Nancy (383 hits)
Category: GeneralRating: 2 on 7 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Rillins (View user info) at 2008-03-19 13:12:17 EDT
"Listen, Nancy, I don't know an easy way to say this. It's never easy to tell someone that they've got cancer."
The sentence never seemed to fully process. She would wake with it foremost in her mind. During the day it danced in the back of her thoughts, lurking and occasionally tripping into the light.
"All right Jeremy, you can have Cap'n Cruch or Coco Puffs."
Nancy eyed the two boxes with the jaunty characters on their fronts.
They didn't think it would be right to tell Jeremy. He was only eight and just wouldn't understand. It would be better to wait until the Chemo had altered her physical appearance more. Now she was just tired; always tired.
"Listen, Nancy, I don't know..."
Her eyes froze, her knuckles whitened. "An easy way to say this, there's never an easy way to say this. No easy way"
"...Where my car keys are, do you have any idea?"
Bob tromped into the kitchen, his eyes frantically searching for the missing keys.
"I want the Cap'n Arrrrr!" Jeremy curled his hand into a hook and scrunched up his eye like he was wearing an eye patch.
Nancy set both boxes onto the table and went to get herself some water. Her left hand clutched the side of the sink as she downed the contents of the glass.
"Oh here they are! Seems like someone thought the Cap'n should have my keys!"
Bob gave a little chuckle and roughed up Jeremy's hair.
Nancy pulled into the parking lot of the grocery store. Sunday's were the worst days to shop on, but they had needed more Cap'n Crunch and other items for dinner.
"I don't know an easy way..."
Nancy's heart raced, her eyes glazed over "an easy way to say this, there is never an easy way to say this. It's never easy to tell someone..."
"...To cook salmon." A rotund man bustled by, obviously talking to his wife on his cell phone.
A random child ran past her, startling her back into consciousness. She finished her shopping, glad to be back in the safety of her car. Nancy started it up, the air conditioner blazed with gusto and the radio clicked on to K98.4 Smooth Rain.
"Taurus is to have a five star day, with nothing but good feelings, baby."
The DJ purred into the microphone.
Nancy pulled out of the parking lot onto Main Street.
"Gemini should plan on staying in tonight as they're having a rough day. Ouch, two stars!"
Nancy wasn't a Gemini, but she sure felt like staying in bed.
Flashes of color and an awful sound reverberated through Nancy's head.
Screech, cancer. She had cancer and four stars. Tonight would be hard to tell someone that she had cancer. Cancer, she should have crab for dinner. Cancer, screech! Cancer, my head hurts, why can't I move? Screech four star day, honey! Cancer, get out and see your loved ones.
It sure felt like a four star day.
User Reviews
Submitted by TheBrad (user info) at 2008-03-19 23:12:39 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Just a bundle of warm feelings.
Submitted by TheUniter (user info) at 2008-03-19 20:45:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by HellRazer (user info) at 2008-03-19 16:17:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Very simple. Yet it kept me enthralled.
Submitted by rob_berg (user info) at 2008-03-19 16:03:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Wonderfully written.
Submitted by Doodles (user info) at 2008-03-19 14:00:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Good job.
Submitted by CaptainThorns (user info) at 2008-03-19 13:52:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2008-03-19 13:21:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I know.