“Grandma, Grandma? When are we going to bake those chocolate chip cookies?” five-year-old Jessica says.
“Come on, Grandma!” the little girl shouts. “You’ve slept enough!” with that she reaches over to shake nana’s arm. Instinctively, she pulls away with a sudden snap of her hand as if she’s touched a hot stove. But, it’s the opposite of that. Instead it’s as if Jesse, as her grandmother liked to call her, has placed her hand on ice that cuts.
“Grandma?” Jessica whispers.
***
“What the hell, man? Just cut me off like that!” Brian’s hand makes a fist at the driver now ahead of him.
Shaking his head, he says, “Jesus. People are driving like we’re in the middle of a heat wave here! Look at the roads people: that’s black ice on the road, mixed in with a whole lotta snow!”
Brian’s eyes flick up to his rear view mirror. He’s not certain the reason at first. But then he catches sight of the Nissan Pathfinder that’s barreling down behind him as it pushes snow off the road and onto the sidewalk. The driver still isn’t slowing down.
There’s nothing he can do. There’s a crunching sound as the SUV hits the breaks. The truck’s wheels lock on the brown, salted, icy, snow-covered road as it begins to slide slowly at first, and then swings around and charges into the driver’s side of Brian’s car.
The SUV doesn’t stop. Medal twists. Glass smashes.
***
“Hey, you!” Carmen shouts at the red coat-wearing woman she hasn’t spoken to in almost six months. It’s not because the ladies had a fight. The reason is a simple and a common explanation: lack of time because of too many other obligations; and because at the end of the week they’re too damn knackered.
“Hey! Oh my goodness! I haven’t seen you in ages! How’s everything?” Dana enquires.
“Good, good. Jobs great. Kids, are getting big. Oh, Brent and I are celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary on Saturday!”
“Has it been that long?”
“Yup,” Carmen says with her chin raised proudly.
“Geez, that’s fantastic! Congratulations. Are you guys doing anything special?”
“Yeah, we’re having a party with friends and family. You should come!”
“When is it again?”
“This Saturday.”
“Are you guys still living at 185 Wimbledon Lane?”
“Yeah, still there,” Carmen says chuckling. “Now, you have no excuse NOT to come! Okay, well, I’ve got to dash as I need to pick the kids up from their music lessons. Shit. Didn’t even ask though, how are things with you?”
“Good, good,” Dana says. “We’ll catch up on Saturday. Go!”
“You’ll come then?”
“Absolutely!”
“Great. See you on Saturday!” Carmen says as she turns and continues to jog in the direction of her car.
(Later that day)
“We admitted her into the hospital today. She was complaining of indigestion: felt some nausea coupled with chest pain. We gave her some aspirin as a precautionary measure. She was in her mid-40’s and on observation, was well within her normal weight range. Unfortunately….”
Tortuous Tales 