The Snow Globe

As I pulled up to the house, it looked like I was the last one to arrive. The circle driveway was full of cars already. Everyone was standing on the front porch as I drove past to one of the open garage doors. They never parked in the garage.  

“I guess everyone is waiting on me,” I said. I pulled into the garage and put my car in park before taking my foot off the break. I didn’t want to get out, but she said I was the only one who could go get it. The thought of going in the house had haunted me for years. “Okay! You can do this!” I tried to convince myself as I looked in the rearview mirror. My therapist said it was time for me to face this fear, I had to go in the house.  

“What are you waiting on?”  

I turned around to see my brother, Troy, standing at the rear of the car.  I hold up my index finger, saying to give me a minute. I take a deep breath and get out of my car.  

He walks up to me and gives me a hug. My arms remain limp at my sides. He puts his arm around my shoulders, and we walk up to the porch together. My Aunties, Uncles and a few cousins are all watching us as we slowly walk to the porch. I embrace each one of them one by one, ending with my oldest Auntie. Our mother had passed away when we were children, so our grandmother raised my brother and me.  

“Are you ready for this sweetie?” Auntie Rose asked. She cupped my face in her hands. “Mame’s last words, were that you had to go in the house and get it yourself.” 

I knew what my grandmother’s last words were, I didn’t need her to remind me. See, the thing is, Mame hand made me a snow globe with my baby shoes inside. I loved that snow globe, and I always kept it next to my bed.  The base was pink with red and pink roses hand painted on it.  And after momma died, she put a picture of her inside. After seventeen years, I broke it during a move. I brought it to Mame so she could repair it.  

“You know if I could go in there with you, I would,” Troy said.  

I simply nodded my head. I slowly walk up to the door, my family patting me on the back as I passed them. I put the key in the door and turn the knob. I was the only one that still had a key to the house. I stepped inside the house and closed the door behind me.  The house was quiet, and everything was the same from the last day I had been here. I walked into the main living room and envisioned all of our family sitting around talking the last Christmas Mame was sitting in the big recliner chair with her feet kicked up. Everyone had eaten so now we were all tired and stuffed.  

I walked through to the kitchen and envisioned Mame, standing at the stove. She turned and offered me a piece of her home-made cornbread. I looked just like her. She had the most love filled smile. Even when I was mad, all she had to do was smile at me and I was okay.  

I rub the granite countertop and walk to the patio door to look out at the back yard.  The trampoline Uncle Rob bought us when we were kids was still there. My brother and I would spend hours jumping on that thing. Mame even let us sleep out there a few times. I could see Mame jumping with us and we all just laughed.  

We had some good times in the back yard. We did a lot of karaoke and played drinking games. When Mame was around, we all were on our best behavior.   

I walked through the hallway, looking at the family pictures hanging on the wall. Mame loved her pictures. I rubbed my hand along the pictures and thought about when they were taken. Mame was in each and every picture somewhere. The stair well was curved along the wall. Mame had everyone’s self-portrait going up the stairs.  

I stop at the top of the stairs and to my left, which is where Troy’s room was. There was another set of stairs leading up to Mame’s room. I walk to the right and push my bedroom door open.  

I sit at my vanity and look into the dusty mirror. My nail polish and hairbrushes are just where I’d left them. When I moved out Mame didn’t change a thing about our rooms. She told us we could always come back home. She used to stand behind me and brush my hair for me. I’d always had a lot of hair, and I hated when I had to comb it. So, she would do it for me. She would sit on my bed and talk to me about life and tell me how stupid boys are. But she also told me that being in love was one of the best feelings in the world.  

I stand at the bottom of the stairs leading to the attic. When she bought the house, she’s turned the attic into her bedroom. She had a sitting area and a huge bathroom. I opened the door and looked up the stairs before turning on the light. I gently placed my feet on each step, almost tiptoeing up the stairs. The room smelled like Mame. It was like she was in the room with me.  

She had a desk sitting in the corner in front of a window. I hadn’t been in the house in over a year. I was the one that found Mame laying on the floor when she’d had her heart attack. I refused to come back to the house, even when they had her repass here. She’d made it to the hospital. She even made it through the night. She was sitting at the desk working on the Snow Globe and just passed out. I sat by Mames's bedside the entire night and the moment I decided to go home to shower and change clothes, she wakes up. Everyone was there except for me.  

I don’t know why she said no one else could come in the house. I had to be alone when I came to get my snow globe. I sat at her desk and stared out the window. She had the most wonderful view. All the houses sitting on the hills and the big, beautiful trees. I picked up my snow globe and under it was a key. I took the key and noticed the lock the desk drawer. I opened the drawer and sitting right there was a envelope with my name on it. And a manila envelope with “Will” written on it. I opened the envelope and inside was a note.  

Shhhhhh! This isn’t for everyone else to know!  

Love Mame 

I took the check out the envelope and read the numbers. I smiled from ear to ear knowing that I would never have to work again. I folded I check and put it in my bra. I picked up my snow globe and polished it with the rag Mame would’ve used. I kissed my snow globe and headed out of the house. It was all eyes on me when I walked out the front door. I couldn’t stop smiling.   

I held up the snow globe and gave my Auntie the envelope with the will in it. I gave her kiss on the cheek and gave my brother a hug. They watched me a I walked to my car and drove off the property.