The Providence of Neighboring Bodies by Jean Ann Douglass

Author:Jean Ann Douglass [Douglass, Jean Ann]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Social Science, Feminism & Feminist Theory, Gender Studies, Sociology, Urban, Women's Studies, Performing Arts, Theater, General, Playwriting, Literary Criticism, Drama, Family & Relationships, Friendship, European, English; Irish; Scottish; Welsh, American, Fiction, Absurdist, Women Authors
ISBN: 9781786825919
Google: c6H8DwAAQBAJ
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2018-08-03T03:33:52+00:00

RONNIE: It’s almost eleven. The apartment has never looked better. I put the daisies back on the table. The pillows are fluffed. There are fresh sheets on the pullout couch, already pulled out, saving Jane the trouble before she goes to bed.

I make a cup of tea and wander out to the balcony, like it’s something I do. Most of the police cars have gone and the ones that are left don’t even have their flashing lights on. The cops are doing a lot of chatting and leaning on cars and I’m too far away to tell, but I’m sure there are doughnuts involved. They seem to be losing steam, and they might even be gone by the time Jane arrives.

I don’t want to fall asleep before she gets here. I move to the kitchen table with my tea, jittering my leg to stay awake. I honestly don’t even think I like tea, and never had any in the house until I started worrying about stocking my kitchen for hosting guests. Let’s face it, guests like you better if you have things for them. Like tea. Face cloths. Seashell soaps or whatever. So I bought some stupid tea. And it’s probably good I’m finally having some, so the box will be open and a packet missing and Jane won’t feel awkward about whether or not she should be the first one to open a brand new box of tea. ‘I was going to make some tea, but this box isn’t open. Is it special tea? Are you saving it for something? Oh. I can’t believe you bought tea just for me. I don’t even like peppermint, I was just being polite.’

DORA: Written words have a lot of power. My words have power when I say them, of course, but when I write them down, it just sets things in motion. Things you couldn’t expect. I can keep words in my head all day, and become accustomed to them not doing much of anything. They’re not achieving their full potential until I write them down and put them out in the world.

I try not to do it too often. It’s risky. But I saw Ronnie’s face. She was so scared. She doesn’t have anyone else to protect her. But I’m here.

I sit and focus on the note, sitting under the windshield wiper. In my mind’s eye, I see it getting found. It getting read. The bewilderment and the ensuing hunt. She will be protected.

RONNIE: Shit! The buzzer is buzzing. I hop up too fast and I’m shaking the hot tea from my hand as I answer,

Hello?

JANE: Hi, it’s Jane, just got in so sorry I’m late!

RONNIE: No trouble. Third floor.

I buzz her up.

It’s here.

It’s happening.

She’s here.

She’s coming up the stairs.

Oh shoot, I can’t believe I’m letting her carry all her bags on her own, but what choice do I have now? Dammit, it’s too late. She could take either stairwell, so if I go to help her now, I’ll only have a 50/50 chance of actually running into her, so that ship seems to have sailed.

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.