Chapter 4

The door of the hospital opened and Steve walked in rolling in an older woman in a wheelchair. The woman was an exact replica of Tina but much older. Tina recognized her from the picture that it was her mother Lydia Kennard.

"Sweetling," Steve said smiling, "we’ve sent Bette home, she was asleep on her feet poor thing."

"Thanks I’ve been trying to convince her," Tina said softly. She looked at Lydia and said, "you’re my mother?"

Lydia nodded as tears spilled from her eyes, "oh Tina."

"Now Leelee you promised you wouldn’t get agitated," Steve said.

"She looks so hurt," Lydia said crying.

"Please lee you know you’re weak," Steve said.

"Yes please listen to him, I don’t wanna be responsible for pain," Tina said.

"Oh Tina you are so loving and sweet, I’m so glad you didn’t forget that," Lydia breathed.

"Oh I wish I could remember you," Tina said crying.

Lydia grabbed her hand weakly, it was trembling ferociously.

"Lydia I think we should go," Steve said.

"Wait I wanna give her something," Lydia said weakly reaching for her bag.

"Okay then we’re leaving," Steve said.

Tina’s brow furrowed and her eyes clenched shut.

"Tina sweetling are you alright?" Steve said.

"Mommy," Tina whispered.

"What?" Lydia said meekly.

"I r-remember," Tina said, "you used to take me shopping all the time."

"Yes!" Lydia said excitedly.

"Then after I had Angie you took us both, and sometimes Bette too," Tina said.

"Yes! You remember!" Lydia sobbed kissing Tina’s hand.

"What else do you remember sweetling?" Steve said gently caressing Tina’s hair.

Tina’s brow furrowed and she grunted in frustration, "nothing else."

"It’s okay, it’ll come to you," Steve said.

The smile on Lydia’s face couldn’t have gotten any wider. She was just so happy that Tina remembered her, even if it was just one simple memory.

She opened her bag and handed Tina a locket. "You left this last week when you, Bette, Angie, and Johnathan stayed over," Lydia said, "I want you to remember where it came from."

Tina took the locket and watched it. It had a sense of familiarity but she couldn’t pinpoint it.

"Well dear we’ll let you sleep," Steve said kissing Tina’s brow, "Leelee is tired and you’re gonna be going home tomorrow morning."