The Trouble with Drowning by Heather Hach

Author:Heather Hach [Hach, Heather]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9798886451269
Published: 2023-10-14T22:00:00+00:00

Jacob grinned at the irony, this proclamation of tremendous hope just as Jacob was cratering in on himself.

The phone PINGED again; his eyes darted down to see another text:

Mom

I love you, son. XO MOM

Jacob closed his eyes, placed the phone on his heart, took a deep breath, filled his lungs with hot air. He exhaled deeply, tears running down his cheeks. Gratitude filled his cells.

“You okay?” a voice asked.

Jacob looked up to see a spry older couple staring down at Jacob sitting on the trail. He quickly wiped his eyes and gave an embarrassed smile.

“I am. Thanks.”

“Okay. Had to ask. Not every day you see a young man just sitting down all alone in the middle of a hiking trail,” the older man explained. His wife chuckled and readjusted her Diamondbacks baseball hat.

Jacob popped up. “Just had a moment” was all he could come up with.

“I’ve been having them my entire life,” said the woman with a grin, and her husband laughed in response. They tipped their hats and moseyed down the path, holding hands.

Jacob watched them go until they were out of sight. “What’s with all this fucking happiness?” he said out loud.

A loud voice reverberated in his mind, not Moses on the Mount, but also not his own: TRY IT SOMETIME.

Jacob looked up, startled. Above, a hawk made beautiful, lazy circles in the setting sun. It cawed out into the twilight.

“I will,” he said, surprising himself with the immediate peace that eclipsed his prior angst. He inhaled gratefully, then turned around and headed back.

. . .

Carol waited outside Banner Memorial, nervous. Lucîa was to join Carol to take Kat back home. Carol was secretly relieved Lucîa had graciously offered to have Kat move back in with her; it removed Carol from a precarious situation. Jacob—who had since moved in with Pete and Maya, wanting more privacy and a fresh start—would not approve of Kat living in his old guest house. Frankly, it would be too much.

Carol saw Lucîa approach the entrance with a giant bouquet of cheerful mylar balloons. “Jesus Christ,” Carol said under her breath. She waved hello anyway.

The two women hugged, exchanged pleasantries. Lucîa then nodded to the balloons. “Too much?”

“Well . . . Kat is leaving a psych ward, not joining a sorority.”

Lucîa immediately released the balloons and the two women laughed.

“Goodbye, absolutely terrible idea,” Lucîa said as they waved to the colorful orbs disappearing into the blue Tucson sky. “I’m nervous,” she admitted.

“Me, too. And I think the best policy is to acknowledge the elephant in the room—this IS bizarre. For everyone involved. Let’s just be honest.” Lucîa nodded in agreement. “I’ve met with her team a few times. They’re very hopeful that with this medication Seroquel, she’ll find equilibrium. It can help the bipolar aspects of her . . .” Carol’s words fell away, uncertain how to phrase it. “Disorder. Schizoaffective disorder. Is that right?”

“Oh, I have no idea. I’ve read a few articles online. I’m no expert.”

“Clearly, neither am I. But let’s just tackle this one day at a time, and vow to help Kat in any way.

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