Roses from the Other Side

Roses from the Other Side

“Good morning, sweetie. I’m happy to see you and your lovely smile. How are you today?”

Hi Daniel, I have limited time.

“Did you take an early lunch? I don’t enjoy being alone in the hospital.”

She hovered on his right side and said she hoped for his quick recovery.

“So, Monica, can you believe I had a heart attack? Thank God that the young man in Walgreens saw me pass out and fall to the floor. He called 911, possibly saving my life. But I guess Jason told you all that?”

I saw you fall; I’m sorry this happened to you.

“It’s a good thing I have you, Jason, and Anna, the three people I love most in the world, who will help me recover. I have the best family.”

Jason and Anna are very caring people. Daniel, I have limited time.

“There is so much to do at home, like grass cutting, garbage removal, weeding the garden, and more. I, of course, don’t expect you to cut the grass.”

Daniel continued talking to Monica. “The doctors might remove some tubes and wires tomorrow. Such a mass of equipment! All for my heart. I am hoping the doctors will tell me when I can go home and give me instructions.”

Daniel, listen to your doctors.

“Darling, have you scheduled a week’s vacation to help me recuperate? Jason will probably check in regularly and help me, too.”

Daniel, I have limited time.

The conversation lasted a few minutes longer. He followed her gaze to the table, where a vase with roses sat, and a small cloth bag next to it. While he couldn’t focus well, he looked forward to checking them out later.

Tanya, the day nurse, walked into the room and immediately shivered, as if an icy breeze had passed through her. She asked Daniel who he had been talking to. There was no one else in the room but the patient.

“My wife, Monica, of course. She stopped by to check on me but had to return to the office. I’m hoping she will take next week off. Gee, she was just here, standing by the bed. Did she introduce herself on her way out? I must have dozed off and didn’t say goodbye.”

“Okay,” Tanya acknowledged hesitantly. “No, Daniel, I didn’t see anyone.” She recalled reading in Daniel’s chart that his wife had passed six months ago, and the only family members were his son, Jason, and his wife, Anna. The medication might still mess with his mind and memory.

She noted the IV bag levels, took his blood pressure, his temperature, and updated his vitals on the laptop. Tanya tucked in the bedsheets and pulled his blanket up closer.

Jason walked in with a bag of books, word games, and more. “Hello, Tanya,” he cheerfully announced. “How is Dad doing today? His color looks better; has he been awake more this morning?”

“He is doing better each hour, and his numbers look good. He has been in and out of a light slumber. Later, I want to wash him off a little, put a fresh hospital gown on him, and change his bedsheets.”

Daniel had drifted off again as Tanya spoke. She asked Jason to step out into the hallway, out of his father’s earshot. She wanted to talk to him briefly.

“Sure,” Jason replied with ‌some hesitation in his voice. Was everything okay with Dad? He followed her out into the hall, and she closed the room door.

Tanya began, “I saw his door partly open as I neared his room, and I heard him talking to someone. There was no one in the room but your father, and I could tell that he hadn’t been on either the room phone or his cell, since he couldn’t reach them.”

“Hmm,” said Jason. “Was he possibly just talking in his sleep?” She answered, “Maybe, but I’ve mentioned that he is on some heavy-duty medications that make him tired, and sometimes it is easy to get confused.”

“Did you hear any part of the conversation?”

“No, I couldn’t make out his words, and I didn’t hear another voice. When I asked who he was talking to, he quickly said, Monica, his wife.”

Jason exhaled. “Wow, those drugs are messing with his mind. I think you know my mother died six months ago. It feels like just yesterday, and her passing deeply affected both of us. I believed Dad was doing well with her passing until now with his heart attack.”

“I read that, and I’m so sorry for your loss. Your dad drifted in and out, and I didn’t get the chance to ask about the conversation. I assumed he was dreaming about her and talking in his sleep. Just wanted to make you aware.”

“Thanks, Tanya, I’ll speak with him when he is awake.”

The nurse had another patient to visit and would check on his dad later. Jason left for the cafeteria to get a cup of coffee before going back to his dad’s room. He entered the room to find him awake and beaming.

“Hey, son! Darn, you just missed your mother. Did you pass her in the hall?”

“Hi, Dad…yeah, about that…”

“No worries, son,” his dad interrupted. “She’ll be back tonight, I’m certain. I’m feeling better and trying to stay awake longer. What have the doctors said about my progress? I want to get home as soon as possible.”

“They are happy with how you're doing, but it's only been forty-eight hours since your open-heart surgery. I want to talk about...” Jason spotted the vase of red and yellow roses on the table. Jason remembered from the night before that a little potted plant, sent by his Uncle Jim, his father's older brother, had arrived.

“Who brought the roses, Dad? Do you know? I know that is your favorite color combination with a single pink rose in the middle.”

“Why, your mother must have brought them, of course. I was so sleepy when she visited, I didn’t see her set them on the table. My guess is she picked them from our garden this morning before work. She knows I have always enjoyed that mix of colors arranged like that.”

“Dad!” Jason’s voice elevated. “Come on, you know, Mom didn’t bring the roses to you. It has been over six months since she passed. Someone else must have sent them.”

His dad had shut his eyes tightly and grimaced. He waited a few moments and then responded to his son. “Of course, it was your mother who visited me. She stood here right next to my bed and told me she was sorry that I had to go through this, and she had limited time. You know she took off work to visit me. I think she is taking next week off as vacation time.”

“Oh, Dad, I miss Mom as much as you do, but you were missing her, or possibly dreaming about her.”

Daniel seemed irritated. “Only your mother knows about our special floral arrangement - four red roses, three yellow, and a single pink rose in the center. And I see now that it is the vase I bought for your mother on her last birthday.”

“I don’t see a note with the flowers,” Daniel said as he examined the vase. His dad was correct about the arrangement of roses; however, it wasn’t rocket science, and anyone could have done that. The vase didn’t look any different from the others in his parents’ house. He wasn’t sure how else to convince his father that his mother had not been physically in the room.

Then, a small purple velvet bag caught his eye, sitting next to the vase, with a label attached. ‘For Grandpa.’ Jason picked it up and handed it to his dad. “Here, Dad, this has your name on it. I wonder if the same person left this gift?”

“Ah, she told me there was a surprise gift for me. That must be it.”

Jason restrained himself from getting upset. “Dad, come on..you dreamed about Mom being here. I dream about her often, too! Open the gift. Maybe there is a note inside.”

“Son, please do me a favor and open the bag. My fingers are still a little swollen, and my hands are a little shaky.”

He untied the silver-colored lace string and reached inside, pulling out a narrow box. Jason removed the lid, revealing a charm bracelet. It was the bracelet he and Anna had given his mother after the birth of their second child. The two charms, personalized with their children's names engraved, adorned the bracelet.

“What the…” Jason’s voice trailed off in disbelief.

There was a note taped to the inside of the lid. Jason read the note to his dad: Baby number three needs a charm for a boy or a girl. Please give this to Jason and Anna. Love, Grandma and Grandpa.

Next to the bracelet was a small object wrapped in tissue paper. He carefully opened it and discovered another charm similar to the others on his mother’s bracelet.

Jason sat down, feeling faint and shocked. “Dad, let’s be realistic here. Mom did not leave this gift. Someone else brought the flowers and charm bracelet. But who? Maybe Anna?”

Daniel had no comment. He looked confused but was still certain in his mind that his wife of thirty years had visited him earlier. “Dad, by chance, did Mom perhaps buy this gift a long time ago and tell you about it?” His father had dozed off again, mumbling in his sleep.

There was silence in the room other than his dad’s light snoring. Jason sat in silence for a while, bewildered by the bizarre events. His mind took him back to the week of his mother’s funeral.

He, Anna, and his dad looked everywhere for the bracelet, as his dad wanted her to be buried wearing it. They searched jewelry boxes, dresser drawers, and boxes in the clothes closet. Everywhere. No luck. And now it was here in his hands. What the hell?

Half an hour went by. Jason checked his work messages, played Solitaire on his phone, and did anything to avoid thinking about the charm bracelet, vase, and roses. His father slept.

Soon, Daniel woke up and asked if he could eat; he couldn’t remember if he had eaten breakfast. Looking at the large wall clock, he saw it was past one o’clock.

Jason called for the nurse to bring lunch to his father. After he hung up the phone, his wife, Anna, walked into the room looking bright and cheery. Even on this rainy day, she dazzled everyone with her colorful outfit and perky demeanor. Her eyes sparkled, and she wore a big smile.

“Hi, hon!” She gave her husband a quick kiss on the lips. “Hi Dad, how is our patient today?” She was always so bubbly, and she knew how to keep Dad’s spirits up even after a shocking heart attack and bypass surgery. She reached down and squeezed her father-in-law’s hand.

Dad told her that hour by hour, he was feeling better, but with all these damn wires and machines, he could only get so comfortable. Lunch was coming soon, and he was hungry. He always believed a good meal made everyone feel good.

He gave her a quick update that a physical therapist would come in later and get Dad out of bed and into a recliner for a change of pace. Tomorrow, they’d work on short walks with help. Jason wanted to know how his wife's doctor visit went.

There was a brief pause, then Anna said, “That’s great news, Dad! Well, I want the two special people in my life to be the first to hear some wonderful news. I had a doctor’s appointment this morning, and,” looking at her father-in-law, she said, “You are going to be a grandpa for the third time!”

Jason turned pale and sat down again. Hearing Anna's announcement surprised him.

What has happened here? He mulled everything over in his mind. That’s it! Mom purchased the charm before she passed, told Anna about it for the future pregnancy, and suggested that she give it to Dad as a surprise.

Anna saw her husband’s distress and quickly asked if he was feeling OK. He was happy about a third child on the way, wasn’t he? “What is wrong, hon? We have discussed having another child.”

“That isn’t it at all, Anna. I’m beyond ecstatic! How far along are you?”

“The doctor said about eight weeks. My stomach has been queasy recently, and I wondered. I'm relieved; I haven't touched wine for two months.” She took prenatal care and nutrition seriously.

She continued, “If you’re happy about the baby, why do you look troubled?”

Jason looked at his dad, who twisted his head away quickly, a bit embarrassed, as his mind cleared and he realized he had probably been dreaming about his wife. She was in the room in spirit only.

“OK, bear with me, please, Anna. I walked into the room to visit Dad late this morning, and the nurse told me he had been talking to Mom. Dad truly believed Mom was in the room with him. The powerful drugs he's on affect his mind and memory. He argued with me for a while, but I can see by his reaction that he knows now that Mom was never here.”

“That is understandable,” Anna said. “He has been through a traumatic medical issue, and he has never been alone before. But he has you and me. Is that all that is wrong?”

“Oh, no, it gets better. I’m hoping you have the answers to these mysteries. See the vase of roses there on the table? Do you recognize it?”

“Sure, I had seen your mother use that vase often. Did you pick roses from Dad’s garden this morning and bring them in that vase for Dad?”

“No, that is my point. I didn’t do that, and Mom obviously didn’t do it like Dad thought, and neither did you, I’m guessing.”

“Uh, no. What about your neighbor, Mrs. Walsh? She knows Dad loves his roses.”

“I thought about her, but she left on vacation the day Dad had his heart attack. I phoned her late last night and left her a message. There hasn’t been time for her to send any flowers. Plus, the nursing staff said there had been no deliveries on this wing for the past two days.”

“And,” Jason continued. “Look at this.” He pulled the white box from the velvet bag, opened it, and showed his wife the charm bracelet.

“Oh, wow! You found it? I remember searching for that when Mom passed, and we never found it.”

“No, we didn’t find it. Read the note and unwrap the tissue paper.”

This time, Anna was the one who paled and sat down, not knowing what to think about all this.

“I’m guessing you knew nothing about this, or when Mom might have bought the third charm?” Jason asked.

Looking at both of them, she said, “No, Mom never said a word to me, but it was just like her to plan something and make it a surprise, even if way off in the future. We, of course, had talked about expanding our family, but I never gave her a time frame.”

“I’m just two months pregnant, and your mother passed away six months ago. The three of us, including my doctor, now know about my pregnancy.”

Jason had nothing more to say. Dad quietly ate his lunch while Anna propped her feet up on a cushion and read her book. Jason wished he had an adult beverage! He wanted to ask his dad another question, but he dozed off.

Once the hospital released Daniel, Jason took him home and got him settled. Jason went to pick roses in the garden as his dad settled in the living room.

Using the same vase, he placed it on the dining room table with a note. Love, Jason, Anna, and of course, Mom! Dad, of course, had drifted off into a light sleep.

They never spoke again of that day at the hospital: Mom’s favorite vase with Dad’s roses, the bracelet and baby charm, or Dad’s conversation with his deceased wife. We never discovered plausible answers. The next baby was on the way, and everyone was excited, including Grandma on the other side.