“Oh, Ronny, I’m so sorry,” cried Jackie, throwing her arms around Ron’s neck. “If there is anything I can do.” She had just arrived with a basket full of muffins and a tin-box of cookies.
“Thanks, Jacklyn. It means a lot that your here,” Ron replied, giving her a weak pat on the back.
“How could I not be? Me and Rebecca were so close.”
“I know...I” His head fell into his hands. She wondered if he was going to start crying. “I just can’t help...”
“Oh no, Ronny, don’t do that!” He looked up at her, confused. “You can’t blame yourself for what happened, no one could have seen it coming. I’m her best friend and I didn’t realize...oh Ronny! We have to support each other, help each other through this. She would have wanted that.”
He nodded and replaced his head in his hands. He hadn’t left his wife’s side for days except to use the toilet and grab a cigarette. He held out hope that she was still in there, waiting. He talked her as long as possible without crying.
Jackie moved around the side of the bed and sat down on the edge, between Rebecca and Ron. She took Rebecca’s hand in hers and stroked it gently.
“I just can’t stand to see her like this.” She threw herself across Rebecca’s torso, shaking through her sobs. Ron went to her and pulled her up again by her shoulders.
“We have to try and keep it together. Like you said, she wouldn’t want-“. He stopped when she put her head against his chest and pulled him close. He reached a hand up, about to stroke her head but stopped himself.
“I...I’m gonna go for a smoke. You stay here, I like for her to have company. You can talk to her. I don’t know if she can hear...but I like to try.”
“Of course, go ahead. Take a muffin,” she called as he walked out the door. She turned back to Rebecca and took her hand again.
“Oh, Rebecca, how could you?” she said as she wiped the tears from her eyes.
‘You had so much going for you: the perfect husband, a beautiful home, great job. You had a life that any woman would want. Who wouldn’t be a little jealous? But it wasn’t enough, was it?” The tears had stopped.
‘How could you think that killing yourself would fix anything?”
‘I guess you didn’t stop to think what you were doing, who was going to get hurt. You always were selfish.’ Her lips curled into a sneer as she spoke. Her grip on Rebecca’s hand was tightening like a vice.
“Don’t you think of anyone but yourself?” She tossed Rebecca’s hand aside like a sticky candy wrapper.
“And what will poor, lonely Ronny do without you?’ She leaned over Rebecca.
‘I suppose,” she whispered into her ear, “I’ll just have to be there for him in any way I can. In whatever...capacity. After all, what are friends for?’
She sat up again, eyes shining. A smile spread slowly across her face. “I got my hair done today. At Micheal’s. Isn’t that where you used to go?” She flipped her hair. “I’ve gone blonde, it looks great! I wish I could say the same for yours, sweetie. Your roots are starting to show.” She giggled to herself. “I think Ronny likes it. Mine I mean. He did always prefer blondes.”
‘This could be our second chance. In time, we can look at this, unfortunate matter, as a blessing in disguise. The dark cloud to our silver lining. Wouldn’t that be great? You wouldn’t have to feel guilty anymore for what you did.’
‘You can be in peace,’
‘Oh, I wonder what this plug does?”
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