Purple Memories [Fiction]

“Who are you again?” The brown-skinned slender, tall nursing aide dressed in sky-blue scrubs asked Chase Clayton. He glanced at her from head to toe, wondering why the aide was overly protective of his aged mother. “Son. I'm her son.”

“Oh. It's been ages since anyone's come to see her.”

“I've been away at work but I'm here now. Can I see her?”

The nursing aide shrugged. “Sure, though you won't get anything out of her. She's been unresponsive since the passing of her husband. Your father?”

Chase nodded solemnly. The aide waved to a one-seater sofa set directly beside a frail, elderly woman seated and gazing into the sky. He sat down and gently placed his hand on his mother's. “Mom?”

The aide watched mother and son for a while and shook her head in sympathy. Having lived at the retirement home for five years since her husband brought her, Melly Clayton was the life of the retirement home. All the patients loved to sit and chat with her during their social time.

Though her memories deserted her and her cognitive functions declined steadily, Mr Clayton was always by her side. Their only child, a high-ranking naval officer, never visited. But her medical record bore his name as the next of kin.

Then six months ago, the unexpected news came that Mr Clayton fell in his shower at home, hit his head and died instantly. The aide was very careful in delivering the news to Melly.

Melly simply whispered, “So he left me, finally.” She withdrew into herself and did not say a word since then. The doctors carried out many tests, revealing that her condition had worsened. They could only make her comfortable and wait.

Chase interlaced his fingers with his mother's and began to softly hum a song that held special meaning to his parents.

* * * * *

---

A country music song played from a small radio placed on a boulder beside them.

He pushed the swing harder from behind and she shrieked with excitement, soaring high in the air. He noticed the playful glint in her eyes as she chuckled before sticking out her purple spotted tongue at him.

He laughed and shook his head, throwing away his remaining grape popsicle. His tongue must be coloured like hers.

Once the swing slowed down, he wiped off the stains around her lips with his thumb. "Very adorable!"

"Ha." She chuckled, her cheeks flushing at his tender care. "Only when I'm with you. This popsicle is delicious, isn't it?"

"Terrible. Have you seen your tongue?"

"Maybe I'll paint my face to match the colour. You'll love it, I'm sure." She fluttered her eyelids.

"Then I'll call you the purple-tongued witch,” he said, laughing at her horrified look.

* * * * *

Melly smiled from her seat by the window for the first time in six months. The nursing aide stifled her gasp with a hand.

Chase smiled and continued humming. Her memories might have faded but this one stayed with her always.

I hope you enjoyed reading this short story and continue to believe in the power of love! Hehe. This story is inspired by the Freewrite #dailyprompt word “purple spotted tongue”.

Thank you for visiting my blog.

^{Image credit: Pixabay}