Free Next Door Neighbors by Frances Hoelsema Page A

beverages in a tiny, quaint coffee shop sounded divine.
                  Upon entering The Coffee Cove, Jill immediately spotted her mom who was seated at a two-person booth just beyond the bar. Jill’s mom frantically waved her daughter over to where she was seated, and Jill raced over to her, a huge smile on her face.
                  “Mom!”
                  The two of them gave a big hug before taking a seat.
                  “How are you, Jill?”
                  “I’m good. Boy, I’ve missed you!”
                  “I missed you too. I still say you need to come back home.”
                  “My life is here, mom. Otherwise I would!”
                  “I know. I know.”
                  A short teen-age waitress stopped by the table and asked what they wanted. After ordering, Jill’s mom offered to pay for both. The waitress quickly scribbled down their requests and then walked off.
                  “You don’t have to do that, mom,” Jill stated.
                  “I know, but I want to.”
                  “Well, thank you.”
                  “You’re welcome, sweetie.” Jill’s mom smiled at her, the same smile that she offered Jill so many times. Jill was her one and only child, and all through life, all that each of them had was each other. This smile let Jill know of her love and admiration, and it made Jill feel like the most special girl in the world. She treasured her mom’s smiles.
                  Quickly jumping into catch-up talk, Jill’s mom asked, “So what’s new with you?”
                  “What’s not new is more like the question you should be asking,” Jill corrected.
                  “Oh really? We’ve been apart that long, huh?”
                  “We have!” Jill teasingly started, but then added, “But, yeah, I’ve been working extra hours at the hospital, and do you remember my neighbor, Elena? You know, the one I worked with and who helped me out after the whole Mark deal?”
                  “Oh, yeah, yeah. How’s she doing?” her mother asked sincerely, leaning forward.
                  Jill could sense how much her mom cared, and appreciated her for it. “Well, she has what’s called fibromyalgia. I’m not sure if you really know what that is. Do you?”
                  “Uh unh,” Jill’s mom shook her head.
                  The young waitress stopped by the table and placed their drinks in front of them. “Thank you,” they both said simultaneously.
                  As Jill’s mom tasted a sip, Jill continued, “Fibromyalgia is an invisible disease.”
                  “Invisible disease?” Jill’s mom asked, confused.
                  “You know, a disease where the person aches internally, but on the outside they might look and try to act perfectly normal,” Jill explained, adding, “To the extent some people don’t believe they’re really suffering.”
                  Jill tried her salted caramel hot chocolate. “Oooh, that’s good,” she sighed.
                  “So what exactly are her symptoms?” Jill’s mom curiously questioned.
                  “Elena has a lot of physical pain. Not all days, but most. On her good days she is able to do pretty much anything a normal person can do. However, if she overdoes it, she’ll pay for it the next day. So, needless to say, she’s got to plan out each day carefully.”
                  “I see.”
                  Jill continued, “And then there’s the mental aspect of it. Her mind gets foggy; she forgets things easily.”
                  Both women took another sip of their respective drink.