‘’Good morning Jones, It’s been a long time. Haa…that moustache is a surprise. How have you been?’’ Rachel stood at the door with heavy eyes that were deprived of sleep. She had been mom’s caretaker for a very long time. She moved in here when mom’s condition got worse.              

‘’ I am fine and thank you for that appreciation of my moustache. The flight got delayed 4 hours and the journey was exhausting. Even though it’s been a long time, you still look the same’’, I replied with a chuckle.

‘’Enough of that sugar coating. I am already a diabetic. I have prepared you breakfast, freshen up and go to the kitchen. Your room has been made’’, she said laughing. I went upstairs to my room only to find it just the way it was when I had left. The smell of uncle’s perfume in my clothes, Beatles posters, my first headphones, dad’s watch, music tapes and everything. Looking at them, I realized that 10 years is such a long time to be away from home. The moment was disrupted with the growling of my stomach. A traditional English breakfast from home….it has a different taste, a different feeling. As I gulped down the coffee, I could feel it going down into my heart, into chambers I had locked up.‘’ Suzanne has woken up. You can go and meet her, Jones.’’

I finished up and rushed to her room. A thin, pale white figure with grey hair swinging in the wind, mom was staring out at the ever lively city. ‘’Hi mom, I came a little time ago. You were sleeping so I didn’t want to wake you up.’’ She turned her view from the window to my face. She wasn’t smiling. Her face was blank, devoid of any emotions, ‘’ who are you?’’

I was speechless. I turned around and walked back to my room while mom was staring at me. My mom…the bold, beautiful and fun person I knew. When doctors said that she couldn’t remember events from her life due to Alzheimer’s, I didn’t imagine this. I didn’t imagine the fact that she would forget me. Did she remember anything about me? About dad? About herself? Did she forget everything? Drops part from my eyes. Something is paining deep inside. It is just a prick but causes numbness. A pain that doesn’t go away but instead keeps on increasing. My heart swells with the heaviness of the truth. I was startled with the knock on the door.

‘’ I am sorry, Jones. Suzanne’s condition is like this for years. You are unaware about this because you haven’t been here for a long time. Despite being with her 24/7 she doesn’t remember my name or who I am. Yesterday night she was wide awake and walking around the house asking ‘where am I? I want to go to my home.’ You have to accept this, Jones.’’ She walked away and I locked the door. I didn’t want to see my mom like that. It hurts, really hurts.

‘’ Mom, I am your eldest son Jones. You have three children—Mark, Jones and Vivian.’’ I said looking at her pale, wrinkled face. ‘’ Oh ok. Why are you here?’’

‘’I came to stay with you. From now on I will be there with you.’’ I replied holding her shrivelled hands. Her eyes were searching for me in the depths of her brain. Mom used to love watching FRIENDS. She used to come home early from work some days just to watch the sitcom. We all would be sitting in the living room, our eyes glued on TV and enjoying our hearts out. No one tells you how precious those small moments are until one day you come to the realization that those were the best days of your lives.

‘’ Mom, remember FRIENDS. Chandler and Joey. We are going to watch it’’ She stares at the screen while I was setting up her medicines. She can’t remember what that black machine playing her once favourite friends is. I sat close to mom, her warm hands wrapped in mine. She stares without any expression at the screen and suddenly when joey enters wearing Chandler’s clothes, there is a life on her face. She didn’t forget Joey. She didn't forget everything. An air of relief flushed my veins.

‘’ This is dad. His name is Marshall. He used to work as a journalist. Remember him?’’ The family album was open and we were revisiting the old days. ‘’Honey! Where’s honey? I have a date with him at Crazy Buns. I will get ready now. He will come anytime.’’ My heart was shattered. ‘No mom, he won’t. Dad died 15 years back.’

I gave a hug and said ‘’Mom, dad will come. You can get ready.’’