Everything is going to be okay

“I know, well I don’t know, but I know everything is going to be alright”, said the stranger as she shared a hug and rubbed my back in a circular motion. We were standing in the middle of the aisle at Target while other shoppers past by staring as if they expected me to have a mental breakdown in the store at any moment. The oddest thing was that I did not know this woman. Never meet her in my life. While standing there making a decision on the ripest bananas, she approached me wearing a long sleeved black blouse with blue flowers.

“Hey, beautiful do you mind if I give you a hug? I know this may sound weird but i just feel you need one today.” Confused, i said sure. My day had been going great and i figured why not. The smell of peppermint invading my senses as she gave me the hug was calming. Then as fast as she appeared, she said “love you, bye” and walked away. Why would a complete stranger tell you she loves you?

I continued shopping and a few aisles over i see the old lady again. She was standing there holding a box of cereal Honey Nut Brands, as if she were reading the back of the box. Her eyes wasn’t scaling the golden colored box for ingredients, but was once again looking at me. The moment left me feeling a little bit off, but i brushed the encounter off and left the store. As i was packing my bags into my car, i looked up and once again there was the old lady standing inside the doors of target watching me. She then waved and turned around to walk back inside the store.

At that point i was worried and began to think maybe i was about to become the victim of a kidnapping and the old lady was setting me up. That maybe some unknown masked man was about to jam a needle and throw me in the back of his van. Why? Because I stupidly made myself a target by allowing an old lady wearing a long sleeved black shirt with blue flowers. I couldn’t blame anyone but myself. I mean the whole situation was so overwhelming. Beads of sweat rolled into my eyes just from the walking to my car and loading my bags. So why the long sleeve? That’s it. She was handing something. Maybe her tattoos so they wouldn’t be shown on camera when I go missing. But, her face was on camera so my hypothesis didn’t make sense.

Quickly looking behind me, there were no one in the parking lot but a mom trying to control her kids as they unloaded their shopping cart into their mini van. Three little boys darting around the cart in circles and fighting over one bag. So my second thought was that the old lady might be suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia. Feeling a little paranoid, I rushed to put my bags in. Then turned up the air as I left the parking space.

While driving, I received a call from my grandmother. After pressing accept on the screen there was a man on the phone asking for me. Expecting the voice to be my grandmother, but instead a man scared me lifeless. “Who is this? Where is my grandmother” i yelled with the weird encounter playing in my mind. “She is okay. I’m just her neighbor Tim and she needs you, so get here as fast as you can” and shortly hung up the phone.

I called my mom, but she didn’t answer since she was at work and couldn’t have her phone in the floor. Speeding and running stop signs, i arrive to my grandmothers house. When i pulled up to my grandmothers house no one was outside. The fragrant flowers in the garden slowly moved while dancing in the wind. Her lawn was still immaculate, which she has worked at maintaining daily. Everything was normal as far as i could see. As i went to unlock the door, it was snatched open and i expected to see my grandmother standing there with a bright smile as she always does. But there stood a guy who i assumed was Tim. The somber look on his face told me something was wrong.

Tears started to blur my vision from the thought that something had happened to my grandmother. As a close family, i did not know what we would do if we lost her. The matriarch of our family has held us together through but our smiles and cries. “Hey i’m Tim” he said affirming my suspicion.

“Is she okay and what’s going on” thoughtlessly tumbled from my lips as I was afraid and worried. “I think you need to talk to her. She’s in the den.” was his reply. That made me feel a little better, but i couldn’t help but wonder why she didn’t answer the door or call me herself.

As i approach the den, i can hear her whimpering and sniveling. When she sees me she starts crying and the sound was one i have never heard from her before. In all my life i have never seen this woman cry. I have seen her in every emotion, but never she never shed a tear. I honestly thought maybe because of some medical condition, she couldn’t cry. Maybe her body didn’t produce tears and she never informed me of her condition. This situation has proved me wrong.

As i approach the couch, tears escape my eyes because i know something bad has happened and it has brought down a woman i have never seen cry. “What’s wrong” i ask her.

“It’s going to be okay. I know it is. Your grandma Edna got her and I know she still smell like peppermints”

Confused I asked her, “ who is Edna and what are you talking about? With whispers she replies, “Edna is my mother who passed before you were born and I’m so sorry baby, but your stepfather when to the hospital and killed your mother and himself. It’s going to be okay, I know it is because Edna has her.” In shock i could not believe it. My mother and i was closer than close and she was my best friend, but now i have lost her.

As tears begin to run down my face and my heart felt like it shattered in my chest, I looked down and in her hand was a picture I had never seen before. On the picture was the old lady from the store and she was still wearing the same blouse with the blue flowers.

“Granny, who is this?” With a little smile and quivering hand she stated “this is my mother Edna. She died the day we took this picture. It’s was so cold that day. Before she died, when ever i was sad she would give me hugs and tell me ‘everything is going to be okay, i know it is’ and she was always right. Then she would give rub me down in peppermint oil to calm me down. That’s why she always smelled like peppermint to me”.