When Company Comes

 When Company Comes

Let's face it. 

There's company. And then, there's company.

My sister came for four days. And she was company. 

Not the fancy kind for whom I had to plan three course meals and days full of interesting things to do. Let's face it. Those two things are so far beyond me right now that it is laughable. 

But she was company. 

The kind that quietly let's you know someone else is there. 

The kind that gets up and gets what they want to eat without asking. That empties the dishwasher when it's clean and changes the bed when she leaves. 

The kind of company that giggles with you when you make seriously stupid errors because you are so tired from being up all night caregiving. 

This sister has a way of honoring your troubles without being saccharine. She listens and nods. She doesn't offer advice at every turn. I have plenty of advice. What I need is someone to hear me. 

She schelped 50 miles with me to get my husband to a doctor's appointment in the city, then waited another two hours while we met with various physicians, only to go through the arduous process of getting him back in the van to head home. 

While I watched TV she worked her real job. 

And at night, once I got my husband into bed, she was there to watch a silly romance movie with me before our own bedtime.

She drives hours to be here and misses her own precious grandchildren to come and support me and my husband. 

When she left today I told her I hope she never needs me to repay the gift of time. I meant it. But if I can, I will. I've learned how much it means.