The Gambler
Even though she moved away we still get calls from our daughter
It was a warm Friday night we were all sat in the garden, when Jess came running out clutching a letter tightly giggling and whooping with joy, she handed the letter to Darianne after nudging her awake. Darianne sat up looking ashen and confused
“What’s this honey?”
“Read it mom it’s exciting! Seriously I need to go and do this”
Darianne looked at me confused and began to read out loud all of us focusing on her
“To the Parents of Jessica Ruess,
We are pleased to inform you that Jessica has been selected to take part in a 4 month residential trip to costa rica in order to complete her animal care course of studies.”
That was all she had to read before we all sprang up out of our seats laughing and hugging her among congratulations I noticed Darianne was still laid on the lounger rubbing her temples slowly I walked over and sat next to her legs rubbing her calf gently
“Baby? Are you okay”
“Yeah I’m fine I’m just ….tired and achy”
I sighed sympathetically
“I’ll go draw you a bath and then you can go to bed”
She nodded as Jess came walking over
“What do you think mom?”
Darianne leaned forward and hugged jess tightly
“It’s amazing sweetheart you should go it will help your studies I’ll fill in the consent form tomorrow and you can take it back to school Monday”
Jess still had a smile spread across her face and she walked over to jack and Andrew who had already opened beers in celebration, I looked back to Darianne and she had fallen back to sleep. Jack offered me a beer I promptly turned it down, I wasn’t in the mood to drink with worry gnawing away at my insides, Darianne was never ill she always ate well she didn’t smoke and she hardly drank. Maybe I was over thinking things.
The day soon came for Jess to leave for Costa rica Darianne was flitting around making sure she had everything, we had bought her a cell phone so she could keep in touch whilst away. Darianne had lost an alarming amount of weight and was barely eating full meals; I didn’t want to raise the issue with her now not whilst she was dealing with Jess.
Jess came marching in to the kitchen full of excitement and wearing Jacks red baseball cap she sat down to breakfast and was babbling about the animals she would be working with and the things that this trip may lead to in the future, it wasn’t long before we were loading the car with Jess’ belongings, Darianne was asleep in the front of the car whilst me and Jess packed her stuff up. Jack Andrew and Nate gave her a hug before she left, she had all of our numbers stored in her cell just in case, Jack was more tearful than the rest of us. He had always hated good byes
We took the long hot drive to the airport checked jess had her ticket and her passport and kissed her goodbye Darianne sobbed on my shoulder as I waved Jess through the terminal and then she was gone on her way to Costa rica all alone.
3 weeks passed in a blur and Darianne had practically stopped eating all together, I walked in to the kitchen where she was making dinner she was visibly exhausted her skin more pale than anything else, her bones visible it broke my heart to see her like this.
I sat at the table and decided to confront her
“Darianne baby I think you are sick”
“Really? Why?” she replied quietly
“I mean look at you, you are pure white you are so skinny I’m almost afraid to touch you in case you just turn to dust in my arms you’re not eating and you are always tired I think we should take you to the hospital”
“Nate I’m fine it’s just a cold”
“Right okay it’s just a cold and what if I’m right?”
“You aren’t right Nate! I’m fine!”
She put her hands to her temples again rubbing them stressed she began to speak again her voice thick with emotion
“I’m going to bed” I tried to follow her and for the first time in our entire relationship she snapped at me
“Just leave me alone Nate I want to sleep okay?”
I stood at the bottom of the stairs heartbroken watching her walk up and in to the bedroom.
My mood lifted after an hour or so, after a lengthily call from Jess,telling me about her studies and how much she loves Costa Rica and how many strange animals she’s encountered and how she’s learned to care for them she spoke to me Jack Andrew and Nate, she made Jack howl with laughter they always had been close. It made me happy to see even the distance couldn’t dampen their relationship.
That night I went to bed early, Darianne was already asleep snoring gently. I climbed in to the bed next to her still hearing Jack and Andrew entertain the kids making them screech with laughter late in to the night. Darianne was freezing cold but still sweating I knew she would make herself comfortable during the night.
“What’s this honey?”
“Read it mom it’s exciting! Seriously I need to go and do this”
Darianne looked at me confused and began to read out loud all of us focusing on her
“To the Parents of Jessica Ruess,
We are pleased to inform you that Jessica has been selected to take part in a 4 month residential trip to costa rica in order to complete her animal care course of studies.”
That was all she had to read before we all sprang up out of our seats laughing and hugging her among congratulations I noticed Darianne was still laid on the lounger rubbing her temples slowly I walked over and sat next to her legs rubbing her calf gently
“Baby? Are you okay”
“Yeah I’m fine I’m just ….tired and achy”
I sighed sympathetically
“I’ll go draw you a bath and then you can go to bed”
She nodded as Jess came walking over
“What do you think mom?”
Darianne leaned forward and hugged jess tightly
“It’s amazing sweetheart you should go it will help your studies I’ll fill in the consent form tomorrow and you can take it back to school Monday”
Jess still had a smile spread across her face and she walked over to jack and Andrew who had already opened beers in celebration, I looked back to Darianne and she had fallen back to sleep. Jack offered me a beer I promptly turned it down, I wasn’t in the mood to drink with worry gnawing away at my insides, Darianne was never ill she always ate well she didn’t smoke and she hardly drank. Maybe I was over thinking things.
The day soon came for Jess to leave for Costa rica Darianne was flitting around making sure she had everything, we had bought her a cell phone so she could keep in touch whilst away. Darianne had lost an alarming amount of weight and was barely eating full meals; I didn’t want to raise the issue with her now not whilst she was dealing with Jess.
Jess came marching in to the kitchen full of excitement and wearing Jacks red baseball cap she sat down to breakfast and was babbling about the animals she would be working with and the things that this trip may lead to in the future, it wasn’t long before we were loading the car with Jess’ belongings, Darianne was asleep in the front of the car whilst me and Jess packed her stuff up. Jack Andrew and Nate gave her a hug before she left, she had all of our numbers stored in her cell just in case, Jack was more tearful than the rest of us. He had always hated good byes
We took the long hot drive to the airport checked jess had her ticket and her passport and kissed her goodbye Darianne sobbed on my shoulder as I waved Jess through the terminal and then she was gone on her way to Costa rica all alone.
3 weeks passed in a blur and Darianne had practically stopped eating all together, I walked in to the kitchen where she was making dinner she was visibly exhausted her skin more pale than anything else, her bones visible it broke my heart to see her like this.
I sat at the table and decided to confront her
“Darianne baby I think you are sick”
“Really? Why?” she replied quietly
“I mean look at you, you are pure white you are so skinny I’m almost afraid to touch you in case you just turn to dust in my arms you’re not eating and you are always tired I think we should take you to the hospital”
“Nate I’m fine it’s just a cold”
“Right okay it’s just a cold and what if I’m right?”
“You aren’t right Nate! I’m fine!”
She put her hands to her temples again rubbing them stressed she began to speak again her voice thick with emotion
“I’m going to bed” I tried to follow her and for the first time in our entire relationship she snapped at me
“Just leave me alone Nate I want to sleep okay?”
I stood at the bottom of the stairs heartbroken watching her walk up and in to the bedroom.
My mood lifted after an hour or so, after a lengthily call from Jess,telling me about her studies and how much she loves Costa Rica and how many strange animals she’s encountered and how she’s learned to care for them she spoke to me Jack Andrew and Nate, she made Jack howl with laughter they always had been close. It made me happy to see even the distance couldn’t dampen their relationship.
That night I went to bed early, Darianne was already asleep snoring gently. I climbed in to the bed next to her still hearing Jack and Andrew entertain the kids making them screech with laughter late in to the night. Darianne was freezing cold but still sweating I knew she would make herself comfortable during the night.