Deja Vu

I walked up to the gate, clutching your gift in my hand. I knew things were the same, that you were still weak and barely able to leave your room due to your cancer, and I knew that nothing I could say or do would be able to make a difference. 

Every little small thing counted, and I smiled at the thought that I might do a little something to help your day become more bearable. 

I could see a figure milling around outside your porch but I couldn’t quite make out who it was. A family member, I assumed. 

“Is Rose in?” 

“Who?” The tone seemed surprised. 

“Rose?” I echoed again, wondering if I hadn’t said it clearly the first time. 

“Who?” The lady stepped into the shadows and I realized it wasn’t one of Rose’s family members and I laughed at myself for not paying attention. 

“I’m sorry, I have the wrong house! I mean to go to the one down there,” I gestured over at the house two doors down. The lady smiled and watched me as I walked over to Rose’s house. 

As I walked over it seemed like something wasn’t right. The house seemed forlorn, abandoned. Wood planks were lying outside at the garden, the cars were all missing. There was just something so dismal about the house, and I wondered to what extent things had changed. 

"They’ve left.” The same lady who I spoke to earlier had come out of her house to speak to me. “About a week ago, they packed and left – the moving vans all came to pick up furniture and the rest of their things about a week ago I think. Is it anything important?” 

I couldn’t help but worry. Rose was barely answering her phone these days and it seemed so ominous that now I didn’t even know where she lived. 

“My friend Rose - has cancer. I just wanted to drop by with something, perhaps to try and cheer her up.” 

The woman stilled beside me. “When you came up to my gate earlier, you gave me chills. You see, my sister’s name was Rose, and she died of cancer last year. To have you come up to my gate and ask for what I though was my dead sister… That was scary.” 

“I’m very sorry.” 

Her story gave me chills. I could only hope this wasn’t a premonition.