Page 29 of His Sacrifice

“Would you mind if I sit with you?” I asked, my voice steady even though my emotions were anything but.

She smiled and nodded to the chair across from her. “Go right ahead. Your handsome husband can sit with you, too. I’m Kim, by the way.”

I glanced at Creed and silently prayed that he wouldn’t correct her. “I’m Jada, and this is Creed. Thank you for letting us sit with you.” The best thing to do was just go with whatever she said. Not like she would remember anything the next time I visited.

I sat down, and Creed did too.

“That looks like a bouquet of flowers, Kim,” Creed observed, leaning forward with genuine interest. “I like it.”

Kim smiled proudly. “Thank you. I like to use all the purple I can find.”

“Purple is my favorite color,” I said with a smile, trying not to add that I told her that every time I visited.

“Mine too,” she gasped. “We should be friends.”

I nodded, unable to hold back a sniffle. “I would like that.”

Creed’s warm hand rested on my thigh, and he squeezed gently. I should have told him what we were walking into. It wasn’t fair to throw him into something he knew nothing about, but it was hard for me to talk about it.

I leaned slightly into Creed and continued watching Kim cut out different shapes and glue them onto the paper. She hummed softly to herself, seemingly lost in the simple joy of her activity.

“Jada,” Creed whispered, his voice filled with tenderness.

I glanced at him, my eyes glazed over with tears. “It’s okay,” I whispered back. I had come to grips with this a long time ago. It was still hard, but I knew Kim was happy, which was all that mattered.

Creed and I sat there for a while, just watching Kim work. The room was filled with a quiet, comforting energy. Despite the situation, there was a certain peace in just being there with her, even if she didn’t remember who I was.

“Do you come here often?” Kim asked suddenly, looking up from her project.

“Yes,” I replied, my voice soft. “I visit whenever I can.”

“That’s nice,” she said, nodding. “It’s good to have visitors.”

“It is,” Creed agreed, his hand still resting on my thigh. “And it’s nice to meet new friends.”

Kim beamed at him, her face lighting up with joy. “Yes, it is. Thank you for sitting with me.”

“Thank you for having us,” I said, my heart aching with both love and sorrow.

Kim went back to her cutting and gluing, and I leaned back in my chair, trying to absorb the moment. This was my mom, even if she didn’t know it. This was the woman who had raised me, loved me, and cared for me. And now, in this strange, reversed world, I was the one watching over her.

“Do you want to help?” Kim asked, holding out a pair of scissors to Creed.

“I’d love to,” he replied, taking the scissors and starting to cut out shapes from the colored paper. They worked together, creating a colorful collage that slowly took shape on the table in front of us.

As I watched them, a sense of gratitude washed over me. Despite everything, I still had these moments. Moments where I could see my mom happy and engaged, even if she didn’t know who I was.

“You’re really good at this,” Kim said to Creed, her eyes twinkling with admiration.

“Thank you, Kim,” Creed replied, smiling. “I had a good teacher.”

Kim laughed, a light, airy sound that filled the room. “You’re funny,” she said, patting his hand. “We should all be friends.”

“We are friends,” I said, my voice breaking slightly. “We are.”

We continued to sit with Kim, working on the collage and chatting about nothing in particular. It was a simple, peaceful time, and I cherished every second of it.

Eventually, it was time to go. Kim looked up, slightly confused but still smiling. “Are you leaving already?”

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