Terrible Things

“You're getting married in the morning. Ding dong the bells are going to chime” Colette opened her eyes to the sound of the most awful song known to man being sung around her bedroom. The voice was obviously familiar. The Scottish accent she had learned to love and the obvious childish behaviour that came from her best friend.

“If you don't get up, I'm going to sit on you” The voice came from behind her, which meant she was laying on the empty spot behind her.

“And if you don't leave me alone, I'm going to do more than sit on you; I'll destroy you” Colette mumbled into the white cotton pillow.

“Oh don't be a Mrs. Boring Pants. You need to get up, showered, fed and watered before we go to your hospital appointment then to the shitty women's luncheon thing that your “friend” Amanda arranged for you.” She heard the sound of disgust in Rosie's voice and the weight being taken from the bed.

“Oh give her some due, she's an old college buddy just wanting to help out.” Colette turned over to face her friend, who's hair was standing in twenty different directions, a pair of her husbands boxers on with a sports bra and a pore strip across her nose. Classy.

“Pfft, I'm your best friend. I should be arranging shit like this...not her.” Huffing Rosie sat crossed armed on the bed with her back facing Colette. Obviously in a huff with the way things were being handled.

“Okay, how about this.” Moving out from underneath the covers and sitting cross legged behind Rosie, she began to plait her hair, feeling her friend relax.

“You come to the luncheon with me and I'll let you drive the porche for at least a week AND you can be my first dance” She knew this would mean a lot to her.

Turning slowly to come face to face with her friend, her heart ached with affection. This was truly worth it.

“Well...I guess I could make an appearance.” Rosie rolled her eyes and sighed with a small smile as her friend gave her “The Look”. Laughing she simply hugged her best friend and took off skipping into the guest bedroom.



“Colette?” The nurse smiled into the waiting room at the two girls sitting laughing with each other. Both standing, Rosie gave her friend a lucky squeeze on her hand and let her go in first. Both sitting down the waited for the nurse to speak.

“How have you been feeling Colette? The medication been working for you?” The elderly nurse asked, giving a reassuring smile to the anxious best friend. Shrugging the girl could only answer honestly.

“It's going as well as can be expected in all honesty. Still can't really sleep, headaches and nausea. But other than that...I'm fine” She nodded at her friend who mimicked her movements and both turned back to the nurse who was looking through a mountain of pink and yellow papers.

“That's great sweetheart. That really is great. Now, you blood count is still high but the Chemo works differently for all patients. Some take to it faster than others, some not so much. We'll give to the six months of Chemo and radiotherapy and just keep going for it okay?” But the nurse could see it wasn't okay.
She had talked to many cancer patients in her lifetime. Good news, bad news. It was all the same to her. But this was heart breaking.

“You mean, it's still there? After twelve months we haven't even made a dent?” Colette exclaimed, the sound of desperation was clear and all she could do was hold the fort. “No crashing today” she would say; The stronger you are the more fight you'll have left in you

Today wasn't the case.

“No more Chemotherapy” She said, her head high and her back straight. The reaction causing Rosie to grip her hand and hiss.

“What are you talking about? Of course more chemo, she's just upset. She's getting married tomorrow then off on her honeymoon. Can it hold longer for that?” The nurse's face told her the answer.

“You will get very sick if you stop you chemo Colette. It won't be good for you.” The nurse began to plead but Colette done nothing but stare out the window at the passing birds and thought that maybe in her next life...she could be one.



“Do you know how fucking stupid you are Cole?” Rosie began to scream at her friend, who done nothing but stare out the window. She had been listening now more than a minute before she realised that it was just going to work against her. So, she stared out the window; the thing she does best nowadays

“You have a fiancé, a fantastic job and friends that love you more than anything in the world and you're just going to lay back and take it like a fucking bitch? HONESTLY? What are you even thinking?” Rosie paced the floor and found a rhythm best suited to her mood; fast and dominating. Her head was spinning from the lack of food and the heavy breathing. She knew that if she kept it up, she would either pass out or throw up. Both was better than the feeling of tear rolling down her eyes.

“You don't understand Rosie.” Colette finally found her voice. “I have nothing left to offer anyone. I was told that I'd be better within four months of receiving the first dose of radiotherapy and Chemo. But now look at me, I'm no better off than what I was a year ago. How do you think I feel about that?” Colette said, breaking down into hysterics, holding her head in her hands, Rosie just stood and watched the breakdown unfold.

“Sweetheart, you can still beat this.” Rosie exclaimed, sitting next to her friend and pulling her head onto her shoulder, cradling her like a child.

“I don't want to beat this. It's already won.” Looking up at her friend who was dazed and confused at what she had just said. Her friend had just admitted defeat.

“We always said, when you go...I go. I don't plan on going till I'm old and grey and wetting Matt's sweatpants.” Now this made Colette laugh. Both girls lay back on the couch and laughed until their sides were sore. This is what she needed from her friends. Life would never get better from this point on.



“I'd like to make a toast, too my best-est friend in thee entire world.” The short blonde girl disclaimed over the microphone.

“I've known Colette since college. Sharing our love for poetry and chocolate” Turning slightly to a dazed Colette, she raised her champagne class to her in a silent toast.

“We had our up's and down's of course. But what best friends don't. Am I right Colette?” Colette simply tilted her head to the side and smiled at the girl under false pretences. Turning a head to her real best friend, who had her face planted on the table and the sound of “Mah mah mah's” being made, indicated that she had had enough of Amanda's speech.

“So raise your glass for Colette and hope that her and Oscar have a beautiful life together” She heard the clinking of glasses and the “Here here's” from around the room. Simply raising her glass as a thank you, she placed her head on top of Rosie's and sighed with relief.

“You wanna go for a cigarette?” She heard her mumbled from beneath the table cloth.
“Only if you come with me?” Colette whispered into her hair. Hearing the sound of mocking laughter and rustling suggested that she had agreed and was in fact getting a packet of smokes out of her bag.

“You know these thing with kill you right?” Rosie said, before handing her one.

“They already have...remember?” Smiling at her friend, they walked out to the patio.



Rosie walked into the house, the sound of Wallace barking from the kitchen meant that Matt wasn't home yet. Putting down her keys and bag, she went to the end of the hall and opened the patio doors to see her dog, husband and best friends old flame sitting jamming on guitars and smoking cigarettes.

“I thought you said you had quit?” Rosie said from the door suddenly, watching the cigarette catapult out of his mouth and land neatly in Brian's lap.

“What the shit dude?” Brian patting and jumping from the sudden contact.

Rosie crossed her arms over and leaned against the door frame watching her husband of four years turn the gears in his head to come up with an explanation. Raising an eyebrow when all he did was shrug and give her that dimpled smile, she walked forward and smoothed the hair out of his face and kissed his exposed forehead. She had always wanted to see what it would be like to see him with relatively long hair and she really liked it.

“Were you with Colette today?” Brian asked, picking up Wallace and cuddling into him.

“I was. And no she isn't leaving Oscar and no she doesn't forgive you and NO she has no reason to.” Smiling at the gulable man, she planted a kiss on Matt's lips and sat on the arm on the chair, feeling his arm wrap itself around her waist.

“She isn't going for any more Chemo. She's done. She wants to marry Oscar and just live the rest of the time she has left.” Saying the words made her sob, Matt taking her into his arms and cradling her, rocking back and forth gently as he felt the sobs rack her small chest.
He looked to his best friend and the look of fear and shock was evident but not as much as the nauseated whiteness that had taken over his once tanned face.

“You okay man?” Matt said, reaching out a hand to him as he watched the guitarist back up against the wicker couch and fall flat on it. His hand racking through his short black hair and running over his face.

“I have to see her? Where is she?” Rosie looked up from Matt's shirt and sighed.
“The condo. Our old apartment. She should be there. But I ain't promising shit to you Brian. She's fragile and she's very much in love with Oscar and the last person she'll want to see if you Haner. You hurt that girl...and I won't be beating your face into the ground, Matt will.” Turning to Matt, she waited for him to back her up, which to her surprise, he did.

“Honestly dude. You've done enough to kill that girl. You need to play it by her terms.” And without a seconds hesitation, Brian jumped into his sneakers and raced for the SUV.

“He's going to fuck things up isn't he?” Rosie asked him a sigh, looking into her husbands sad eyes.

“Doesn't he always?” He brought her head down and kissed the top of her head, keeping it there and watched the SUV back out of his drive way.

He felt his wife was hurting. He thanked the Lord he had her and wasn't going to give her up for anything.