Abbie Johnson Taylor

AWAITING THE RETURN OF THE BETTER HALF

The phone rings.
With his right hand, the only one that works,
he presses the talk button on the cordless unit,
slowly lifts it to his ear, says, "Hello."
"Hi, honey," I say. "How are you?
I'll be home in fifteen minutes."
He places the phone next to him on the bed,
presses the talk button a second time to disconnect the call.

A container filled with urine balances between his legs.
He listens to his recorded book, anticipates my return.

Finally, the kitchen door opens, closes.
He hears me moving around,
wonders why I don't come to him.
He picks up the phone, dials my cell.
"I'm here," I tell him.
"I'm putting my things away.
I'll be right there."

When I enter the room with a cheerful greeting, we embrace.
He tries unsuccessfully to kiss me while laughing.
Then, offering the urinal, he says,
"I've got something for you."

* * *

WHILE WALKING HOME

As my long white cane rolls from side to side in front of me,
I feel the sun, the gentle breeze.
I should hurry, but why?
He's been home alone for three hours.
Fifteen minutes more won't matter, will it?

When I get home, I'll take him outside in his wheelchair
so he can enjoy the late afternoon sun,
flop into my armchair in the living room with my feet up,
kick off my shoes, drink Dr. Pepper
while downloading e-mail onto my Victor Stream.
Its synthetic voice will read to me,
as I fold and put away laundry, prepare dinner.
We'll eat together, content,
as another day draws to a close.

Abbie Johnson Taylor's novel, We Shall Overcome, was published in July of 2007 by iUniverse. Her work has appeared in Emerging Voices, Wyoming Fence Lines, Voicings from the High Country, and Disability Studies Quarterly. She is legally blind and lives in Sheridan, Wyoming, with her husband Bill, who is partially paralyzed as a result of two strokes. When not writing or caring for Bill, she facilitates a support group for the visually impaired, sings in a women's barber-shop group, and participates in water exercise classes at the YMCA. Her website is located at .