ADVERTISEMENT
“She’s covering everything today,” Rita added proudly.
For the next several minutes, she enthusiastically listed every boutique she planned to visit and every luxury item she intended to leave with. She discussed my salary as though it belonged to the entire family instead of the person who had earned it.
From the back seat, Gordon leaned forward and checked his watch.
“Can you drive a little faster?”
“We’re surrounded by traffic.”
“The stores open in a few minutes. If we’re late, all the best items will be gone.”
I met his eyes in the rearview mirror.
There wasn’t the slightest concern about how sick I felt.
His only priority was getting to the designer stores before everyone else.
“Please don’t rush me,” I replied.
He tapped the back of my seat.
“Just keep going, Jocelyn.”
I didn’t answer.
Instead, I let their excitement continue growing.
When we finally entered the Galleria parking lot, Rita had already decided which boutique would be our first stop. Valet attendants arranged signs outside the luxury entrance while early shoppers streamed through the glass doors.
I parked close to the upscale wing and shifted the car into park.
At that exact moment, my phone buzzed inside the cup holder.
It wasn’t a call.
It was an alarm I had quietly scheduled while Gordon and Rita were upstairs getting dressed.
I picked up the phone and held it to my ear.
For several seconds, I said nothing, allowing concern to slowly appear on my face.
“I understand,” I finally said into the silent line. “Give me five minutes. I’ll log in right away.”
I lowered the phone.
Gordon frowned.
“What happened?”
“My manager just called,” I replied. “One of our clients is experiencing a major system outage. There’s an emergency meeting, and I need my laptop immediately.”
Rita frowned.
“But you’re supposed to pay for my shopping.”
“I know,” I said. “Go ahead and start browsing. Have the associates set everything aside for you. I’ll stay here, deal with the emergency, and meet you at the register in about thirty minutes.”
The irritation vanished from Rita’s face almost instantly.
“Anything I want?”
“Anything.”
Gordon pushed open the car door.
“Thirty minutes,” he said. “Don’t keep us waiting.”
The two of them hurried away without asking whether I was feeling any better or whether I needed help.
Rita grabbed Gordon’s arm and eagerly pulled him toward the entrance. In my rearview mirror, I watched them disappear through the glass doors of the first designer boutique.
Neither of them looked back.
I waited one more minute.
Then I shifted into reverse, drove out of the parking lot, and headed straight to my doctor’s appointment.
By 10:30, I was sitting in the waiting room with my medical folder resting on my lap.
The room carried the familiar scent of disinfectant mixed with fresh coffee. A television in the corner aired a local forecast warning of afternoon thunderstorms across Broward County. Around me, patients quietly completed forms or scrolled through their phones.
I wasn’t alone for long.
The entrance opened, and my best friend, Pearl, walked in carrying a bottle of water.
We had been friends since our college years. She worked as a human resources manager in an office building across the street and had checked on me almost daily since my health began to decline.
When she learned the date of my follow-up appointment, she rearranged her morning so she could spend part of her lunch break with me.
ADVERTISEMENT
