The List

• Emily Mcguiness, Grade 12
• Short Story
• 2019

Patience is a virtue. Ha. I waited. Oh yes I waited, and whatever came of it? I was told to wait my turn, someday it would be me who was important. A likely story. Nothing ever happened, nothing good ever came for me. But maybe, it was for the best.

“Gracie!” A shout. My mother, or sister. I never could tell. “Where on this good earth are you girl?” No definitely mother.
I ran down the small carpeted stairs to the one room ground floor that served as the kitchen, dining, living, craft and board games rooms. It wasn’t big. Certainly not large enough to cater for the nine people who lived there. But we always managed. My brother George was sitting at the five-seater table on the only remaining chair that even remotely matched the suite, looking perplexed at whatever basic maths problem was mocking him. He looked up as I entered.
“Oh Gracie, Mums is looking for you.” His grin was smug. Had he sold me out? Surely not George!
“Thanks, but I heard the trees shaking already. Where is she?”
“Garden.” He returned his gaze to his problem and gestured to the back door.
He poked his tongue out slightly as he attempted to slay the evil equation. I peered over his shoulder for a moment.
“X equals 7.”
His look of confusion made the whole exercise worth it. I skipped to the backdoor, satisfied with my small victory.

I might add that when we say garden, it may require a little more of an explanation really what it is is a small patch of dirt behind our house with two saging rose bushes, which have never succeeded to produce more than thorns. Which I might add, aren’t even that sharp. Behind the roses is a large Eucalyptus tree with a tire swing hanging just lower than I would like it to be. As I said, it’s not much of a garden, but it’s not really much of anyone else’s business, so… I’m just going to drop it.

As George said, my mother was standing, hands on hips, frowning at the dying rose bush. I cleared my throat at the doorway, leaving enough distance for, well anything. She looked up.
“Ah Gracie. There you are. What took you so long? I have been waiting and calling and praying to The Almighty that you wouldn’t dilly-dally you’re way down here. I see my prayers were once again left unanswered.”
“I was just helping George with a maths problem. Sorry I took so long.” I risked taking another step across the invisible threshold into the unknown land of mothers.

No one knew why she insisted on being out here watching her roses die. Nor did we know how she could be so hopeless at keeping them alive. But she did, and we can count it among the mysteries of the universe we will have to ask when we die. I shall add it to my list.