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She collapsed into my arms again crying uncontrollably. My own tears flowed. My heart ached for them, and I had no words. There was nothing I could say that could make it any better, any easier.
“Lori, you need to tell her. If you want, I’ll go with you while you do. Tell me what you need me to do, and I’ll do it,” I said.
They weren’t just my friends. They were like family to me.
She looked into my eyes and said, “Promise me that you’ll be there for Ellen. Tell me that you won’t let her go into a depression. You won’t let her hide her emotions and bury her sadness. Make sure that she knows that I loved her and that I never, never expected this to happen.”
“I promise. I’ll always be there for her. And Lori, I’m here for you too. I love you,” I said.
“I love you too, Danielle. I can’t believe this trio is about to come to an end,” she said.
Don’t talk like that. It’s too hard to think about.
“Lori, did you want to go tell Ellen now?”
She nodded. “I know I have to. She thinks I flew home because I forgot my medicine and needed it. She’s pissed because she told me to call you and have you send it overnight to us. Sorry, but I told her I wasn’t able to reach you because you were busy with some new guy. She might be angry at you too.”
“That’s okay. I understand. Where is she now? At the apartment?” I asked.
“No. I flew back here by myself. She’s still in Aruba. I am going to fly back tonight.”
“By yourself? Are you okay to fly?” I asked.
“What’s it going to do? Kill me? I’m already dying. I can’t stay here and leave Ellen in Aruba by herself. If I knew what the doctor was going to tell me this morning, I would’ve insisted she return with me. But now what do I do? I can’t tell her on the phone. I have to go back,” she said.
“I can go with you,” I offered. “This way you don’t have to fly alone.
“You’re not going to fly all the way there just to babysit me on the plane. That is ridiculous. I’m okay. Well besides the fact that I’m dying, I’m okay. I am not in any pain. The only thing that happens is I get weak and dizzy sometimes. That’s all. I will be okay. I got here by myself,” she said.
And if something happens to you there, then Ellen will be all by herself.
There was a knock on the door, and Lori said, “You were expecting someone. Do you have a date?”
I did.
“It’s a long story for another time.”
“Are you going to answer it or am I?” she asked, wiping her cheeks.
“Lori, I can call him later. Right now, I am here for you,” I said firmly.
She got up and walked to the door before I could stop her. When she opened it I could hear Robert’s surprise.
“Hi, I’m…looking for Danielle,” he said.
She turned and looked at me. “Danielle, look who it is. It’s the priest from the carnival. I wonder what he’s doing here.”
“Lori, we can talk about this later.” I got up and said, “I guess you didn’t get my text.” He shook his head. “Somethings come up and I can’t see you tonight.”
“Yes she can,” Lori said. “Come on in. I have some questions for you.”
Any other time and I’d have laid into Lori to mind her damn business. But right now, she was distracted from her own major problems and focused on Robert. This was a good thing. Not for him. Not for me. But I was happy to see Lori smiling.
She grabbed his arm and half dragged him to the couch. I followed and felt bad for Robert. He didn’t deserve any of this. There was nothing I could do. It might cost me my relationship with him, but if it brought Lori some joy right now, I guess it’d be worth it. She might not have many more smiles left in her.
“So, what are you doing here?” she asked him.
“We had a date. But I don’t mind rescheduling,” he said.
