Lemon Skewers

"You're a busy girl; getting your house painted and taking out the trash all in one day" The stranger said with a hacking laugh.
"Ha, ya, not much effort on my part with the house; but it sure is looking good! I'm sorry, are you their brother?"
"Hell no. I'm Patties boyfriend. Brian. The brother is in side"
"Oh ok, yeah I knew he was going to be flying into town soon, so he could - well spend some time with Marriane"
"Well, Marriane died yesterday".

...........

And so it began. Prayers rushing through my head. Through my heart.
Questions.
Shock.
Relief.
Sorrow.
Regret.
A desire to comfort.
silence.
affection.

I walked inside passed Brian and the grilling lemon beef skewers on the porch without knocking.

And just hugged her.

"God you smell amazing" Patty exclaimed as playing with my hair.
"I just got out of a Lavender bath"
"Shit, I thought I smelt good. Look at me - I finally showered. But smell me, I don't smell anything like that"

I spend hours there. I could write down so much, but frankly I'd rather keep it closer to my heart than (paper).

What a messed up family. A broken, screwed up piece of work. His piece of work. And they have screwed it up. We have screwed it up. Thats not what Family is suppose to look like.
Still, with so much energy, life and happiness. Still part of the imago Dei; it makes them a beautifully broken people.

Dear God.

The hospital bed was gone. There were actually couches in the living room again. The whole house was 'clean'. It was weird. I miss her.
And I was just getting to know Marriane.

Brian gave me way too much food to eat. It was amazing; a scrumptious Norwegian lemon sauce drizzled over rice and kabobs. Patty gave me frozen zuccine bread, a smoke, pineapple rum, and a cat toy for Thor.

I helped them look for a new house to live in. Well, a trailer. If anyone is selling their 30 ft trailer home for 3,000 bucks let me know - I have a buyer.
They might be loosing their house. Their grandparents built it in the 20's.
If they loose it, if Patty looses it, its because Her brother has sold it, and refused to let her live in a house that is fully paid for, and owed by the family.

Dan loves money. (says Patty)
He went to college.
He has a job.
The only one in the family.
The executor of estate.
Gets to do whatever he wants with mommies things.

So Patty will live in a trailer; with Brain. Whom shes tried to dump 2 months ago.
"The man won't go away. Says he loves me. Hes a good man, he just drinks too much."

I went out on the porch, into the kitchen, in the back room, &c. with Patty.
We followed each other around. Kept on saying how much we liked each other.
We talked. She cried. I tried not to.

God.

She needs a God to let her know their is something. Something.
Something better then what she knows.
She has been living in death.
Death is what Patty has been living, dreaming and breathing the past few months.

God give her life.
I dont want her to go the way Marriane went.
God I miss her. I didnt even know her.

I'm buying Patty Lavender soap tomorrow.