and gradually
walked back to the living room. She took one last glance
before heading to the funeral home for the final visit
with her mother.
She knew today
would be the hardest. Sydney followed the usher as he
took her to where her mother was. She inched her way to
the casket. Her mother's angelic face seemed to be a
peace now. She wasn't in anymore pain. Sydney reached
deep into her purse and brought out the hair brush. She
took her mother's auburn locks into her hands and brushed
them out gently; caressing each one. Sydney took the
little yellow ribbon from her own raven hair, and neatly
tied it into her mother's hair.
It was the last
act of a daughter's love Sydney could give her mother.
Her mother would forever wear the tiny yellow ribbon just
as the memories of Sydney's mother tying the same yellow
ribbon into Sydney's hair would remain, forever frozen in
time.
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