Donna accepted the call.
“Hey mama!”
Nina’s voice was a welcome sound.
“Hi honey. How’d your classes go this week? You feeling all better?”
Nina had come home for the long weekend last week because, supposedly, she’d been
feeling under the weather. But Donna could tell that she’d been more homesick than anything
else. And about ready for a break from her roommate.
feeling under the weather. But Donna could tell that she’d been more homesick than anything
else. And about ready for a break from her roommate.
She listened to Nina talk for a while. She went on about her Physics class and all that the
concepts that she had to learn before the “midterms.” Most of what her daughter was
describing was going straight over Donna’s head. She herself had never gone to college;
she’d just continued helping her mother with the daycare’s operations for the year after high
school.
concepts that she had to learn before the “midterms.” Most of what her daughter was
describing was going straight over Donna’s head. She herself had never gone to college;
she’d just continued helping her mother with the daycare’s operations for the year after high
school.
“I saw something on one of my Colombia friends’ Twitter about someone dying in our complex,”
Nina said. “What happened?”
Nina said. “What happened?”
“I’m… not sure,” Donna responded stoically. “They found a man dead in the parking lot a few
days ago. Do you remember Mr. Evans?”
days ago. Do you remember Mr. Evans?”
“Yeah… he used to stop by for dinner sometimes or something like that, right?”
“Yeah Nina, something like that,” Donna responded.
Nina had a club event she was getting ready to go to, so the two bid each other goodbye and
Donna sat back in the kitchen chair.
Donna sat back in the kitchen chair.
“Or something like that,” she thought. “He used to come most every Sunday after church!”
For a couple hours in the afternoon, he would help her with whatever needed fixing or
maintenance around the apartment, and he’d entertain Tommy and Nina with stories and
games while she made dinner for the four of them. Sometimes he’d stay later after the kids
went to sleep, especially in the first couple of years when she was figuring out how to manage
the kids on her own. But later on, as their relations headed south, the time came where the
chair opposite Donna at the kitchen table was never occupied during those Sunday dinners.
maintenance around the apartment, and he’d entertain Tommy and Nina with stories and
games while she made dinner for the four of them. Sometimes he’d stay later after the kids
went to sleep, especially in the first couple of years when she was figuring out how to manage
the kids on her own. But later on, as their relations headed south, the time came where the
chair opposite Donna at the kitchen table was never occupied during those Sunday dinners.
Donna hadn’t spoken with him in years now. Their falling out had left her bitter, and though
she’d be intermittently bothered by the unspoken, unclarified truths between them, that was
nothing compared to her experience these past two days. Every aspect of her everyday life
seemed to remind her of their suspended past, that, now, she’d never get to attempt to reboot.
she’d be intermittently bothered by the unspoken, unclarified truths between them, that was
nothing compared to her experience these past two days. Every aspect of her everyday life
seemed to remind her of their suspended past, that, now, she’d never get to attempt to reboot.
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