overcome

emotional blow bowed me to rest

my head on the chair back in front of me

i could not stand up without my son

holding me as i sobbed

my Ted had flown in from the Midwest

as a surprise set up with the family

not seeing him for a year

or more at a time

i knew the hunger of longing

but had not realized how the deep

the pining ached until he held me

in his arms

excited or confused

“Are you excited

about this morning’s surprise?”

from hints and slips of the tongue

over the past two weeks

i was confused more than excited

since i’d been led to believe

we were going for high tea

then out to lunch

at the spaghetti factory

but who would want lunch

after eating high tea?

my daughter laughed after parking

around the corner from the senior living center i will be joining

i walked beside her, looking toward her

to answer her questions so i did not look

through the window at my family

waiting in the library

not until we were in the lobby, still wondering what was going on,

did my son appear around the corner

he had flown in from Omaha to surprise

me and inspect the apartment i will

be moving into to complete the family

giving approval and laughter

now the apartment feels like home