Remembering Jack
this world rejects me
Present
“Mrs. Woolard?”
Deanna pressed the phone closer to her ear, to make sure that the woman speaking was talking to the right person; she was so excited, she nearly forgot her last name for a moment. She could already feel her stomach starting to clench in tight knots at the sudden silence.
“Yes, this is she,” Deanna answered nervously, her eyes flickering over to the passenger seat and her husband, who was visibly distressed and had concern written all over his face. His mouth was partially open, ready to ask questions.
She strapped her seatbelt and turned the car on, not even bothering to observe her surroundings. There were no toys or children in the driveway; they were all in the vehicle. And it wasn’t likely there were any animals; she definitely would not permit such a thing.
“Hello, I’m Rebecca Ormond, your mother’s nurse-”
She wasn't really as cheerful as she sounded, Deannna could tell. Cutting to the chase, Deanna interrupted her.
“Is she dead?”
“N-no,” the nurse answered, hesitating. “She’s definitely not dead.”
“Oh good,” Deanna said, breathing out in relief. She put the car in drive and looked both ways before pulling out into the street. She glanced over to her husband and mouthed a “no” before looking forwards once more.
“Then why are you contacting me?” Deanna asked bluntly. She didn’t have time for foolish nonsense and fake alarms; she had already received multiple messages about her mother, and if she was well, then there was no reason for her to get so worked up. “If she’s doing well then-”
“Well…not exactly,” the nurse interjected, slowly.
Deanna’s eyebrows furrowed and she put her foot on the brake, lightly, so that the vehicle was barely creeping along. “What do you mean?”
“Well,” the nurse said. “If you wish to see your mother alive again, then you should come right now. The doctor doesn’t think she’ll live much longer; she’s been having hallucinations, she won’t eat or talk, and she refuses to take any medicine.”
“Why don’t you force feed her?” Deanna asked, her face starting to grow red. Her hands were starting to shake a bit, and she knew she was getting too excited for her own good. She had to make herself calm down before she went to the nursing home.
The nurse laughed quietly – so quietly, Deanna was sure her ears were mistaken. “I’m sure you know your mother better than we do, Mrs. Woolard.”
Despite herself, Deanna smiled. She knew her mother better than anyone else. And she knew the trouble she was probably causing. “Yes, I do,” she replied, taking her foot off the brake.
“Then you should come see her as soon as possible.”
“Mrs. Woolard?”
Deanna pressed the phone closer to her ear, to make sure that the woman speaking was talking to the right person; she was so excited, she nearly forgot her last name for a moment. She could already feel her stomach starting to clench in tight knots at the sudden silence.
“Yes, this is she,” Deanna answered nervously, her eyes flickering over to the passenger seat and her husband, who was visibly distressed and had concern written all over his face. His mouth was partially open, ready to ask questions.
She strapped her seatbelt and turned the car on, not even bothering to observe her surroundings. There were no toys or children in the driveway; they were all in the vehicle. And it wasn’t likely there were any animals; she definitely would not permit such a thing.
“Hello, I’m Rebecca Ormond, your mother’s nurse-”
She wasn't really as cheerful as she sounded, Deannna could tell. Cutting to the chase, Deanna interrupted her.
“Is she dead?”
“N-no,” the nurse answered, hesitating. “She’s definitely not dead.”
“Oh good,” Deanna said, breathing out in relief. She put the car in drive and looked both ways before pulling out into the street. She glanced over to her husband and mouthed a “no” before looking forwards once more.
“Then why are you contacting me?” Deanna asked bluntly. She didn’t have time for foolish nonsense and fake alarms; she had already received multiple messages about her mother, and if she was well, then there was no reason for her to get so worked up. “If she’s doing well then-”
“Well…not exactly,” the nurse interjected, slowly.
Deanna’s eyebrows furrowed and she put her foot on the brake, lightly, so that the vehicle was barely creeping along. “What do you mean?”
“Well,” the nurse said. “If you wish to see your mother alive again, then you should come right now. The doctor doesn’t think she’ll live much longer; she’s been having hallucinations, she won’t eat or talk, and she refuses to take any medicine.”
“Why don’t you force feed her?” Deanna asked, her face starting to grow red. Her hands were starting to shake a bit, and she knew she was getting too excited for her own good. She had to make herself calm down before she went to the nursing home.
The nurse laughed quietly – so quietly, Deanna was sure her ears were mistaken. “I’m sure you know your mother better than we do, Mrs. Woolard.”
Despite herself, Deanna smiled. She knew her mother better than anyone else. And she knew the trouble she was probably causing. “Yes, I do,” she replied, taking her foot off the brake.
“Then you should come see her as soon as possible.”
♠ ♠ ♠
