P.S. Ampersand says hi.
P.P.S. Your email handle made me laugh. How old is this account?
P.P.P.S. When you’re ready, can you tell me how things went with your mom?
From: [email protected]
To answer your question, ancient. Made it in high school. Applied to college with this address, if you would believe it. Nobody told me any better. I still think it’s cute tho.
To be honest, not sure what okay feels like. Have I ever been okay? Maybe not. I just kept myself so busy that I barely gave myself time to think about it. I used to be so much more resilient, I think. I was a stony-ass kid. Nothing anyone could say to me could shake me. And now look at me. Stuck. Did all this work and I have nothing to show for it. I told Denise I wasn’t going to do social media anymore. But who’s going to hire me to be their doctor now? When they google me all they’ll find is this shit.
OH. Speaking of you in the spotlight. Were you on Lana Porter’s show??? And why did I have to find that out on a post calling me a dumb cheating bitch????
Can tell you about mom stuff now. In summary:She had a heart attack, then a stroke. Got most of her mobility back, has started speech therapy. Her boyfriend has been emailing me updates. And yes, she has a boyfriend, and yes, they are living in sin. Who would’ve thought.
More Ampersand, please. I think that photo generated at least three more molecules of serotonin.
From: [email protected]
I can understand that feeling. When you’ve been living in darkness so long, you learn to function within it. You start to feel like the light is just a myth, like everyone else squints their way through life too. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You deserve more than a perpetual dusk.
And, at risk of overstepping my bounds, I don’t think you were more resilient. I think you had no choice but to keep moving, and when you hit the finish line, you ran out of gas. Like those people who collapse right after they finish a marathon. But you’ll get up again. I know you will. You’re Dr.Jojo. You can do anything.
On that note, you know you don’t have to work in a hospital, right? Maybe seeing patients isn’t for you. I really liked what you said, about wanting to educate people. Maybe that’s something you can explore more, when you’re in a better place. (Also, as my publicist said, controversy sells. I’m sure if you want a job, you can get one easy. Even with all the BS going around.)
Re: your mother. TBH I’m not sure how to respond to this.It sounds like communicating with them is giving you peace, though, and there’s beauty in that.
Also, yes, I was, I was going to tell you about Lana, and I hate that you found out how you did. She sprang the clip out of nowhere.
Re: cat pics: I will consider this permission to empty my entire camera roll into this email.
From: [email protected]
Omg Ampersand is TEARING UP that catnip. You’ve got a little fiend on your hands. Look at her eyes.
Thank you for that. Made me laugh.
I don’t have time for exploration. I still need to pay the bills. Time to put on my big girl pants and stop wallowing.
Rochelle emailed me this afternoon to check in. She says I have good friends. She’s proud of me for building “healthy relationships.” So there! You have my therapist’s approval.
From: [email protected]
You know. Not to freak you out. Even though it will freak you out. But you know when it comes to money, I got you, right? I want you to be well. If you need time away from everything to get there, I’m happy to help.
Jo didn’t respond to that, but he hadn’t expected her to. For a woman who extended a helping hand at the first opportunity, she was terrible at accepting the same for herself. But Mal found that, for once, her silence didn’t hurt him. His plan hadn’t changed. Today’s dinner was salmon and broccoli. Today’s soundtrack, Nina Simone. Today’s mission: trying to sweet-talk Jo into eating with him. Eventually, he’d get her to let him take care of her too.
But for Josephine Boateng, all his best-laid plans would always be for naught. She always managed to be one step ahead.
“Hey,” Jo said from the couch when Mal pushed her front door open.
