Body Jumping by Brenda Lowder

Author:Brenda Lowder [Lowder, Brenda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bold Wanderer Press
Published: 2020-06-04T18:30:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

On Wednesday morning, before work, I go to the hospital and visit myself. Laurel isn’t there, and I sort of miss her. I’ve gotten used to seeing her here, and I guess I’ve started to look forward to it. Her presence is such a confirmation of me, of my existence, and of the fact that we’re connected through the bonds of family, sisterhood, and love.

Since she’s not here, I stride to my body’s side without hesitation, grab my limp, dusty hand and hold it, and chant my requisite—made up—incantations importuning the forces of nature to let me back into my body.

Nurse Loretta, who is large and militarily efficient, comes in to check on the used-to-be me while I’m mumbling my third refrain of, “Let me change bodies back.”

I cough to distract from any of my mutterings she might have heard and step back from my old body.

“Good morning, Loretta.”

“Good morning, sweetie.”

I stay out of her way as she gets my chart and starts marking things off.

“I haven’t seen your sister in here yet today,” she tells me.

I don’t think anything about her comment for a second—Laurel is my sister—then I realize she’s not supposed to be.

“She’s not my sister,” I correct her and walk over to the chair, deciding to stay a few minutes. I don’t want Loretta to see me touch and run. “I’m Julianne’s friend.” I nod to the bed with old-me in it. “And I guess I’m Laurel’s friend now too.”

“Oh, that’s right.” Loretta finishes charting in the laptop she’s brought in and studies me with her brow furrowed. “I don’t know why, but I always get a strong sister vibe off of you two.” She shakes her head. “This is the end of my shift. Tell her I said ‘hi’ if you see her. Oh, and she left her notebook over there last night.”

She indicates the little table by the door, and I pick up the notebook. “Thanks, Loretta.”

“See you later, sweetie.”

The notebook is a simple mini-spiral, some version of which Laurel has used for years to log her daily to-do lists. I thumb through it, curious as to what she’s been up to lately.

I flip to the last filled-in page, which is yesterday’s.

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