Final Hours

Shaking her head, Lucy hung up the phone. Per her mother’s instructions, her older sister, Patty, had just summoned her and her son to visit her in the hospital. “It’s urgent,” her sister said.

‘Urgent, my butt,’ Lucy said to herself, slamming the kettle on the stove. She walked to the cabinet and pulled out her favorite chipped blue mug. She dropped a tea bag in it and settled at the kitchen table, waiting for the kettle to boil.

The phone rang again. Looking at it in disgust, she paused before answering.

“What do you want, Patty? Lucy snapped.

“Mom wants everyone at the hospital, including Sam,” she said in an anxious voice. " Please come, Lucy.”

“After everything Mara has done,” Lucy retorted, " she has no right to summon anyone.”

“Please come, Lucy,” Patty pleaded, " I don’t think she has much time left.”

Lucy was silent momentarily.” I will think about it,” she sighed as she poured the water over her tea bag. “I just poured a cup of tea.”

“Ok, if you come, please text me before you leave,” Patty said just before she hung up the phone.

Stirring her tea, Lucy contemplated whether she should go to the hospital. “Why should I? After everything she has done and not done,” she thought. But the wholesome voice inside tried to reason with her…She is your mother, and she doesn’t have much time.” Lucy sipped her tea as she decided to try to think of some good memories with her mom.

A slight smile came across her face when her fifth birthday came to mind. She could momentarily see the small ice cream truck with stickers with different flavors and the miniature play cones she gave her friends as they played on the playground and pretended to eat ice cream. But the smile was short-lived as she remembered the fate of her most treasured present. Mara threw it away the next day because Lucy had forgotten to put it away.

Lucy sipped her tea, “Do I have any good memories?”

She thought back to when she was sixteen. It was around nine at night when she approached her mother. They sat side by side on the leather couch in the living room.

“Mom, I need to talk to you about something,” Lucy said nervously.

“What is so important that you are interrupting my show?” Her mother scolded, not even looking at her.

" Ah, Mom…” Lucy murmured, “I just … Well… I… I want to kill myself?” Lucy whispered, her head as low as her voice.

“What do you mean?” Mara yelled. “Why would you say something so stupid? You have a good life.”

" I don’t know,” Lucy said, putting her head in her hands as a tear rolled down her cheek. “I just feel sad all the time.”

" Get up!” Her mother yelled.

Without warning, Mara slapped Lucy. She almost stumbled back on the couch as her mother’s brutal hit contacted her face. Gently, Lucy touched her cheek to ease the burning, struggling to hold back the tears.

“I hope that knocks some sense in you,” her mother smirked. “You have a good life. Stop being so dramatic. Now, go to bed.”

Lucy fled to her room, falling onto her bed, grabbing her teddy bear, and sobbing into the pillow. She squeezed her bear tight as she contemplated the best way to end it all.

But the following day, she was surprised to find a small stuffed bunny taped to her locker with a pink and white shirt that read “You’re Special.” Her friend had given it to her, unaware of what she was going through. She hugged the bunny, and from that day forward, it was a staple in her locker until she graduated. She knows she would not have reached adulthood without the bunny, her friend, and God.

Lucy sighed as she stared into her tea and took the last few sips. She decided she would go to the hospital, but she would go alone. She placed her cup in the sink and went upstairs to check on her son.

“Sam...” Lucy gently said. He turned towards her with his big blue eyes and curly blond hair.

“Yes, Mom.”

“I am going to the hospital to see Gram. You can stay here and play your games; I should not be too long.”

“Ok.” He smiled, returning to his game.

The scar right above his eye jogged her memory, a memory she would never forget, a memory that, by every ‘mom rule,’ will never be forgiven. “It’s too painful,” Lucy took a deep breath. “I don’t want to go there,” she thought, a tear streaking her face. She shook her head as if to release the memory and headed for her bedroom.

Lucy lingered in the shower, struggling to recall some good memories of her mother. Her phone buzzed, but she ignored it, slowly walking to her closet to pick out an outfit. As soon as she was dressed and had the keys in her hand, she texted Patty to tell her she was on her way.

Lucy took the scenic route to the hospital, first to take as much time as possible and to stop at her favorite “coffee” shop. Hoping another cup of tea would help jog her memory and calm her nerves. Finally reaching the hospital, she found the farthest parking spot she could. She parked her car, got out, and gingerly walked towards the hospital doors. She spotted a woman and a man in front of the entrance. The woman in the wheelchair smiled at the small bundle she held. Suddenly, Lucy remembered something…a good memory… she smiled… When her mother was pregnant with her, the doctors encouraged her to have an abortion because Lucy’s older sister and the twins had measles. Her mother refused. “Yes.” Lucy thought, “That is a good memory.”

As she stepped through the doorway of her mother’s room, her mother did not waste time scolding her. “What took you so long? And where is Sam?”

“I did not bring him,” Lucy answered.

“You never could do anything right, " her mother sneered, coughing between words. “You are such a stupid girl.”

Lucy’s face turned bright red. She was about to leave the room, but her brother gently took her arm and gave her a supportive look.

“Why did you want us here, Mom?” Seth calmly asked.

“Well, I know I did pretty good raising you all,” Mara gasped, “but my priest said I should seek your forgiveness so there is less chance I will go to hell or purgatory.” She paused, her breathing labored, ‘So, I need you all to forgive me,” Mara coughed again as she glared at her kids, her voice colder. “You children owe me that much.”

“Of course, we forgive you, Mother,” Patty said, and her two older sisters, Tammy and Tara, nodded in agreement.

“Are you serious!?” Lucy shouted, " Speak for yourself, ladies.” Glaring at her sisters before turning to Mara. “I will never forgive you! She stepped closer to the hospital bed, inches away from her mother’s face. “You don’t deserve it.”

Turning towards her three sisters, she questioned them. “How can you forgive such wretchedness? All of us have been subject to her beatings, neglect, and abuse. And not to mention the incident with Sam? Have you forgotten?”

“You unappreciative Daughter,” Mara said as she gasped for air, “That’s why I omitted you from my Will.” Mara stopped to breathe, “Get out.”

“I wouldn’t want to be in your Will,” Lucy cried. There’s nothing left. Remember what you said to us? “You’re spending our inheritance?” I have news for you; you decided not to give us one.”

Mara took a deep breath, “I said, Get out…”

Lucy coldly glared at her frail mother, “I will never forgive you…Enjoy Hell.” Lucy grabbed her purse and jetted out of the room. Seth followed behind her.

“Lucy…” Seth called out, “Wait up.”

“What?” she snapped. “I want to get home.”

“Come to the cafeteria with me,” He pleaded, “Let’s talk.”

Lucy hesitated. “Seth, I…”

He interrupted her, “Please…”  

Lucy sighed, “Fine…but you’re buying.”

“You got it,” Seth smiled, pulling her into a hug. “By the way, when does Peter get back?”

“Three months, five days, and six hours…” Lucy said softly, “Not that I am counting.”

They ordered drinks from the cafeteria and found a booth in a quiet corner. Seth took a deep breath before speaking. “Lucy, I know why you’re angry. I get it. But…we need to forgive her.”

 Lucy was just about to interrupt when Seth put his hand up.

“Wait, just hear me out…”

Lucy sighed, “Fine…”

“Remember when I led you to Christ? And we talked about His forgiveness and how much he has forgiven our past, present, and future sins?”

“Yes...” Lucy looked down, her finger tracing the upper rim of her cup. She knew where he was going with this but did not want to hear it.

“If Jesus forgave us,” Seth continued, “should we not also forgive others?”

“But Seth, she hurt Sam?” Lucy's tears rolled down her cheeks, “I can almost see myself forgiving her for the crap that she put all of us through, but how can I forgive her for sending my son to the hospital?” Lucy sobbed.

Seth wrapped an arm around her, “Think about this… how could God forgive us for crucifying His Son.”

“Seth, I hear what you are saying,” Tears continued to run down Lucy’s face, “But I am not ready…”  

Seth gave her another squeeze. “Ok, I understand. It is your decision.” He gently put his hand on hers. “I will always be here for you, little sis.”

“Thanks, Seth,” Lucy dried her eyes with a napkin. “I appreciate that.”

Just then, both of their phones pinged. It was Patty texting them to come up to the mother’s room.

“Are you coming?” Seth asked. “I could use some support.”

Lucy sighed, “For you, not for her.”

When they returned, their mother was unconscious. Once again, the siblings were all gathered by her bedside.

“It won’t be long now,” Patty whispered.

Her mother lay there in a deep sleep, her eyes closed, her mouth slightly frowned, and her eyebrows squinched together. Lucy noticed how frail and thin her body was for the first time. Her face was hardened, with no smile wrinkles, just a life of selfishness and cruelty. For just a moment, Lucy felt a smidgen of pity for her.

Looking at her sisters and brother, she asked, “Do you mind if I have a moment?” Her siblings agreed and stepped out of the room.

Lucy bent over her feeble mother and whispered, “I want you to know that I thank you for choosing life for me, But I can’t forgive you right now, but someday I know I will…not for you, but for the Savior I follow.”

As she finished her sentence, the machines flatlined, and the medical staff came rushing in, along with her siblings. Within minutes, Mara was pronounced dead.

As the doctors continued to work on Mara, her Spirit lifted from her body. At first, she panicked, but then a sudden calm came over her. She felt free and well. Floating above, she glanced at her children, wanting to show them how magnificent she was. But when she drifted closer, they did not see her.  She turned to the right to see the medical team working, realizing that it was her body lying in the hospital bed.  

“I am dead,” She said with a smirk, “finally I am truly free.”

Gliding towards her children, she waited for the tears, especially Patty's. But there were none—not a single tear shed. She scanned their faces for some mourning, weeping, compassion, anything. There was none. Instead, their expressions were serene, as if a significant burden had been lifted. What she did see was something she rarely saw when her children were with her: They were smiling.

“Ungrateful children,” she muttered as a black shadow entered her peripheral vision.

 “Who are you?” Mara asked.

“Hello, Mara,” the figure said, grasping her arm. “It’s time.”

Mara smiled, “So, do I get to go straight to heaven? Or will I need to pass through purgatory first?”

The figure's grip tightened, “No, Mara, Welcome to Hell.”