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The Past Creeps In
      
      Leah and Jen bought the small house 25 years earlier, deciding the small town would
be a wonderful place to raise their son Jerry and since he was only five-years-old at the
time, she and Leah were positive it would be an easy transition for the boy.  It took some
time before they found a place for sale, but the house was ideal for the little family and
within a month, the ladies were in new jobs as well as a new home.  Life seemed to be
moving along perfectly for the women and their young son.  
      The ladies were in their mid-twenties with nothing but thoughts of a bright future
for Jerry and themselves, but there Leah stood, 50 and alone staring out over a yard she
no longer cared to spend time in.  The two women would talk for hours about enjoying their
old age sitting on the porch holding hands and watching sunrises.  It wasn’t supposed to
end the way it did.  Going it alone was never discussed and Leah was clueless about how to
continue on without Jen.
      After graduating from high school, Jerry moved to the Cities in order to continue
his education and it wasn’t long before their ambitious son landed his dream job.  Leah
never understood exactly what their son did no matter how detailed Jen was when she
attempted to explain it.  The only thing she was certain of was that their boy was happy
and a genius with computers, but beyond those two observations she didn’t really care
about the specifics.

Reality Hits Hard
      
      It all began two-and-a-half years earlier when Jen moved from her car into the
house completely oblivious to Leah working in the flowerbed out front.  Leah’s heart sank
since she knew her better half was returning from a doctor’s appointment and she quickly
went inside to find out what was going on.  Upon entering the living room, Leah found Jen
sitting in her favorite chair and staring off into space.
      “What’d the doctor say?”  
      “I have cancer,” Jen stated, the tears sliding down her cheeks.
      Leah sat on the footstool in front of Jen taking hold of her hands.
      “What kind?”
      “Ovarian.”
      “Can’t they just take things out?  I knew I should’ve gone with you.  So what do we
do next?”
      “I don’t know.”
      “Well what did he say hon?”
      “I have an appointment with a gynecologic oncologist next Monday,” Jen explained.
      “So we’ll go and figure it out from there.”
      “Don’t you have to work on Monday?”
      “Oh my god Jen, don’t you think this might be a little more important?”
      “I s’pose.”   
      The entire weekend was filled with tears, plenty of discussions and even more
embracing.  With their son still a newlywed, neither wanted to call him until they knew
for sure what they were actually dealing with.  Jerry had only been married for three
months by then and the women agreed to wait until they were given a definite prognosis.  
      Leah sat down on the porch step to completely relive Jen’s final two years after
the surgery failed.  She remembered the depression and anger flowing through them both in
stages, but at the time she fought those emotions believing Jen needed more of a positive
atmosphere surrounding her.  The problem with avoiding those feelings only seemed to be
making it harder for Leah to let go of the one and only woman she ever loved.  Jen was
gone, the loneliness flooding through Leah was evidence enough of that, but it was almost
impossible to do anything without expecting to turn around and see the smiling face of the
woman she expected to grow old with.  
      The three months before Jen passed away were worst of all, forcing Leah to take a
personal leave from her job as a legal secretary.  Jen needed constant care by then and
other than pain medication she was refusing any other attempts to prolong her life.  Once
Jen accepted the inevitable, her final wish was to pass away in her own bed without
anymore doctors or trips to the hospital.  Leah fulfilled the dying woman’s requests to
the best of her ability; taking up a bedside vigil should Jen need anything.   
      Jerry longed to be at his mother’s side until the end, but after the initial visit,
the obstinate woman explained he wouldn’t be allowed back in the house until she was gone.
 Leah realized it would cause Jen too much emotional pain to have their son watch her
waste away.  Knowing he would never sway his mother, Jerry gave her a kiss on the cheek
and one last hug before going back home to wait until the fateful day he received the
phone call from his other mother.
      It was early in the morning when Leah gave Jen her bed bath and the weakened woman
managed to keep down several spoons of oatmeal before Leah sat quietly at her side.  They
were doing nothing more than holding hands when Jen smiled at Leah, taking in the sight of
the woman she still loved with all her heart.
      “I think it’s a shame we got along so well all these years,” Jen stated quietly.
      “Why’s that baby?”  Leah asked, slightly confused.
      “Because it would’ve been so much fun making up after arguments,” she replied with
a smile.
      “We could have a fight right now if you tell me I haven’t been exciting enough for
you after 25 years,” Leah grinned.
      “It may not’ve always been exciting, but it’s always been good hon.”
      “The best.”
      “The lilacs smell wonderful,” Jen whispered to a confused Leah.
      It was still weeks before the flowers Jen loved would be in bloom and Leah was
about to mention this as she felt Jen’s grip relax.