Make It Ridiculous

My sister Laura passed away in 2008 at age 45. I was 40 at the time. It wasn’t sudden, but it was devastating. She was my older sister, my confidante, my rock.

I’ve been taking care of our mother for almost four years, and I’ve missed my sister more than ever because she would have been the perfect partner in this very difficult caregiving experience.

We come from a very toxic family: no boundaries, meddling, gossiping, narcissistic abuse, etc. I woke up one morning dreading the day because it was going to be a long day of appointments for my mom. We have a brother, but he has only truly been interested in the inheritance, so he has been more of a hindrance than a help.

I asked Laura to show me she was with us that day, and I added, “Make it so ridiculous I can’t deny it.”

My mom had an endocrinologist appointment at UCLA at 11:00 a.m. There in the waiting room was a beautiful strawberry-blonde young woman who resembled my sister.

I thought, Okay, but that’s not ridiculous.

Then I noticed she had a prosthetic leg. My mom had been feeling sorry for herself because she could no longer walk independently, and when she noticed the woman, I could tell my mom had one of those moments of clarity.

I thought that was the end of Laura’s communication that day.

But 26 miles away and eight hours later, my mom had a very important MRI scheduled at one of 20 or so UCLA imaging centers. This one was close to Universal Studios, so we filled the time with lunch and a movie.

My mom was getting tired, so she asked if I could inquire about getting her in sooner, something my mother never does. She is a rule follower. These places are booked weeks, sometimes months, in advance, so I didn’t think there was a chance.

We were already parked nearby, so I walked over and asked the receptionist.

He said, “Yes, we just got a last-minute cancellation.”

Also shocking. Also unlikely.

My husband and I accompanied my mom into the waiting room. Because it was near Universal Studios, the decor was entirely Harry Potter inspired, which I found magical and wonderful. My sister had communicated through owls before.

Then I stopped in my tracks.

Sitting there was the same woman from the UCLA appointment eight hours earlier.

She must have seen the look of surprise on my face because she immediately asked, “Didn’t I see you both at UCLA this morning?”

I answered, “Yes,” but we didn’t talk much. We just commented on what an amazing coincidence it was to be there together.

I decided this was a ridiculous enough coincidence to believe my sister was with me.