by J. M. Cornwell

Created on: July 13, 2007

The Late Esther Sherwood

My mother-in-law was always late. Something always seemed to happen: a slip strap broke and had to be pinned, the hem of her skirt or pants unraveled, the heel of her shoe broke, or something equally drastic occurred, like spilling coffee, tea, or food down the front of her blouse. It never failed. She was accident prone, but only when it was time to go somewhere. When Esther was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and undergoing chemotherapy, she was even late for her treatments.

"You'll be late to your own funeral," my father-in-law, Bill said with a wink and a smile, but Esther's habitual lateness wore down everyone's nerves and patience.

"I'll get there when I get there," Esther said as she took her time getting ready to go. "The Lord gives us plenty of time." She smiled and patted Bill's arm. "Plenty of time."

"There's not enough time in the Lord's day for you. You always try to get a little more," Bill said as he kissed his wife.

There was never any argument just the calm give and take of a well worn discussion that no one ever won, no one but Esther. She always had the last word - with a little help.

Bill couldn't handle even a little pepper. He couldn't taste it, but he felt it. Over the years, Esther had determined exactly how much pepper it took to send him running to the bathroom moaning, as it did its fiery work. The moments passed with Bill in the bathroom and Esther quietly smiling while she did the dishes. Life went on in this way until they found out Esther had cancer.

Esther was determined not to let it change her or her life. Bill tiptoed around the house and Esther until she peppered his food one night. He ran to the bathroom moaning and holding his stomach while Esther placidly cleared the table and did the dishes. My husband, Nick, and his brother, Larry, snickered, forgetting their fear and grief as their father raced up the stairs.

"Don't you two have something better to do? Take out the trash? Get ready for work tomorrow?" Esther jiggled the pepper mill in her hand.

Nick and Larry beat a hasty retreat, Larry to the garbage and Nick to his room to lay out his work clothes. Neither of them wanted to be present for the confrontation they knew was coming.

When Bill came back down the stairs Esther was putting the dried dishes into the cabinet. He watched her from the doorway as she moved about the kitchen, occasionally stopping to catch her breath from the pain. She closed the cabinet doors and picked up the broom from the basement

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