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It was movie night at the manor and everyone was hanging out in the rehearsal space waiting for it to start. The screen was set up and Mason, the new sound tech was tinkering with the projector, trying to get it to synch up with the wifi. Everyone was milling around talking and laughing. Arborus and Butterfly arrived, having just maybe not met a ghost named Norman out on the garden Wall Path. They were pretty sure he wasn’t a ghost anyway.
Still not used to crowds, Arborus made his way over toward one of the big windows. They were four floors up and the view looked down over the front yard. A light caught his eye, a vehicle traveling up the long drive. As it got closer he could see it was the heavy van. That was odd for this time of night. Why would the heavy van be coming up to the front door?
It pulled to a stop and Matter Master David climbed out to open the side door. Arborus moved closer to the window so he could see down below. Zero ran over to the van, claiming a window seat as he always did. Rabbit and The Spine followed more slowly. Halfway to the van Rabbit turned to The Spine and stood close, resting her forehead against his chest. He gave her a hug, then hands to her shoulders, pushed her back so he could look down into her face. He said something then gave her a chuck under the chin. She nodded, smiling sadly. Together they got into the van.
Chelsea came out too, followed by Peter. Chelsea was carrying something. A guitar case? Were they going to a gig? At this time of night? Arborus was very confused. They all seemed…sad…not at all excited like they normally would look going to a gig. He watched as David closed the side door and climbed into the driver's seat. Butterfly came over just then and took him by the hand to bring him over to the small group of robots and humans that had set up chairs together off to one side to wait for the show. Arborus looked back over his shoulder out the window, watching the van tail lights wind their way down the driveway to the main road. He was worried. Rabbit had looked so sad earlier this evening when he had seen her in the garden. And she had been crying….
Everyone in the van was quiet. David was driving, Peter in the front passenger seat, Chelsea in the reversed jump seat behind him. The Spine was looking intently out the window to his right, his expression stoic. Rabbit sat between The Spine and Zero, her hands in her lap. Even Zero was quiet. This was his first such trip and he was trying very hard to understand what was happening. He wasn’t sure why he’d been asked to come along. But Rabbit had wanted him to go and that was enough for him. They drove through the night in silence.
The van pulled up to the front of a well lit building where they were directed by a somber young man to park in a small reserved lot by the front door . When they all got out of the van, Rabbit went to him and gave him a hug.
“I’m so happy you came,” he whispered against her cheek. But there were tears in his eyes. He pulled away and gestured toward the door. “Please. There isn’t much time.” They followed him inside, past the sign that said in gilt script, “Bayview Hospice.”
The nurse in the front lobby looked up at the large group. “I can’t let you all go up,” she said quietly. They all looked at each other. Chelsea and David offered to stay in the lobby. Peter took the guitar out of the case and handed it to The Spine. He stayed with Chelsea and David as the robots followed the young man up the stairs. They got to the third floor landing and turned down a short hallway. Stopping at a door, the young man knocked softly before entering.
Two other young men were in the room standing next to a hospital bed. A frail-looking, older woman was in that bed, sitting up, but she appeared to be asleep. The young man went to her. “Mom?” he whispered. “Mom, can you wake up for me? They’ve come to see you. Rabbit is here to see you.”
The woman’s eyes opened just a sliver. In a raspy voice she asked, “Rabbit is here?”
“Yes, they’ve come to see you.”
Rabbit went over to the bed, grasping the railing, smiling down. “Hi Manda,” she whispered, tears threatening in her eyes.
“Rabbit? Rabbit, I’m so happy to see you.” Tears glistened in the woman’s eyes. “I so wanted to see you just one more time. We had so much fun together, all those days in the Park.”
“Those were fun times, Manda,” Rabbit said quietly. “Fun times.”
“I remember the first time I saw you perform, Rabbit. You all were so funny, you, Spine, Jon…”
“And you kept coming to our concerts, all this time, bringing your own children.” Rabbit looked up at the three now adult children in the room.
The woman coughed a dry cough. “Even when you didn’t play for a few years, we still went to the Park, hoping someday you’d be back.”
“We’re here now, Manda,” said The Spine as he moved to stand at Rabbit’s left shoulder.
The woman looked up and smiled at him. “Spine,” she whispered affectionately, her eyes liquid and sparkling. She looked to Rabbit’s right. “And you brought Zero too. I so wish I could have seen you on stage with these two, Zero. I’ve heard your music. It is so beautiful…”
Zero beamed a happy smile. “I’m glad you like it,” he said shyly. He was still confused as to what was happening.
The woman seemed to doze off for a moment, then her eyes opened again, just barely. Rabbit took her hand. “Can I sing something for you Manda? Would you like that?” The frail woman nodded, seemingly too weak to draw a breath to speak.
The Spine tapped Zero’s shoulder, motioning him to step back with him against the wall so the woman’s family could gather close to her. The Spine set his guitar and waited for Rabbit to start. He sent a wifi to Zero, “Just follow Rabbit’s lead. Low and background.”
Rabbit smiled at those around her then dropped her head down. After a small inhale to gather her sadness into a spot where she could control it, she began to sing softly, “You told me… You’d hold me… Hold me til the mornin’ light….” The Spine played softly, he and Zero adding a touch of harmony where needed. Somewhere near the middle of the song, Rabbit felt Manda’s hand go slack, saw her eyes close and her head slowly drop, the smile on her face fading… fading…. Rabbit continued singing softly as the woman’s family wept at their mother’s passing They sat quietly for some time after the song had finished.
Finally the young man looked up. “I want to thank you Rabbit,” he looked over at The Spine and Zero, “thank all of you, for coming. I’m sure it was all mom could have ever wanted. Thank you.”
Rabbit stood and patted him on the shoulder, then gave him a quick hug. “We should go now,” she said. "I am so sorry for your loss. I will miss her very much too.” She went to The Spine and took his arm, then took Zero’s hand. Somberly she led them from the room and back down the stairs. When they got to the lobby, Chelsea, Peter and David joined the robots in a group hug. Rabbit was weeping as the humans led her back out to the van. Once outside, Zero held The Spine back by his arm.
“Spine? What just happened? Did that woman…did she…die?”
The Spine looked down at his feet. “Yes, Zero. Manda passed away while we were with her. We’ve known her for a very, very long time.” He shifted his feet, uncomfortable talking about his own emotions. “We don’t age Zero. But humans, they do. And eventually they grow old…and die….” Manda was only,” he held his hand flat indicating a child’s height, “a little girl when we first met her. You try not to become attached, because you know this will happen, but sometimes….sometimes….” He shook his head as his eyes teared up.
Zero’s lip quivered, then he started to cry too. He took The Spine into a hug. To his surprise, The Spine let him. After a moment, Zero let him go. “Come on, Spine. Let’s get back to our family. I’m feeling...I'm feeling the need to tell em how much I love them all….