Don't Eat the Pie by Monique Asher

Don't Eat the Pie by Monique Asher

Author:Monique Asher [Monique Asher]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Rising Action
Published: 2024-07-04T00:00:00+00:00


Sorry, Ginny—Sam

July 19

Ginny invited us over to play cards, and I couldn’t say no again. I didn’t want to say no again. I want out of the damn house for a few hours.

The orange, hazy sky peeks over her back fence. The fan on her back patio offers little respite from the stagnant, sticky air surrounding us all. Ginny was kind enough to offer me lemon water, a welcome change from Nadine’s constant teas, tinctures, and smoothies.

“She’s seeing Dr. Drear,” Nadine says.

Ginny’s smeared lipstick catches my attention, as it’s the slightest bit off-kilter, swimming in the wrinkle that’s carved down to her chin.

“Look at the girl, Nadine. She doesn’t look herself,” Ginny says, a tiny bit of spit hanging on her lower lip. “I’m sorry, Sam.” She does look sorry. Ginny was the one who said I shouldn’t trust the men here, and anyway, she’s right. Excluding the bulbous profusion beneath my shirt, I look like a fucking walking skeleton, which I can’t quite wrap my head around; it all seems to be happening so fast. Am I completely losing track of time?

The fetus moves inside me like it knows I’m thinking about it.

“I want her to see someone in the city,” Becca says, sipping her gin cocktail.

“Wasn’t Richard at that fancy hospital you took her to, anyway?” Nadine doesn’t let Becca answer. “He was, because he’s the best.”

“I’m just saying that a second opinion wouldn’t hurt. You don’t know what she went through the first time.”

I suck water up through the straw, and the cold liquid hits my stomach but won’t go any further. It never feels like it goes any further. I’m always too full or too empty in there. Does the baby stop it and use it for itself—never letting me have any of it?

“Wasn’t he the doctor to that poor girl who ended up miscarrying? Who ended up—”

“That’s enough!” Nadine shouts, rage flaring in her eyes.

“Becca is her sister,” Ginny interrupts. “Something isn’t right. Look at her. You can see her insides.”

They’re talking about me like I’m some sick dog. It’s like they’re a struggling couple debating whether it’s acceptable to take it to yet another vet and rack up the bills when they only live so long, anyway. Maybe they shouldn’t take me to another doctor. Maybe whatever’s wrong with me isn’t curable. Maybe it will take the thing growing inside me before it takes me and let me get back to my life.

“I’m only saying—he’s won awards, and he’s in all the medical journals, ask anyone! He is the best in the state—in the country!” Nadine boasts.

Ginny rolls her eyes.

I wish I had a big glass of wine, like the ones Ben ordered me in Italy, to take the edge off, and make things a little more tolerable. I keep smiling when he rubs my stomach, but I bet he can tell that I don’t want it.

“That might be true, but even the best don’t always see everything,” Becca says. “I’m a nurse. I know what I’m talking about.



Download



Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.