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Mom was close to family
except when she married badly
I’m the witness she explained 
disobedience regretted isn’t repeated.
She returned to Ohio nearer to mother and father
she lived with her kids and Alice her sister 
after she buried Alice 
her mother and father moved closer to their daughter
and mom’s best friend was her daughter 
playing with Cheryl’s kids
the ‘poods’ she called them so cute.
Divorced from a youthful mistake
her suicide sister 
her mother waited with dementia
her failing father physically less able
her daughter her best friend
whenever I called her
her greeting was always nearby:
“Oh Kenneth there you are!”