A rendezvous with Rosie

He could also become maudlin and sentimental on these visits to Rosie. He wondered what his wife would have made of all this. She had never accompanied him on any of his visits to Rosie. She was dead now as well. Jack then realised that his wife had never met Rosie. It made him sad to think that two people who were such an enormous part of his life were total and complete strangers.

Jack was tired from feeling so sad all the time. He thought back to the days before Rosie left the family.

"Do you remember the trips with the grandma and grandma to the seaside when we were children?"

Rosie didn't respond.

"Do you remember when Daddy would come home from a business trip and bring us all those wonderful presents?"

Once again Rosie failed to respond.

For a moment he realised that conducting a conversation like this was futile. He then paused for thought and remembered how his mother had once said that even though she might not display any visible emotion there was every chance that she could understand what was being said. Somewhere in the inner recess of her mind all these events were as current and relevant as if they had occurred only yesterday. Jack felt comforted by this knowledge.

He also felt disturbed by something else his mother had revealed to him in confidence many years ago. It pained him to remember the conversation.

"You know that Rosie's operation represents a line of demarcation don't you?" His mother spoke.

"What do you mean?" Jack responded

"Up until your father took that fateful decision to have that operation performed on Rosie, this family was blessed. We had the world at our feet didn't we?"

Jack was surprised at the anger pouring forth from his mother.

"I suppose we did, but we still have been incredibly successful" he retorted.

"Yes, but at what price? Look at what has happened ever since that operation. Look at all the children I have outlived, all of whom have died in tragic circumstances. Look at all my grandchildren who have died in tragic circumstances. Don't you realise there is a curse on this family. I believe this is God's retribution for what your father allowed to happen to Rosie. He let ambition get in the way of the needs of his daughter"

Jack was horrified. By this revelation. It wasn't just the venomous tones of his mother that upset him. It disturbed him that in an irrational way that there was a semblance of truth in what his mother was saying.

He looked at Rosie again. She was still sitting contentedly. Was she aware that a curse hung over the fortunes of his family?

A moment later a nurse returned to take Rosie back inside. None of the nurses ever spoke to Jack. He was used to this and took no offence from their silence. He gave Rosie a gentle hug and promised to return again the following Friday. She smiled at him as she was wheeled away.

***

Inside the nursing home the director of the nursing home was showing around a new nurse. Outside it was raining. The new nurse was rather bemused to see one of the patients coming back from the garden. The patient was soaking wet.

"Isn't that rather strange to allow one of the patients to go outside during a thunderstorm?" the nurse asked.

"Normally I would say yes. However this is a rather strange situation. Do you recognise who that woman is?" The director of nursing questioned her new member of staff.

"I have no idea" the nurse replied.

"That woman in the wheelchair is Rosemary Kennedy, sister of the late John F Kennedy, former President of the United States"

The younger nurse looked aghast. The older nurse continued.

"Every Friday we take her out to the garden be it rain hail or shine. She's convinced that her brother comes to visit her. The family insist that we comply with her wishes"

The younger nurse was taken aback slightly upon hearing this news. At precisely the same moment Rosie was wheeled past and acknowledged the new nurse with a shy grin.