“Then the paramedics showed up and took him away. Then Dylan said something about Jim being dead and left and I…”
“Wait a minute. Dylan left? He left you here by yourself?” Susie asks, her teary eyes large with rage.
Myra nods as she wipes her nose.
“What a fucking asshole. How could he leave you here by yourself after something like that? What’s wrong with that idiot?”
“I don’t know,” Myra mumbles. “I told you he was mean.”
“I didn’t realize he was that bad. What a douche. How could he do that to you?”
Myra shrugs. Susie would have to meet the contractor to understand. She continues with her story. “I still can’t believe it. One minute I was having this great evening with Jim and then the next he’s gone.” She drops her head into her hands. “There has to be something wrong with me because everyone around me dies…”
“Don’t start talking like that and I mean it; look at me.” Myra slowly lifts her head. “Every single person on this planet is going to die at some point. Everyone. We have no control over how or when that happens. The people that were close to you that died? It was their time to go. It’s as simple as that. It has nothing to do with you. You understand that, right?”
“Yeah. It’s just hard to not think I’m cursed or something.”
“That’s ridiculous and I don’t want to hear you talking like that ever again, do you hear me?”
Myra nods as she stares down at her hands.
“All right. Screw my diet,” Susie says as she stands up. “I’ll start that sucker next week. I’m starving. What do you have to eat in this awesome old house of yours? Let me see if I can whip us up something delicious.”
Myra blows her nose as she follows Susie into the kitchen.
* * *
“At least your sink’s working, and we got those tools moved out of the way, but that’s about the only good thing I can say about that damn kitchen of yours.” Susie shakes her head and rolls her eyes. “I can’t believe all you have to eat is bunny food, woman. No wonder you’re a twig. We’ve got to fix this problem pronto,” she says as she and Myra slip their coats on and grab their purses.
“I’ll drive,” Susie says as Myra locks the front door.
“Can you believe they gave me free unlimited mileage on this lime-green rental piece of shit they have the nerve to call a car?” Susie says as they both climb into the tiny vehicle. “Like where would I want to drive this pile of manure? I feel like I’m driving a go-cart. No, wait. I feel like I’m driving a golf cart.” Susie rolls the window down halfway and yells, “Fore!” at the top of her lungs.
Myra giggles.
“Sure, laugh it up. Where’s the damn grocery store?”
Myra continues to laugh, unable to get her chuckling under control. “Turn left at the light. It’ll be on the right-hand side.”
“What’s the name of it again?”
“Marshall’s.”
Myra stares at her friend with a smile on her face. “I’m so glad you’re here. Sorry I keep saying that, but I really have missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too, hon.”
“So how in the world did you manage to talk Mr. You Know Who into letting you off work?” Myra asks.
“Oh, he owed me. Remember when I worked a bunch of overtime for him on that one project – the one that was such a priority?” she asks as she glances over at Myra who nods in response.
“Well, since those cheap asses refuse to pay overtime, I had a bunch of comp time saved up from that and my vacation time just started over. Plus he owed me for not letting me off to come out here with you for Grampie. I had him by the balls,” Susie says as she grins evilly and squeezes her fist together like she has some imaginary balls in a death grip.
“Were Jeff and the boys okay with you leaving?”
“Of course. You know they love you. Besides, Jeff needs to bond with his children. It’ll be good for him. He’ll appreciate me more when I get back. That man forgets about
“Wait a minute. Dylan left? He left you here by yourself?” Susie asks, her teary eyes large with rage.
Myra nods as she wipes her nose.
“What a fucking asshole. How could he leave you here by yourself after something like that? What’s wrong with that idiot?”
“I don’t know,” Myra mumbles. “I told you he was mean.”
“I didn’t realize he was that bad. What a douche. How could he do that to you?”
Myra shrugs. Susie would have to meet the contractor to understand. She continues with her story. “I still can’t believe it. One minute I was having this great evening with Jim and then the next he’s gone.” She drops her head into her hands. “There has to be something wrong with me because everyone around me dies…”
“Don’t start talking like that and I mean it; look at me.” Myra slowly lifts her head. “Every single person on this planet is going to die at some point. Everyone. We have no control over how or when that happens. The people that were close to you that died? It was their time to go. It’s as simple as that. It has nothing to do with you. You understand that, right?”
“Yeah. It’s just hard to not think I’m cursed or something.”
“That’s ridiculous and I don’t want to hear you talking like that ever again, do you hear me?”
Myra nods as she stares down at her hands.
“All right. Screw my diet,” Susie says as she stands up. “I’ll start that sucker next week. I’m starving. What do you have to eat in this awesome old house of yours? Let me see if I can whip us up something delicious.”
Myra blows her nose as she follows Susie into the kitchen.
* * *
“At least your sink’s working, and we got those tools moved out of the way, but that’s about the only good thing I can say about that damn kitchen of yours.” Susie shakes her head and rolls her eyes. “I can’t believe all you have to eat is bunny food, woman. No wonder you’re a twig. We’ve got to fix this problem pronto,” she says as she and Myra slip their coats on and grab their purses.
“I’ll drive,” Susie says as Myra locks the front door.
“Can you believe they gave me free unlimited mileage on this lime-green rental piece of shit they have the nerve to call a car?” Susie says as they both climb into the tiny vehicle. “Like where would I want to drive this pile of manure? I feel like I’m driving a go-cart. No, wait. I feel like I’m driving a golf cart.” Susie rolls the window down halfway and yells, “Fore!” at the top of her lungs.
Myra giggles.
“Sure, laugh it up. Where’s the damn grocery store?”
Myra continues to laugh, unable to get her chuckling under control. “Turn left at the light. It’ll be on the right-hand side.”
“What’s the name of it again?”
“Marshall’s.”
Myra stares at her friend with a smile on her face. “I’m so glad you’re here. Sorry I keep saying that, but I really have missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too, hon.”
“So how in the world did you manage to talk Mr. You Know Who into letting you off work?” Myra asks.
“Oh, he owed me. Remember when I worked a bunch of overtime for him on that one project – the one that was such a priority?” she asks as she glances over at Myra who nods in response.
“Well, since those cheap asses refuse to pay overtime, I had a bunch of comp time saved up from that and my vacation time just started over. Plus he owed me for not letting me off to come out here with you for Grampie. I had him by the balls,” Susie says as she grins evilly and squeezes her fist together like she has some imaginary balls in a death grip.
“Were Jeff and the boys okay with you leaving?”
“Of course. You know they love you. Besides, Jeff needs to bond with his children. It’ll be good for him. He’ll appreciate me more when I get back. That man forgets about
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