Til' Death Do Us Part

Chapter Nine

    There was nothing else. I went to the interview and got the job but not without the awkwardness. I lived in a small town and unfortunately knew the interviewer since she was Harper's best friend's mother. I'd met her briefly for dinner a few years back and met her frequently at the grocery store but she was still just as kind as she had always been.

    I learned quickly that regulars were actually regulars. Thankfully, I didn't know who many of them were beyond the club but not everything was preventable and thankfully, Rome didn't set foot through the door. Though I worked at the club, it was only on my off days: weekends.

    I'd been working at the club for two months before Rome finally noticed.

    "What do you do on Sundays?" Rome asked, casually picking his perfect five water bottles before he slid them on the counter.

    "Stay up for church?" I chuckled jokingly but brushed it off, "Just my part-time."

    "Ah." Rome nodded to himself, "Next time the outing will be on me, eh?"

     I looked at him slightly confused, ringing up the water bottles, "You mean, you're actually considering going on another one? I thought the last one was kind of a disaster."

    "Ah, I must have misinterpreted it then, perhaps." He sighed, paying for the water bottles, "I thought it went rather well."

    "The end of it did, I guess?" I suggested, "I just wouldn't have thought you would go with me again. I mean, you didn't seem too eager to continue it by the end of the night?"

    "I was merely annoyed. I had something to tend to and wasn't quite looking forward to it. If you're willing to, we can go on another sometime."

    I bagged up the waters and handed the bag to him, "We can do another outing, yeah." I could feel myself smile as I said that.

    "How does next weekend sound?"

    "I work after ten but before that, we can."

    "Still don't know where we're going?"

    I grinned and chuckled before nodding, "No clue."

    "Well. Have a nice night, Elizabeth."

    I looked at him as he left with a smile as I could feel Monica's eyes scorn me.

    "You don't have to make it so obvious when we're at work."

    "So what? I'm a grown woman and I'm not breaking any laws, just talking to a friend." I said, glancing at her. She'd begun the process of dying her hair white now and somehow still pulled off the bob. Monica looked at me with a expression that held some small extent of worry.

    "Yes, but it's easy to tell you like him."

     "I don't. He's just nice company. I enjoy nice company."

    "Nice company or not. He comes every day for water bottles. Nobody I know would buy so many every day and not buy them in packs. He pays more buying them like that." Monica pointed out, "It's obvious you two have some chemistry. Those outings sound more like dates than anything else."

   "That's what I thought too but there isn't anything between us." I said, leaning on the counter next to my register.

    "Just be careful, 'Beth. I'm not telling you not to hang on, but don't hang off of him. I don't want either of you to get hurt in the process. The guy gives me the creeps but he seems like he means well at least." She knew. Someone must have told her.

_____________________

    I was sitting in the room, waiting for my diagnosis. Dr.Harvey was supposed to come into the room any minute with the results now. I'd been cooped in this room for almost an hour now. In an effort to occupy myself, I swung my legs back and forth and outlined every line on the walls until the door opened.

    Dr.Harvey was holding the clipboard in hand-practically shielding his chest with it. As if letting light touch it would hurt him, "Unfortunately, Ms.Storren, I do have your test results." He closed the door for confidentiality and looked at me with gloom.

    "What-is it bad? I don't think it could be that bad."

    "Ms.Storren, you have eight months left." I could feel shock through my body and it didn't seem real. I had to convince myself that it wasn't real because it couldn't be. Not that. Not this-not now.

     "Your heart isn't pumping fast enough to sustain your other organs. I suggest you make the arrangements with your family. I am very sorry that I can't inform you with something else, but there is nothing."

     "I-There isn't any medication? Surgery?"

    Dr.Harvey shook his head, "There isn't anything that will serve you any longer than a few months, but at that time, your quality of life will have severely depleted. I apologize, Ms.Storren."

    "I see." I whispered, "How bad is it?"

    "You will need to be on bedrest in anywhere from the next five to six months."

    "Thanks, Dr.Harvey."

    "No problem kiddo. Don't do anything reckless."

    "I won't.." I mumbled quietly.

    Word Count: 890