This Terrible True Thing: A Visual Novel by Jenny Laden

Author:Jenny Laden [Laden, Jenny]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Blackstone Publishing

18

“HEARTBREAK HOTEL”

It’s my biweekly call with Mom. We have this deal that every other Sunday, I call her with the Sprint phone card she gave me.

She still doesn’t know Dad is HIV positive, and I don’t know if I should tell her. Before I dial, I look at last night’s notes in my sketchbook.

Stay calm, keep it simple.

Dad isn’t sick

Yet

New medicines could help.

He has good doctors.

AIDS is not a death sentence.

This is not a situation I ever saw on an after-school TV special: Should I tell my mom that my dad has AIDS?

As soon as she picks up the phone, I hear it.

“Yes, dear?” she says fast and brittle, and I know she’s stressed or rushed.

I can’t do it.

“Oh, hey, Mom,” I say, pretending there is no enormous piece of news I need to share with her.

“What’s up?” she says quickly, like I’m keeping her from something.

“Oh, you know, same old same old. Homework, school. The usual.” I think maybe I’m trying too hard, but she doesn’t notice. “How are you this week, Mom?” This usually works, I just pivot to her and then the pressure subsides.

“Well, I was at the most incredible dinner last night at the dean’s house. My God, you should have seen her ceramics collection. Some of my colleagues were there and dinner was amazing. I honestly don’t know how she leads the school and has time to make beef bourguignon like that.”

As she talks, I’m thinking, Why does it have to be me? I don’t want to deal with other people’s feelings about Dad’s disease. I can barely handle myself. Maybe Jake will tell her, but I doubt it. I don’t even know if they talk on the phone like we do.

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