Millie is about 80 years old. She has two children, and is a widow. In her prime she was a pediatric nurse. She loved children very much. 9 years ago she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Five years ago she forgot who everyone was. Now she lives in a nursing home; gets visited often by her daughter, and her son.
I will never forget the first time I met her.
She has the whitest hair, and the most beautiful face. Her skin is as thin as paper; so she is very easily bruised, or cut. In fact, she had a bandaid on her right arm, and a bandage around her leg due to her cuts. In her arms she was holding a life like baby doll. It was a boy, and his name was Benjamin. As she sat in her wheel chair, she was patting his back, and taking breaks to give him a kiss on his cheek. Benjamin is the name of her son. She remembers his name.. And cherishes the baby doll as though it is real.
She was on my books for a facial, manicure, and pedicure.
Janet wheeled her into the facial room, and told me that she would not be able to lay down on the bed. I told her it was not a problem. Janet told me she would stay in the room during the facial. She explained to me what her mother had, and that she has to be constantly reminded where she was, and what she was doing. Sadly Millie didn't remember who Janet was.
Millie held Janet's hand, then rested her head back, and I proceeded to clean her face. I dipped my sponges in warm water, and glided them across her soft beautiful skin. She didn't have a wrinkle on her. I proceeded with the facial, and she began to drift away into a relaxing state.
When the facial was about half way over, Janet leaned close to her mother and said the most beautiful things I would never forget.
"You are very loved."
Millie nodded at this. I am not sure whether or not she even knew what Janet was really saying. Janet proceeded to kiss her mother on her forehead.
I couldn't help but choke. I turned back to my bowl of warm water and screamed at myself inside to hold it together. The truth is, I have never seen something so personal.. so moving by a stranger. I felt like they were in their own little world together, and I was invited into Millie's world to witness this love.
After the facial was over, we started on the pedicure. During it, Millie looked at me, smiled, and said "This feels very nice". Janet told me that Millie hardly talks. She will say "yes, certainly" or "this/that is very nice". Most of the time she looks at you in a soft stare. Some of the time she will nod at you when you talk.
During the pedicure Janet took out a fish sandwich and fries, and fed it to her mother.
When I started her manicure, I clipped her nails shorter, than painted them with a clear polish. During her manicure I gave her a hand massage. Benjamin layed on the table next to us, and Janet was near always to talk to her mother, tell her how much she is loved... how beautiful she is. She even reminisced with her mother about the time Millie was at her beach house, running up and down the beach with her grandson. She told a story about how Millie and him were playing Frisbee, and the wind took hold of the Frisbee and it went lost at sea.
Janet lives states away, and flies in every month. She takes Millie for her spa day, spends a weekend with her, and gets back to the west coast. She has been taking her to my salon every month for 5 years.
Janet ended up getting a manicure too, by someone else.
Millie kept jumping while I clipped her nails. I dont think she liked it much. during her hand massage there were a few times that she gripped my hand, and held it. Almost letting me know how much she appreciated my time with her. After the manicure Millie fell asleep.
Janet went and got a facial while I sat with Millie. When Millie woke up I got magazines, and began to read them to her. We read all the new smut, read how to dress for fall, and how to decorate a small bedroom to make it big. Millie never said anything. She nodded, and smiled.
Millie had another appointment with another stylist in the salon. She was getting a perm. While they were waiting, I couldn't help but stare at the bond between Millie and Janet. Janet was so persistent on letting her mother know how much she was loved. It was almost as if she was savoring every single second with her mother, as it would be her last. She has been this committed for 5 years now. When I told her how good of a daughter she has been, and how her love really shows, she responded
"I do this for my mother, becuase she was the greatest woman I have ever known. She would do the same for me and more."
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