Mirage Will Travel

Sonia’s eyes were starting to go. It’s true.

Very hot and humid that day. That’s true too.

But she didn’t think that would cause what she saw.

She told the orderly.

But he didn’t do anything, just got her more of those plastic sealed cups of apple juice. She preferred cranberry. Why can’t they remember that? Her son was paying “so much money maw” for her to stay in this old people zoo. They can’t remember she hates apple juice. Reminds her of piss.

She popped in her teeth.

Sitting up, she swung her feet over the side, intending to put her feet into her slippers. But she was already wearing her slippers. Sonia quickly looked around, nervous and embarrassed anyone would see this mind slip. When you are young, no one cares about this type of brain fart. But when you are older, everything is a sign of something. She scolded herself for telling the orderly so quickly about the blurry waver of the air.

The only blessing of this place was the view.MohawkBeachlay at the foot of the building, a parking lot and then the gorgeous tan sand, like a layer of clothing the ocean would soon shed to reveal its naked blue skin.

She took a big gulp of sea air and stood up on shaky feet. She could smell industrial breakfast on a squeaky cart flight to the rooms along her hallway. The four steps to the door seemed difficult, but she felt her muscles getting warm, remembering how to move, how to step, how to be.

Sonia peeked out to the left. The breakfast cart was on the other side, a couple doors down. Some blond nurse stepped out of a room up the hall and headed her way. Sonia ducked back in. She moved as fast as she could back to the bed.

Perching on the edge, she folded her hands together subconsciously. Just waiting for my breakfast, she practiced explaining in her head. She willed her foot to stop its impatient tapping. As certain as she knew the end of time, she knew her chance would come.

***

Once outside, Sonia didn’t know what to do. The sunshine was destructively bright to her rheumy eyes. It occurred to her too late that her nightgown was obvious under a weak housecoat.

Once outside, her steps needed to be faster, for it occurred to her too late that someone at the front desk might be suspicious of her going out without her son or an orderly. So many things in life had occurred to her too late, she thought while snorting ironically. The ocean, the salt would save her, suspend her in the air.

What she had seen from her room, what she had admitted to seeing in her room was still happening, like the top and bottom of the TV screen was slowly dying, weakening the definition of sharp sky and sand. “Sometimes your imagination gets away from you, maw.” She never bothered to tell her son that her imagination was long gone. Useless things are the first to go at a fire sale.

“Where you going, Sonia?” A gentleman was seated on the bench outside the front doors. She now discovered she was standing still and breathing heavy. She looked at him, in dressier slacks than most, red suspenders and a baseball hat that said “My Other Car Is A Schooner”. It bothered her less and less when she forgot names.

“To the beach, kind sir!” She exclaimed, and with a new burst of excitement, she took 2 steps to that end.

“Just be careful of the wavering.” He said, then started to light a worn pipe. Sonia felt her chest grow tight. Turning around to look at him, she was surprised at how easily he rose from the bench. His walk was young. His confidence, one boyish in design was still there. He came abreast of her and tucked her arm in his. “We will go together. Something good waits.”

Sonia surprisingly did not hesitate to grow comfortable with the connection of their arms. Further odd, her steps seemed to have grown easier, light.

“I haven’t walked this easy in years.” She said. He looked both ways and they traveled the crosswalk to the beach.

“And you won’t again.” He remarked in a distracted way. The arm linked to hers started to radiate a heat Sonia could only describe as red. Her body drank it in, like a dehydrated blank page.  

“Do you know…” She trailed off, unsure as her toes reached the parking lot. He had been tugging her like a dawdling child. But at her words, he paused. Sonia felt strength she did not know he had as he took her hand and squeezed. His face shoved a nervous smile to center stage. One so genuine, Sonia could not help but look at him as if it were a gift, or something she had worked hard for.

“Yes, Sonia. I do.” Her lip trembled as a cry threatened to wash over her, but she heard the crashing waves and the mournful gulls and did a firm nod to indicate she was ready.

 They walked together. Their shoes remained on the gravel of the parking lot. The sand held no footprints, so Sonia and her companion were never found.