Snow-woman

Christopher’s care house

Eastern US

Laurie was looking out the window with a half knitted sweater in hand.

Her family had planned to visit her that weekend but the sudden snowstorm had caught everyone unawares. The bright but depressing weather was not helping the cause.

The throat cancer she was diagnosed a few years ago had worsened and she wanted to spend the last few days of her life with the family.

As dawn paved way to a light sunny afternoon, she heard footsteps from the adjacent room as the doors were ajar. Connie’s family had come to visit her a few days back but could not leave as the blizzard broke everyone’s travel plans. Snow piled up for more than 3 ft. and travel in those conditions was impossible.

The visitors had invited themselves to an unplanned holiday. The workaholic husband was disappointed he would be away from work, and the homemaker wife was upset that she would have to be away from their recently bought house. But the children were happy to spend time with their grandmother.

The storm lasted for two days and the mild reprieve they got made the kids venture out to build their favourite snow men and women.

Wearing ski gloves and boots, they went out and started building the white figures. Ron built a snow-man that resembled the famous Hulk character. Lisa settled for the traditional snow-woman with forks and spoons becoming limbs, and carrots and grapes forming facial parts.

Lisa looked at Laurie through the window and smiled. She smiled back and gestured to her that her creation was better than Ron’s. Lisa’s happiness skyrocketed and she ran towards her mother to share the joy.

Laurie sat in the same position for the next two days for any movement she made caused more pain to her already ailing body. The gruelling pain and sadness of not being able to see her loved ones made the cancerous throat dry. Tears trickled down from her eyes and moistened the wrinkled chins.

Her only solace and companion was the snow-woman Lisa had built.

As the weather improved and the sun shone, the snow-woman started to melt and so did the lady watching her.

Written by

Navin Radha