The letter and the song

  

Dear Ms Ramsey, 
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Arter College. Your outstanding academic performance has resulted in the award of the Bentley Scholarship. This scholarship will enable you, as a coed, to attend classes at our prestigious school...

Ramona's eyes scanned the paper again and again. She could not believe it! She had been accepted to a coed college. Not only had she been accepted, but she had received a scholarship from the school. All this was far more than she had ever hope for when she applied. In truth she had not even thought she would get in. A smile was beginning to form across her face, but it would not last long.

"Mony" a shrill voice yanked Ramona out of her triumph and brought her straight back to reality.
"Coming mother!"
She folded up the letter and placed it in her pocket so she could look at it again later. Ramona climbed the oak stairs that lead to the second level of her home. The second floor was for the family, guests rarely ascended the stairs. Only family and William were allowed up here. This floor was not as decorative as the first. There was a long carpet that ran the length of the hall to each room. She made her way passed her own chamber, and the deserted one of her brother's towards her mother's door. She knocked and opened the door, not waiting for a response.

"You called for me Mama?" she asked looking around the room. As long as she could remember her mother's chamber had been covered in bright green fabric, her mother's favorite color. The carpet was an even darker green with a cream flower design spinning around it. The room was bright, with the back windows drawing in the light from outside. Ramona looked at the bed first, which was near the door, to the rear right corner in the room, and it was there she  found the rooms occupant. Her mother was laying on her chaise lounge, in nothing but her undergarments and a bright yellow dressing gown. Her red hair  tumbled passed her shoulders in unbecoming knots, making an interesting contrast to the yellow of her gown. She was holding a brush in her hand, and looked with childish confusion up at her daughter.
"Mony my hair..."
"You need some help Mama?"
Her mother nodded, and looked down at her lap. Ramona noticed that clumps of her mothers hair were now stuck in the brush. She had to force down the hot, salty tears that had risen at the sight of this.
"Here, let me" She said in the kindest voice she could muster. Ramona sat behind her mother and began gently combing her hair. It was as if their roles had been reversed. Not to long ago, her mother had brushed knots from Ramona's hair. She could remember her mother's soft hands smoothing out her messy mop. Now Ramona was playing parent to her mother. How things had changed. All she hoped was that William could find a way to cure mama soon.

After a while, her mother's hair was smooth enough for Ramon to braid it. When she had finished Ramona moved to get up, but her mother took her hand and looked up at her daughter. There was not much difference in their appearances. Ramona had her mother's dark red hair, so dark it was almost brown. Both their complexions were pale, like peaches and creme. Everything about their faces was identical, except for the eyes, Ramona had her father's hazel eyes, where her mother had dark blue. Mrs. Ramsey had been a great beauty, but now her red hair was streaked with grey, and her once bright eyes look dull. Age was making it's way, prematurely, across her face and Ramona's heart ached at the sight of it.
"Mony"
"Yes mama?" Ramona said, staring deep into her mother's face.
"You have grown up so much, I don't know when you left childhood and became a woman."
Ramona smiled weakly, trying to choke back rising tears. Rarely did her mother have good days like this.
"Mama," she said "would you like for me to play my violin for you?"
Her mother's eyes sparkled with delight as she said this "oh yes dear, please"
"I will be right back." Ramona said, squeezing her mother's hand as she left the room.
She ran down the stairs to the parlor, where her violin was kept. She found the dark black case and unlatched it. There it sat in dark red velvet. The spruce and maple wood blended together to make a beautiful glow of colors. Ramona picked it up and began to tune it. She had not played in ages because William had told her it would be bad for her mother's health, but right now she knew that this was what her mother needed. She raced upstairs to her mother;s room and found her still sitting in the same place as before, now smiling.
"What would you like me to play for you Mama?"
Her mother thought a moment, then smiling, she said "The autumn waltz."
Ramona could not help smiling back. She lifted the violin under her chin, touched the bow to the strings, and began to play.  The vibrations from her instrument filled the air with beautiful sound, sending chills down her body. Her fingers moved, well practiced, as if she had never stopped playing. Tears of joy, and sorrow were falling down her face, but she did not care. All she could see was her mother, sitting before her. Nothing in the world mattered. Not William's orders, Jeremy's death, nor the letter that was folded in her pocket. All that mattered was that she had her mother back, and she was going to hold on to this moment until it flew away like smoke in the wind.