Japan

Germaine couldn't tell you why.

None of it made sense.

"Why Japan? "

"Why now?"

Was it something to do with age?

She was ninety-nine after all and in a few months, get a letter from the Queen.

A bit old, maybe and a little frail, but upstairs? The head, it was clear.

Japan was somewhere she'd always wanted to visit. Why not? Her mind was made up and everyone knows she isn't the sort to back down, so that was that.

Michael's only 75, he'd love it, she reasoned.

"It might be our last trip ever." she thought, "Educational." The idea cemented firmly in here mind.

"There's nothing wrong in wanting to go to Japan? Is there? Even at my age."

Taking an envelope labelled 'Skipton Building Society' from the drawer, she slid the passbook out, thumbing her way through the pages until she arrived at the current total.
"£15,463.10. That’s more than enough. We'll have a great time." She decided.

Rummaging the drawer for her passport, she found only her purse, a few sweets and some fruit.

"Michael will know where it is. He'll find it" She spoke aloud and smiling.

"It's going to be great!" She spoke with a voice laced with happiness, holding the passbook against her breast.

"Just Michael and me, Japan." Nothing was going to stop them.

Her son’s regular evening visit excited her for the rest of the day. The building society book opened and closed almost half-hourly in assurance that the cost of the trip was covered completely.

"Is it best to fly? Or would it be better to take a cruise? How lovely! A cruise. Lots of time to relax and remember things. Like when Michael was young and his dad still here."

Her thoughts drifted back to when they would meet at the Park after Frank finished work. Sitting together on the bench, watching him play on the swings. The three of them walking home hand-in-hand, anticipating their evening meal.

"Such lovely times." She mused aloud. "If only Frank were here now, so nice."

Michael arrived at precisely 7 o'clock and as he kissed his mother on the forehead, her words rang out.

"Japan, Michael, we're going to Japan."

She waved the passbook, high in the air. "There's enough here to pay for the whole trip."

With a broad smile, he took it, replaced it in the envelope and returned it to the drawer.

"I know mum." He said with a smile, picking up the huge atlas from a table in the corner.

From a page labelled Japan, he began to read out detailed information.

How to get there, what it was like, the food and what they could expect to see when they arrived.

Then there was a point when room fell eerily silent.

Lifting his head toward his mother, a tear forced its way from his eye. He leaned over the hospital bed to kiss the forehead of a serenely smiling face.

"We got there in the end, Mum. We got there." Gently, using his fingers to close her eyes, he whispered. "Love you."

The atlas closed and returned to its place on the small table. A world travelled together over the last week.
A journey complete.

In solitude, somehow, he would celebrate the end of his mother’s suffering in reflection of wonderful memories.