Dinner

“Can somebody please bring Nan upstairs, were getting ready to give out dinner!” Kris yelled out to her husband in frustration. “It’s hot as hell up here and I’ve been cooking all damn day!” Pete ran downstairs to get his wife to shut up and stop whining.
“How’s Nan doing?” Kris’ sister, Denise asked.
“You can ask her yourself when they bring her up here to eat.”

“Hey ma, how are ya?
“How does it look like I’m doing?” Nan whispered back in disgust. “Stuck in a wheelchair with no goddamn appetite.”
Nan had been sick for awhile now, and it only made her bitter, and depressing to be around.
“Are you in pain?”
“I’m always in pain, today my stomach is giving me trouble”
“Can I get you anything”
“No, but can you open up a damn window? I’m sweating up a storm in here.”
“Sure, ma.”

Nan didn't look like herself anymore. A hundred pounds lighter and balding. Nan didn't speak unless spoken to, unable to muster up enough energy to speak freely. She didn't like the fact that she had no hair left, usually wearing a wig. Instead, today, she wore a bright pink hate with little diamonds embroidered around the seams. She wore it because it made her feel pretty.

“Sit down, its time to eat. Denise, can you roll Nan into the kitchen so she can eat with us?” Kris asked in an ill-mannered tone.

Kris handed out plates of lasagna that Denise had brought over for dinner. Five beautifully sheeted layers of pasta, chop meat and cheese.

“Ma, you want some wine?” Denise asked. “It’s white, you love white wine.”
“Not really”
“C’mon, a little won’t hurt ya.”
“Fine then.”
Denise poured about a fourth of a cup of wine, and a couple ice cubes to water it down a bit.
“Its good, but it makes my stomach upset.
“Ma, you barely touched your food, are you feeling okay?” Kris asked. “Denise, can you rub her back a bit?

“You got any lotion, Kris?” Asked Denise.
“I got a whole collection of lotion down in my apartment” Nan butted in. “Can you take me down there, I’d rather be sitting in my own chair anyway.”

Nan had a special chair she enjoyed sitting in down in her apartment. It made her feel comfortable, and was the only thing that really soothed the pains she had throughout the day.

“In a little bit Ma, were about to eat again.”
“But Denise, she barely ate the food we gave her before!” Kris stated angrily.
“She needs to eat Kris, look at her! She's so thin and frail.”
“You can’t force her to eat when she don’t wanna Denise.”

“Okay then, Mom, just have a little bit.” Denise politely asked.
“Just put it on the plate, I’ll try and eat it.” Nan said.

Over the back chatter of the Giants-Redskins game that was playing on the T.V. in the other room, Nan could hear the puppies excitedly barking to be let out of their cages. They could smell the food being prepared and wanted to stretch their legs a bit.

“Can I see the puppies?” Nan asked Kris.
“Sure ma, I’ll let em out, they probably gotta use the bathroom anyway.”

The puppies bolted into the other room, one using the pee pad, but the bigger and older puppy went up to Nan and started sniffing around her.

“She’s so soft and lovable” Nan said as the puppy tried to jump up and give her puppy kisses. “I wish I could still move around like that… Do you think I could go back downstairs now? I’m feeling kinda tired.”

“Sure Ma. Pete can you take Nan back downstairs!”
“Already on it! Shut it!” Pete yelled back.

“You know she's only getting worse, right Denise? It could be any day now.”
“Yes I know, lets hope she can just make it through the end of the year. Y’know, the holidays being around and all. God willing.”