Naleighna Kai's Literary Cafe Magazine NK Literary Cafe 2018 Mother's Day Issue | Page 37

Anita L. Roseboro
sold to her coworkers. Her favorites were a Brownstone
(Chocolate Pound) Cake, Red Velvet, Lemon Pound Cake,
and a 5-Day Coconut Cake. She sold them for close to fifty
dollars. This five-layer cake, with freshly grated coconut,
sour cream, and cool whip blend was worth every dime.
She was the ultimate host of numerous dinner parties
for her friends and family. That all changed after a back
surgery and subsequent slip into a mental abyss.
As her illness progressed, I learned more about her. She
was prideful and hated not being able to articulate her
need to use the bathroom or to manage her own daily
hygiene. Ironically, it was her battle with dementia that
helped me learn to love and appreciate the woman she
was and understand the woman she became. These
times, I saw where my fierce independence streak came
from and also my need to take care of everyone. I was able
to witness firsthand the commonalities that we shared,
ones I’d never noticed because of the distance in our
relationship. She was very critical of everything that I did,
and this caused me to draw away. No teenager wants that
kind of censure.
Coming October 12, 2018
A provocative new novel by Anita L. Roseboro
On a night that should have been cause for celebration,
a personal violation ripped a hole in a marriage that
was already fraying at the edges.
Now, this couple must navigate the shadows of the
criminal justice system, find peace and a common
ground when their definition of right and wrong are
polar opposites.
Gradually, with the disease, she forgot a lot of people
that she knew as she became trapped inside her own
world. She forgot many others that I presumed important
to her but in spite of our relationship, she never forgot me.
The smile I’d receive when I came to visit, bathe her and
watch movies, was worth it all. Every ounce of pain I felt
as a child, disappeared with that smile. We bonded for the
first time over Steel Magnolias and Andy Griffith, Bonanza
reruns, sippy cups, and Depends. The last year of her life
was the worst and best year of my life. Worst, because I
finally had to admit her into a facility. Best, because I was
able to learn and love her before she transitioned from
this life. I submit to you, dear reader, if your mother is still
alive, spend time with her, get to know her. There are no
differences that can’t be resolved because once they are
gone, it’s too late.
Anita L. Roseboro, a native of North Carolina has a BS in Management Information
Systems and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. She is a passionate advocate
for children and the cultivation of their minds in that they become productive members
of society. Currently, she is pursuing her life-long dream of writing.
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