Gravity | ONC 2023

Chapter 6

Alice

Mom loves Eloise. It's not surprising. Eloise is very likable. And since Mom is also a numbers person - has been an accountant for twenty years - they have a lot to talk about. I'm the black sheep in the family, always drawn more to music and drawing and dancing. I guess I'm not the black sheep. I'm like my dad. But since he left when I was a baby and has never tried to reconnect, I only have the very few stories Mom's told me about his many failed music ventures to go off of.

Eloise answers all the questions that Peter asked her not ten minutes ago, all while smiling and keeping her eyes very purposefully on Mom's face. She's done a good job of masking the fact that she nearly passed out when we first came in. She hasn't looked at the machines since, even when one started beeping erratically and a nurse came in to check it. I can't tell if it's because she hasn't spent much time in hospitals, or she's spent too much time.

I'm starting to think it's the second. And I'm not sure how to bring it up without making her uncomfortable. There's obviously a reason why she hasn't said something yet. You know, other than we've only known each other for a few hours.

Mom starts yawning and trying to cover it. So, when there's a pause in the conversation, I say, "Why don't you get some rest, Mom? It's been a long night."

"Yes, you're probably right. As long as you promise I'll be seeing Eloise again." She smiles at Eloise, who smiles back.

"Definitely," she says. And then she turns to me. "If that's...ok."

"Of course." If that means I'll be seeing her again, I'm all for it.

Peter clasps his hands in front of him. "Well, I'm going to stay the night with Mom here -"

"You don't have to do that, Pete," Mom says.

But Peter ignores her. "But will you stop by her apartment and feed Jack? And make sure it's all ready for her to go home tomorrow?"

"Yeah," I say. "I might come back and stay, too, though."

"Oh, Al, no," Mom says. I ignore her, too.

"Well, I get the chair," Peter says, pointing at the clunky fold out in the corner. "So, you'll have to figure something else out."

I shrug. "I'll stay in the waiting room."

"This is ridiculous. Sleep in your own beds," Mom insists.

"Ok. And I already talked to my boss," Peter says. "He's going to let me come to the conference a day late. So, I'll be around all day to help get her home and all that."

"Am I invisible?" Mom asks, directing the question to Eloise, who's hiding a smile.

"No, you're very much not invisible, Mom," I say. "But you won't change our minds. You know that." I lean down and press a kiss to her forehead. "I'll be back later."

Mom reaches for Eloise, and she leans over the side of the bed to give her a hug. "It was lovely to meet you, Eloise."

Eloise doesn't say anything. She just squeezes Mom harder before letting go. We say our goodbyes, and I lead the way out of the room.

Eloise jogs a few steps to catch up. "Your mom is so sweet."

"I know," I say. "I'm really lucky."

I still don't know how I missed it. How did I think she was totally fine all day, and then this happened? I was probably too busy pining after Danielle and reminiscing about all the times we used to hang out just the three of us and how that doesn't happen enough anymore.

Eloise is quiet until we're in the elevator. "So, I assume Jack is a cat. Or a dog. Because if we're going to go to her apartment to feed a human, I'm going to have some questions."