"This is what you call...payback"

There is a time in Michigan that I think about often as a surefire way to make me smile.

Most nights, as my dad readied himself for bed, I would help tuck my mom in, starting with helping her swing her legs over and then scoot, scoot, scoot away from the edge of the bed. We had a system where she'd use the foot rest as a pushing board as I held it in place. More times than not, she'd swing over and settle into an awkward resting place as if being jack-knifed at the waist, resting no where near her pillow or the head of the bed, and flirting precariously with the edge of the bed as if it was EXACTLY where she meant to be and wouldn't change it any other way. After some convincing and lots of laughing, we'd finally compromise with a place at least 6 inches from the edge and something relatively straight. One night, no amount of coaching in the world from me or dad would make her fatigued body move. Finally, I stood over her on the bed so that I could get a better angle for moving her shoulders and hips, but not before saying, "since when did you become mute, mama" (we say mama when we're being silly or a wiseass and it always makes her smile). She had not been talking and finally broke the silence with a laugh. (Little did we know at the time, she was likely developing the blood infection...hence the sheer fatigue).

But, back to the night I like to recall. I was repositioning my mom, grabbing her pillow that rested two feet above her head to place under her head and shoulders (which were somewhere in the middle of the bed rather than near the headboard). Dad hopped in bed, his reddish face and disheveled silver hair contrasting beautifully with the white linens. I drew the comforter up for him. Within an instant, he reached for mom's hand, eyes closed, feeling around until he found her, and they held hands. I couldn't help but smile and take a mental snapshot of that image, hoping never to forget how tender and loving that moment was---a daughter tucking her parents into bed; a husband and wife holding hands.

Over a grin, he said "isn't it nice to have a daughter who can tuck us into bed". We laughed and he said "this is what you call, payback".

~E