"Yeah, I remember," Crystal said grudgingly. "I feel like I'm going in twenty different directions and I'm not sure which one to take." "And when you feel like that, what do you do?"
"Besides heading for the nearest bar or my pipe?" Crystal said only half jokingly. "I dunno. I guess I talk to you or Laura." "I suggest you do more of the latter and less of the former."
"I thought you weren't going to nag me about my drinking?" Crystal asked, mentally preparing herself for a lecture on drinking. "I'm not yet," Jenny said. "I just made a suggestion, just like you going to that meeting on Tuesday."
"No. I don't need to be around a bunch of women all talking about the bad things that happened to them."
"I'm pretty sure just going won't kill you," Jenny said. "I promise you don't have to say anything if you don't want to but I strongly recommend you attend it, even if it's just one time. Just try it."
Crystal grumbled under her breath, not wanting to keep the topic going but not wanting to admit defeat either.
"Enough of that for now. You feel like talking about your journal?"
"Not really but I don't suppose that matters, does it?" Crystal said, sinking down into a comfortable position against the beanbag. "That's the spirit," Jenny said sarcastically. "So Thursday you went into great lengths about your tenth birthday. Why don't we start with that?"
When Crystal returned home, she found Laura in the kitchen, mouthwatering smells wafting through the air. "Hey there. It smells great," she said, hanging her keys on the appropriate hook lest they have another talk about the proper uses for a entry table. Hefting the bag in her hand, Crystal made her way into the kitchen.
"About five more minutes and everything will be ready," Laura replied, closing the oven door. "I thought garlic bread would be better than biscuits." "Fine with me." Setting the bag down on the counter, Crystal reached inside it and pulled out a bottle of beer. "Man, what a day. It took half the day to figure out where the chargers were for the cordless drills and then I had a hell of a session with Jenny a little while ago." "How did it go?" Laura held her hand out for the bottle cap then motioned at the kitchen table. "Let's sit while we're waiting." "It was brutal," Crystal sighed, sinking into the padded chair. "She wants me to join some group of women that sit around and talk about what's happened to them."
"Well if she feels it will help"
"How can that help me? Listening to them will only make me think of my own stuff and what good is that?" Shaking her head, Crystal brought the bottle to her lips. "I'm trying to forget about what happened to me, not relive it," she said before tipping the bottle and taking several long swallows. "That's not even the worst of it. She got me talking about some of the stuff I put in my journal." Looking up, Crystal saw Laura looking at her patiently. "I forget sometimes when I'm writing in there that she's gonna read it. I put in a bunch of stuff about how I felt when I was a kid and she wanted to talk about it."
"She wanted you to talk about it, you mean," Laura said. Crystal nodded, surprised to feel her roommate's hand cover her own on the table. "She's not kidding when she says talking about it will help make it feel better."
Crystal continued to look at the hand resting atop her own. "Maybe but it's not something I feel all that good about, you know?" She withdrew her hand, curling her fingers around the brown bottle. "She had me almost to tears at one point. I even picked up one of those spongy balls and threw it, can you believe that?" Shaking her head, Crystal took another drink. "Next thing you know she'll have me hitting a punching bag and visiting my 'inner child' or something stupid like that."
Laura stood up and leaned over until her lips were near Crystal's ear. "Nothing is stupid if it helps," she said. "I'll check on the chicken." The writer turned and walked over to the oven, leaving Crystal to her own thoughts.
Nothing is stupid if it helps, huh? Cute Laura, real cute. You know you sound like her sometimes? Crystal looked at the woman whose back was facing her. Sometimes you do but other times you're just like an old friend that I can trust to tell anything to. Crystal was so lost in thought that she missed the phone the first time it rang.
"Can you grab that?" Laura said. "I've got the roasting pan."
"Sure." Not one for using the phone, it took Crystal a second to figure out where the ringing was coming from and pick it up. "Hello?" "Laur?"
"Um, no this is her roommate." Crystal could barely hear the male voice over the background noise. "Who's calling?"
"Is she there? It's her brother Bobby. I need to find her right away." It was then Crystal realized the background noise was that of a hospital intercom system.
"Yeah, hang on a second," she yelled into the phone. "Laura, I think it's your brother. You'd better take it."
Laura set the roasting pan down on the cooling rack and wiped her hands on the dishcloth. "It's Bobby?"
"I think so." As she handed over the phone, Crystal felt a sense of dread. She could only watch helplessly as Laura took the call.
"Hello? Bobby? Speak up, I can barely hear you. Where are you?" The loss of color in Laura's face confirmed Crystal's suspicion. "What happened? What? Wait, I can't hear you." There was only a momentary pause. "Bobby, just stay there. I'm on my way. No, don't call the rest of the family. I'll call them if we need to. Yes, just stay right there. I'm on my way." Laura shut the phone off and gripped the side of the counter.
"Is it your mother?" Crystal asked.
Laura nodded, obviously trying to maintain her composure. "I um she he's not sure what happened." She shook her head. "I have to get there."
"Do you want me to drive you?" Crystal offered, taking the phone and hanging it up. "I don't think you should be driving yourself." "They're at the Med Center."
"Near the bypass. I know where it is." Crystal glanced at the stove, making sure everything was shut off. "I'll grab my keys." "Wait." Laura reached up and took her set of keys off the hook. "Let's take the Jeep."
"Good idea, at least it's legal," Crystal said, taking the keys from Laura's hand. Oh man, her mom is sick. What am I supposed to do? Putting her arm awkwardly around Laura's back, Crystal gave her roommate a quick squeeze. "It'll be all right, Laura." To her surprise, Crystal found herself buried in a firm hug, Laura's arms wrapped tightly around her.
"I don't know what to do," the distraught woman's words were muffled. "When Dad
Mom took care of everything."
"Shh. Let's just get there and find out what's going on, okay?" Crystal guided Laura toward the door. I'll call Jenny from the hospital. She'll know what to do. I'm no good at this comforting stuff. But Jenny wasn't there at the moment. It was just her and Laura. I can't let her go through this all alone. Unsure what to say, Crystal remained quiet as they got to the Jeep. Once Laura was in the passenger seat, Crystal made her way around to the driver's side. "Well, this should be interesting," she said as she put the key in the ignition. "I've never driven one of these before."
"Crystal?"
"Yeah?"
"I don't care if you speed this time," Laura said quietly.
"I'll get you there as fast as I can," Crystal promised, turning the key and smiling as the engine came to life. Must be nice not to worry if the damn thing will start up each time, she silently mused as she backed the Jeep out of its parking space and headed for the medical center.
It took only a few minutes for Crystal to maneuver her way through traffic and reach the entrance ramp for the bypass. "If we go this way we'll save about ten minutes with the traffic," she said, hoping for a response from Laura but none came. Well I guess we take the highway then since there's no objections. As she followed the curve of the entrance ramp, Crystal pressed down harder on the gas pedal, curious how fast the late model vehicle could go. "Do you want to listen to the radio?" She looked over just in time to see Laura shake her head. "You feel like talking?"