[ WP ] An elderly person with dementia has one last moment of complete clarity .

`` I knew your mother.'' 
 
 The girl in the pink outfit looked at me and smiled. She was so pretty, just like her mother. She was bent over the side of the bed, pulling the bedspread up and tucking it under the pillow. 
 
 I felt a chill, and pulled my blanket over my legs. I was sitting in a wheel chair, and felt exhausted. The girl stood up straight and came over, placing a hand on my shoulder. 
 
 `` You did, huh?'' she asked. 
 
 `` I did,'' I answered. I felt nervous, like I should say more. I never liked awkward silence. 
 
 `` Yes,'' I continued. `` Your mother and my mother...'' Odd. Now my memory was failing me. Was it last week or... 
 
 `` Your mother and my mother used to work down at the... at the factory...'' I trailed off. I looked down at the blanket in my lap and smoothed the wrinkles. I felt a comb run through my hair. 
 
 `` Are you hungry this morning, Darlene?'' 
 
 I was hungry. I nodded. I hesitated to speak again, I felt strangely alone. Like I was n't supposed to be here. When was my husband supposed to be back? Or was he on a business trip? 
 
 `` Where's Ken?'' I asked. Maybe this kind girl will know. 
 
 `` Who's Ken?'' she asked me. She does n't know who he is, which means she does n't know where he is. I started to feel scared, which made me angry. 
 
 `` Well, Ken, my husband. He was supposed to be right back.'' Perhaps if she thinks he's on his way, she will leave me be. Why am I in a wheel chair? 
 
 `` Are we at the hospital?'' I ask. This girl's face is friendly. 
 
 `` We're at home, Darlene,'' the girl answered. `` Are you ready for breakfast?'' 
 
 `` Breakfast? Why... no I need to wait for Ken. He should be along soon.'' I looked down at my lap. A golden blanket lay folded across my legs. I smoothed the wrinkles. It was a beautiful blanket. 
 
 I feel a tug, and realize I'm in a wheelchair. Why am I in a wheel chair? 
 
 `` Are we at the hospital?'' I tried to turn my neck to look back, but it hurt. So I stopped. A warm hand met my shoulder. 
 
 `` We're at home, Darlene. It's time for breakfast. Are you hungry?'' The voice was a girl's voice. Patient and kind. I felt like I knew her. 
 
 I do n't recognize any of this. The hall way was long, and there were rooms all over. It looked like a hotel, but... many people lived here. And the smell... I wrinkled my nose. 
 
 `` What is that smell?'' I asked. 
 
 `` Shhh. Some people are still asleep Darlene.'' The girl behind me patted my shoulder. I looked down and saw a blanket on my lap. I pulled it up around my shoulders. 
 
 `` Oh,'' I said. I just wanted to go to sleep. I started to get scared, which made me angry. 
 
 `` Where is Ken?'' I asked. My husband would know what to do. The girl behind me sniffed and said nothing. Where was I? 
 
 We passed a small desk with a nurse behind it. I called out. 
 
 `` Nurse! Oh Nurse! Is Ken here yet? He should be here soon.'' I reached for the counter to stop the wheel chair. It did n't stop. Someone was pushing me. I wanted Ken, I wanted my love. I did n't want to be here. I pushed against the counter harder. 
 
 `` Stop, you!'' I said. I did n't know who was behind me, but they were strong. The nurse did n't look at me. Instead she answered a phone. 
 
 `` Yoo hoo! Nurse!'' I raised my voice. 
 
 `` Shhh.'' a girl said. I looked up. A girl in pink clothes was trying to move my hand. Who were these people? 
 
 `` Stop!'' I yelled. `` Ken!'' Where was Ken. It was n't like him to leave me like this. 
 
 `` Ken! Ken!'' I was so scared. Where was I? Why was I in a wheel chair? 
 
 I move my feet to get up, and another girl in pink clothes rushes out of a room. Together, both girls wrap a belt around me, and lift me up. 
 
 `` Stop, both of ya. Now quit!'' I bat at the hand of one of the girls. These girls were so strong. I tried to move my feet but I felt so weak. 
 
 `` Ken!'' I yelled. Where was he? I wanted to go home. 
 
 `` Darlene, have a seat here, have a seat sweetie.'' I felt the girls move my hips, and push me gently toward a big recliner. I was scared. The recliner enveloped my legs and I could n't get my feet under me. 
 
 `` Ken?'' I asked, I could feel myself start to cry. The girls wrapped a gold blanket around me. I felt warm. One of the girls knelt down. 
 
 `` Darlene, why do n't you rest here a bit? I can bring you some breakfast when you wake up.'' 
 
 I was tired. I was hungry. I was scared. Perhaps Ken was on his way, and I could ask him where we are. 
 
 I reached down and grabbed my necklace. A small heart, it was a locket Ken gave to me years before he... 
 
 Before he passed. 
 
 I opened the locket. His boyish grin and steel blue eyes stared back at me. The shock of black hair cascaded down his face to rest above his eye brows. He was handsome. Oh how handsome. I remembered his face. 
 
 I remembered the day. He was on his way to Phoenix for a conference. I had told him to be careful, and to drive safely to the airport. This same grin, the grin that pulled at my heart as a young girl, melted me at the front door that day. 
 
 Then he was gone. The car accident had killed him instantly. 
 
 I remembered what he said to me. 
 
 `` I'll be back before you can miss me, girl.'' 
 
 The teardrop fell and clouded the picture. I wiped it with my thumb. My heart hurt terribly. 
 
 `` Darlene?'' 
 
 I looked up. A nurse stood with a cup of pills and a cup of water. 
 
 `` Can I get you to take these pills today?'' 
 
 I nodded. I took the cup of pills and dropped them in my mouth. I drank the entire cup of water. The nurse put a cuff on my arm, and I heard a machine hum. 
 
 `` Is that Ken?'' she asked. I looked at where she was looking. The locket around my neck, the picture left open. 
 
 It was Ken. He's so handsome. 
 
 `` Yes,'' I said. 
 
 `` He should be here soon.''
