True Confessions by Electa Rome Parks

time in over a month.
    I could honestly say that I wasn’t going to try to take my life again. I had prayed about it and asked God for forgiveness and peace. I admit I was still depressed—that didn’t just go away overnight but I realized I did have something to live for. I had a decent life before Drake and I’d survive after him.
    The last few weeks, Mother had pretty much forced me to get up and dressed every single day. We had developed a routine. Some days we went to the park and walked. Other times we sat on the park bench and watched the stay-at-home moms play with their adorable, but active, children. Of course, through it all, she kept me well fed with delicious home-cooked meals and very pampered. In my weakest moments, I dreamt of what Drake and I could have had together. If only he had truly loved me.
    One day, Mother and I took in a matinee and had an early dinner afterward at a popular seafood restaurant. A few days ago, we even dropped by the library and visited some of her old friends that Mother used to work with before she retired.
    “It must be nice to be a lady of leisure, Dorothy,” a gray-haired woman exclaimed. “You look wonderful. Retirement is definitely agreeing with you.”
    “Thank you. I try to stay busy and active,” Mother said, leaning in for a big hug. “I saw some of the others up front. It’s so good to see everybody.”
    “Same here. I’m so happy you dropped by.”
    “Betty, I would like you to meet my daughter, Kennedy.”
    “Well hi, Kennedy.”
    “Hello,” I said.
    “You are such a lovely girl, and I heard so much about you when your mother and I worked together that I feel as if I know you.”
    I smiled.
    “Let me tell you, your mother is so proud of you. When you went off to college that was all she talked about for weeks.”
    I blushed.
    “Goodness, was I that bad?” Mother asked.
    “No, no. We enjoyed hearing of Kennedy’s adventures,” Betty said.
    “Well, I’m not going to stay long. Kennedy and I were in the area and I wanted to stop and say hello to everyone. I’ll call you and maybe we can go out to lunch soon.”
    “That sounds good. You know the number, and my schedule, it hasn’t changed.”
    “I’ll do that,” Mother stated.
    “It was wonderful meeting you, Kennedy. I see now why your mother is so proud of you. You are a lovely young woman. Take care of her and yourself.”
    Some evenings, I would lay my head in her lap and Mother would comb and brush my hair like she did when I was a child. She’d hum a soft tune; I’d close my eyes and enjoy the sensation of the brush gently stroking my hair.
    “I remember how you used to love for me to brush your hair when you were a child,” Mother said. “You’d run to your room in your pj’s and grab your special brush, sprint back into the living room, and lay your head in my lap, just like now. I would start with smooth, even, gentle strokes and would always have to brush at least one hundred times before I could stop. Sometimes you would fall asleep before I finished.”
    “I had a special brush?”
    “You did. It had a gold-plated handle and you called it your princess brush.”
    “That’s funny,” I said, closing my eyes and enjoying the sensation of the strokes.
    “Yeah, those were the days.” Mother laughed, reminiscing about days gone by. “I think your daddy used to get a bit jealous because you never wanted him to brush your hair, only me.”
    She laughed and I took comfort in the memory.
    One night, Mother and I gave each other manicures and pedicures. I could feel my spirit slowly mending and I knew without a doubt I was very loved.
    “No, Mother, you have to trust me,” I said, enjoying the moment.
    “I don’t want to wear pink fingernail polish, Kennedy.”
    “You’ve been wearing that skin-tone, tan polish for as long as I can remember. Try something different tonight. For me.”
    Mother slowly gave me her right hand.
    “I trust you, sweetie. It’s time for me to