Waterlogged by Nance Sparks

Author:Nance Sparks [Sparks, Nance]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Published: 2024-12-10T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

The house was empty when Hanna walked in. After such a roller coaster of a day, she was grateful for the bit of solitude. She should have run out and gotten the last of her things out of the camper so it was ready when Banjo and Chipmunk came by to pick it up. But she was way too spent to do even one more thing.

Standing in front of the open refrigerator door, Hanna looked for something to make for dinner. She ended up eating two slices of cheddar cheese, a few pieces of ham, another slice of cheese, and three Spanish olives before deciding that nothing sounded worth the effort of actually cooking. She settled on a slice of buttered bread and ate it while watching her favorite episode of Gilmore Girls through the Netflix app on her phone. A perfect way to zone out and ignore the craziness of the day, both good and bad. The messenger app popped up, pausing the show.

Auntie Ruthie: Out back. Need help.

Hanna popped out of her chair, so grateful she’d gotten home in time to be there for them. She left the phone on the table and ran out the back door. Ruthie had parked right next to the newly installed ramp.

“She slept most of the way home, but it’s been a rough go since she woke up.”

Aunt Dottie sat in the passenger seat, slumped over a wastebasket. Hanna opened the door and squatted so she could be close to her. Dottie heaved nothing but a spittle of bile into the bin. Hanna could definitely relate. She’d done that several times earlier and now realized that her stomach was much stronger when a dead body wasn’t involved.

“Hey, Auntie, how about we get you inside?” Hanna asked.

Dottie sort of shrugged and toppled against her. Hanna put the trash bin on the ground, pulled her aunt into her arms, and carried her into the house. A sack of rice weighed more. There was nothing to her. She didn’t need to pinch her skin to know she was likely dehydrated. Using the glow of the kitchen light to illuminate her path, Hanna made her way into the living room and lowered Dottie onto the hospital bed. Having already added an electric blanket to the pile of bedding, Hanna tucked her in and switched the controller to medium.

“I’ll be right back.” Hanna kissed her forehead. She rushed outside and helped Ruthie carry a few things inside.

“Thanks, honey. I’m so glad you’re home. There’s no way I could have done that.” Ruthie collapsed in her comfy chair next to Dottie’s bed. “I’m pooped, and I wasn’t the one getting chemo.”

Hanna walked up behind her and bent down, wrapping her arms around Ruthie’s shoulders. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be. Have you eaten? I could cook something.”

“Don’t bother, I’m too tired to eat.” Ruthie leaned back until her chair’s leg support flipped up. “Ah, that’s the ticket.”

Aunt Dottie coughed into a napkin. Her eyes seemed more sunken than normal.

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