On the Way to Heaven

The atmosphere of the room was dreary, air infused with sorrow and muffled sighs. My grandmother’s voice was raspy, tears tainting the yet untouched makeup on her cheeks. She was motionless, lacking her usual colorful personality and melodious tone of voice. She held her mother’s hand, stroked her pale skin with her thumb. She gave me a somber look and wrapped a heavy arm around me. My head was buried in her chest, my eyes burned as I held back tears.

I faintly heard “On the way to Cape May”, my great grandmother’s favorite song. We murmured the lyrics softly, until every voice in the room turned it into a melody. They began to recount memories of her love for the shore, her favorite place. I glanced at her, even in her inert position, she still retained all her beauty. Memories started flooding my brain and all that remained in my mind was how different my life was soon to become. The thought of her absence made me feel empty to my core.

My eyes were glassy, and soon my face was lined with sluggish teardrops. My mother tenderly wiped the tears from my cheek with her thumb, and I offered a reassuring grin. Although her time may have been running out, she would always be engraved deeply in my heart. She was the spectacle of the kind of woman I’d want to mature into. I held her hand in mine, thanking her for sharing the abundance that she had in my life. I whispered my final goodbye, and left the room in awe of what has changed. My footsteps were slowed and reluctant, my mind continued to race.