Present Day...

The beeping of the heart machine was the only thing grounding me.

It's been days since I returned—days since Mama collapsed in the yard. The neighbors had come and we'd rushed her to the hospital.

The doctor said Mama had suffered a mild stroke. Her blood pressure had spiked, cutting off blood flow to part of her brain.

Mama has been unconscious since then. Every day, I sobbed by her side, hoping for the moment she'd wake up.

Despite the chaos, I kept thinking about the ...