Mattie Mae Thomas - Dessie (great reads txt) 📗

Little Mattie Mae stood staring down at the stone. She read the words slowly. It seemed strange to read her name on the head stone. But there it was, Mattie Mae Thomas. She knelt down to place the flower on the grave of her beloved aunt, whom she had been named after. Her little fingers traced the letters and the angel that was carved into the corner. She followed the lines of the face and then the wings. There it was, just as her dad had said. The little groove she was looking for, right where the wings met. She pulled off her locket. Inside there were two pictures, one was of her father Mark and his twin sister, Mattie. It had been taken the summer they had turned twelve. The other was of herself with her dad. Mattie Mae’s dad had given her the locket for her birthday last year. It had been Aunt Mattie’s. She had heard stories about her aunt her whole life. Her and her dad had been best friends. They had done everything together. They took care of each other. He always said that they had their own guardian angel. Aunt Mattie would always be looking after them.
Mattie Mae squeezed the locket and closed her eyes. This had to work. It just had to. She opened the locket and placed it inside the groove on the angel’s wings. The stone was low and in the shape of a wedge, so it was easy to lay back on it and look up at the sky. This is how her dad said he had talked to Aunt Mattie after she had died.
For a long time she laid there looking up at the sky. Was Aunt Mattie watching? Would she hear her? She looked over at the locket to make sure it still stood in the groove. It looked like the angel’s wings had come to life, sparkling in the sunlight. The stone was warm. It felt good to be here. She felt safe.
Finally she started to talk. She talked about anything and everything. It was like a dam had broken. Words and feelings came out that she didn’t even know she had. She told her aunt how her mom and dad had met. How they had to get married because her mom was pregnant. Until Mattie Mae was four they had lived in Cincinnati, Ohio as a family. She told her about all the fights they had. Her mom had wanted to be a singer on stage so she spent all her time and money on lessons. Dad worked all the time to pay the bills. He would get angry because her mom would never be home with her. So one day she left for New York City. She said she never wanted a husband and a snot nosed brat anyway. On and on Mattie talked. She told Aunt Mattie everything she could think of about her life and how good her dad was. How happy she was to move to Indiana to live by her grandparents. And how he had taught her how to ride a bike without training wheels and how her grandpa was teaching her to ride the ponies at his house. She was even on a little league baseball team and her dad was helping coach.
Mattie Mae fell silent and tears gathered in her eyes. “That is how he got hurt. It was because of me,” she whispered. “We were waiting for ball practice to start. He told me not to climb the trees. He said the storm made them weak…I forgot Aunt Mattie. I got stuck and couldn’t get down. I was scared and started screaming for Dad. But when he got there the big limb broke.”
Mattie Mae was crying so hard now that her voice shook with every word. Her tears splashed like rain on the headstone. The guilt and heartache were eating at her. “Oh, why did this happen? Why didn’t I listen to Daddy? He is going to die and it’s my fault.”
Mattie Mae cried until she was in a stage between sleep and wake. Then she felt it. Loving arms gathered her close. Someone was humming. It sounded just like the song her grandma used to sing to her. She was too tired to open her eyes, maybe even afraid to open them.
“Aunt Mattie?” she whispered.
The arms squeezed her gently and rocked her back and forth. She sighed, Aunt Mattie had heard her.
“Daddy’s in a coma. The doctor told Grandpa if he didn’t wake up soon that he might never wake up. Please help us Aunt Mattie. I didn’t mean for the limb to break. I didn’t mean for it to hit him.”
The warm feeling of being safe and knowing that help was on its way soon pulled Mattie Mae into full sleep.
Brie set and rocked the child gently in her arms. It broke her heart to see her cry so hard. She seemed so lost and alone. Her poor father was hurt and she thought it was her fault. Who was this little girl? And who was Aunt Mattie? Brie saw a flash out of the corner of her eye. Turning her head, she saw the locket and the name on the headstone. Ah, so that is Aunt Mattie. She glanced down at the bundle in her arms and then to the locket again. Everything was making sense now. She had seen that the older girl in the locket before. This was why she was here. This is what had called her to move here. This was the reason for the strange dreams. The little girl of her dream was the same as the little girl in the locket.
“Well Aunt Mattie, you got me here. Now I know what I have to do. I have to help this little girl and her father.”
Brie held the little girl while she slept. The poor thing looked so worn out. “Don’t worry sweetheart. Help is here.”
“Mattie Mae. Where are you, Mattie?” Brie heard the sound of a woman’s voice. It was Grace Thomas, her new landlady.
“Over here, Grace.” She called softly.
Grace saw Brie holding Mattie Mae and hurried her steps. “Is she alright? What happened?”
“She is fine. She is just sleeping.” Brie leaned back a little so that Grace could see the child.
“The poor thing, she hasn’t slept much since the accident. She is so worried.” Grace kneeled down and brushed the hair off Mattie Mae’s cheek. “What was she doing here?”
“I think she was talking to Mattie Mae Thomas. She was almost asleep when I found her. She called me Aunt Mattie.”
Grace picked up the locket. She gave a sad smile. “I should have known. Mark would come here every day to talk to Mattie. They were twins; my double blessing. They went everywhere together. Mark was always the first to jump but Mattie was never far behind.”
“You still miss her.”
“I do. You never get over losing a child. It all happened so quickly. They were walking down the sidewalk on Main Street. We were going to meet them at McDonalds Bob and I were setting outside watching them come down the street. It was a busy day. Boaters were everywhere. Coming and going to the lake. One minute I am watching my children laughing and playing and the next I see a boat break free from the truck pulling it. Mattie pushed Mark away… and then she was gone.” Grace wiped the tears from her eyes. “I’m sorry. I never intended to…”
“Don’t worry about it Grace. The last few weeks must have brought back a lot of memories.” Brie said gently.
“It has. Watching little Mattie Mae has helped.” Grace smiled down at the child. “She keeps a person busy. It doesn’t give you time to dwell on things.”
Just then the alarm on Brie’s watch beeped. “That’s my cue. I have to get to work. Would you like me to carry her back to your house for you?”
“No thanks. I think I will let her sleep for a while longer. It’s warm here and she needs it.”
Brie laid Mattie Mae’s head on Grace’s lap. On impulse, she bent down and kissed Mattie Mae’s cheek and whispered, “I will see you soon sweetheart. I promise. It's going to be ok.” Then with a smile to Grace she headed off for her first day of work at the hospital.

***


Brie’s first day of work passed quickly. The first half was spent going over the department’s routine and her new list of patients. With the hospital serving a farming community, it was a very small list. One elderly lady just out of hip surgery, two teenagers from an auto accident, a farmer who lost his hand while fixing a baler, and one young mother with a plate in her ankle from roller skating with her children. As a physical therapist in Indianapolis, it wasn’t what she was used to. It was more like a vacation than work. But it was a good feeling. Now she wouldn’t have to rush from appointment to appointment. She could take her time and give them what they needed.
The second part of the day she spent with Mrs. Martin, the hip replacement. “Hello Mrs. Martin. I’m Brie Holland, your new therapist. How are you feeling today?”
“Hello dear.” Mrs. Martin said. “It’s nice to meet you. But if you don’t mind me asking, where is Sally? I thought she had a couple months to go before the baby was due.”
“She is fine. The doctor just wanted her to stay off her feet until after the baby is born. So I will be covering for her for until she is ready to come back. Now, tell me how that hip is doing.” Brie pulled a chair close to the older woman so she could feel the muscles along her hip and leg.
“Well it just doesn’t work like it used too. I thought I would be doing better than this. It still pains me some. Every day around dinner time it starts to swell.”
“Why don’t you tell me you’re routine for a normal day. Maybe we can figure out what is making it swell.
“Well, let’s see. I get up about six and make Frank his