Used to Bad News...

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Used to Bad News...


 

Tony and Son's Diner, Kingston, Pennsylvania...

 
“I’m so sorry.”

Agnes McBride thought she had heard enough bad news in her lifetime, but today was especially painful and personal because she had known the woman sitting across from her since before either of them was born, in a way. Their mothers had attended the same childbirth class, and as a joke they had placed their abdomens together and encouraged the babies to communicate. Coincidence or fate or divine appointment, no one could say, but at that moment both of them kicked in their wombs, and a friendship lasting over thirty years was born.

“Hey, it’s not your fault. We both knew it was a long shot.” The woman smiled weakly before tears began to stream down her face.

“Jeri…maybe you should get a second opinion.” Agnes said.

“Nothing is going to make me healthy enough. What’s the use?” Jeri shrugged her shoulders in defeat.

“Honey, please.” Agnes got up and sat beside her.

“No, Ag….if you do…I’ll just fall apart, and I still have to tell Ted.”

“You want me to come with you? Moral support always works.” The woman shook her head. Agnes reached down and hugged her anyway, since the tears were coming fast.

“I’ve wanted this all my life and now I can’t? I’m sorry, but I’m tired of being brave. I’m sick of being the one to smile as if it didn’t matter. It does matter, Ag, and I can’t be strong anymore.”

“Ted’s so caring. He’ll understand.” She put her arm on the woman's shoulder.

Agnes was trying to convince Jeri when it was clear that she couldn’t convince herself at that moment. Too many breakups and too many hasty and ill-conceived reunions had shown her that Ted wasn’t reliable at all. She would go home and pray that she was wrong, but God himself would have to convince her that her own brother was strong enough to handle Jeri’s disappointing news.”

To Be Continued...

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Comments

Have to wait

RAMI

I guess we just have to wait for more.

RAMI

RAMI

To be continued...

laika's picture

Maybe the two other commenters are just playing along with the theme, but isn't this one of those challenge pieces that's supposed to be deliberately written as a part of some greater, never-written story? It works good as one of those, making us to want more. But I don't think it works as well being as ambiguous as it is. Or maybe I'm just obtuse, but if it IS about Jeri being turned down for SRS because of some medical condition (like the heartbreaking case of that last patient they showed in that fantastic documentary about Marci Bowers & her practice); you mightve made it a bit more concrete, more revealling about them and their history as friends. It could be done through dialogue, references that we can piece things together from, so it wouldnt turn into some unconvincing-for-this=stage-in=the-novel AS YOU KNOW, BOB kinda deal. Anyway I like to think this story has a miracle come along in later chapters, and one of those tearfully happy endings you do so well...
~~hugs, Ronni

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The closest approximation to what it's like in my brain:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u08E7c-FRbU&t=4s