The Phone Calls

I was a month away from delivering my first child when my MawMaw passed away from complications of diabetes. Her death struck me hard and it hurt me like no other pain I ever felt in my life. I got to her 5 minutes too late and I felt like I never got to tell her goodbye. I was crying those body-shaking sobs and my mom and aunt was scared I would deliver my baby early. I was helped to the floor where I could cry and not stumble around and hurt myself. I was a real mess that night. She was supposed to have been there to teach me how to be a good mother to my child. I was angry at God for taking her away from me.

I had my baby in March of 1998 and he was about three months old when the phone calls came. I had my portable baby monitor clipped to my shorts and I was outside hanging clothes out on the line. I had just finished the first load and was going in to wash another load of clothes when the phone rang.

I answered it, but I couldn't hear the person on the other end very clearly. I kept saying, "Hello? Is there anyone there?" All I heard was a weird metallic-like whisper on the other end. I thought it was strange and hung up. A couple of minutes later, the phone rang again and I answered it. The same noise was on the phone. Just like before, I was saying, "Hello? Is there anyone there?" I was about to hang up the phone when I heard my name. It struck me funny because it sounded just like my MawMaw who had died a few months ago. I said, "MawMaw! Is that you?" I burst out crying. The voice on the other end of the phone said, "I love you and that baby. I'm okay now. Happy. Goodbye."

After I hung up, I bawled. (I'm wiping tears from my eyes as I type this right now.) I knew that she was no longer in pain and she wanted to let me know that she loved me and her great-grandson.

I told my husband (at the time) what happened and he thought I was going through post-partum depression. I called my MawMaw's best friend and she told me she got a phone call from my MawMaw the same day.