Filling an Empty Chair
As I got things ready for our mother’s day dinner I could not help but be reminded of the last three mother’s day reunions. Each year it was the same thing, John and his wife Sally would stop by with our two lovely grand-children, Lisa and Jason. My other child Sherry would also stop by and bring her enjoyable homemade apple pie.
For the last three years at this special time my husband and I with all the family would sit around the table to feast and celebrate. But every year over to the left was that empty chair, Heather’s place. I could not help but question how she was doing these days, hoping she was okay, praying she was still alive.
A Mother’s Worst Nightmare
It was three years ago that Heather did not show up for the first time at Mother’s day dinner. No one knew where she was that year. Later we found out she was living on the streets and prostituting herself for drugs. A mother’s worst fear, the loss of one of her children. I blamed myself, my husband, her school teachers, her friends but could not blame her, she was my baby.
Than the second year she did not show up that was the worst, she had gotten some real bad stuff and was found convulsing in a bathroom of a dingy bar down on the eastside and rushed to the ER. We were all at the hospital and praying for her to get better. She promised to quit and go to rehab, I was so proud of her.
Putting up a Good Front
Yet my hopes of having my daughter back were crushed when I found out last December that she had relapsed and left the province with some guy. Nobody knew who he was or why she left with him. None of us have heard from her since.
So here I sit, looking at my husband smiling and my other two children joking together and my wonderful grand-children filling their faces with their aunt’s apple pie, wondering if my little baby, Heather is alive and okay. Of course I can only suppress the tears of worry so as not to spoil today’s festivities.
Mustering Courage
As I muster the courage to be the mother’s day mom; the doorbell rings and my husband goes to the door. My worst fear creeps up and I do all I can not to show my weakness to the others. I don’t want to know it was the police at the door; I don’t want to know she is back in the ER, I am afraid but my instinct is telling me to find out.
As I turn to go towards to the entrance, I cannot believe my eyes; there in the entrance is a beautiful young lady with a lovely complexion, long wavy auburn hair and blue crystal clear eyes with a smile to light up Las Vegas; “Happy Mother’s day mom”
Happy Ending for a Family
This account is all too true for so many families. According to reports, the “guy” she left with was an addictions counsellor who took it upon himself to help this young girl. He saw the potential and was able to get a full and stable recovery. Though it happened over 10 years past; she is still very sober today.
This is what addiction counsellors do for a living, take the dying and breathe life into them again. Support your local drug rehab or call the drug rehab expert if you need to fill an empty chair in your house.