毕竟,记住爱比记住某人的名字更重要。
Eleanordidn’tknorongwithGrandma。Shewasalwaysfthings,likewheresheputthesugar,whentopayherbills,andwhattimetobereadytobepickedupfroceryshopping。
“ithGrandma?”Eleanorasked。“Sheusedtobesueatlady。Nowshelookssadandlostarememberthings。”
“Grandma’sjustgettingold,”Mothersaid,“Shehtno>
“What’sitliketogetold?”Eleanorasked。“Doeseverybs?WillI?”“Netsthiheygetold,EleahinkGrandmamayhaveAlzheimer’sdisease,andthatmakesherfetmore。utherinanursihepropereeds。”
“Oh,Mom!That’sterrible!She’llmissherownlittlehousesomu’tshe?”
“Maybe,butthereisn’tmuchelsewedo。She’llgetgoodcarethereandmakesomenewfriends。”
Eleanorlookedsorrowful。Shedidheideaatall。
“wegoaen?”sheasked。“I’llmisstalkingtoGrandma,evenifsheds。”
“Weweekends,”Motheranswered。“Wetakeherapresent。”“Likeicedmalovesstrawberryicecream!”Eleanorsmiled。
“Strawberryicecreamitis!”Mothersaid。
&imetheyvisitedGrandmainthenursinghome,Eleaocry。
“Mom,almostallofthepeopleareinwheelchairs。”shesaid。
&obe。Otherwisethey’dfall,”Motherexplained。“NowwhenyouseeGraellherhowniceshelooks。”
Grandmasatallbyherselfiheroomtheycalledthesunparlor。Shesatlookingoutatthetrees。
Eleanrandma。“Look,”shesaid,“webroughtyouapresent—yourfavorite,strawberryicecream!”
GrandmatooktheDixiedthespooingwithoutsayingaword。
“I’msureshe’senjoyingit,dear。”Eleanor’smotherassuredher。
“Butshedoesoknowus。”Eleanorointed。
“Youhavetogivehertime,”Mothersaid。“She’sinnewsurroundings,aomakea。”
ButtheheyvisitedGrandmaitwasthesame。Sheatetheicedsmiledatthem,butshedidn’tsayanything。
“Grandma,doyouknowwhoIam?”Eleanorasked。
“Yirlwhsmetheicecream。”Grandmasaid。
&I’mEleanor,thter。Don’tyourememberme?”Sheasked,throwingherarmsaroundtheoldlady。
Graly。
“Remember?sureIremember。Yirlwhsmeicecream。
SuddenlyEleahatGrandmawouldneverrememberher。Grandmawaslivinginaworldallherown,inaworldofshadowymemoriesandloneliness。
“Oh,howIloveyou,Grandma!”shesaid。JusttheearrolldownGrandma’scheek。“Love,”shesaid。“Irememberlove。”
“Yousee,dear,that’sallshewants,”Mothersaid。“Love。”
“I’llbringhericecreameveryweekendthen,andhughereverememberme,”Eleanorsaid。
&hatwasmoreimportant—torememberloveratherthansomeone’sname。