Free Bitter Sweet by Lavyrle Spencer Page B

you, an individual, and special. Because you’ve touched lives in ways you didn’t realize. Each of us does that, Tammi. Each of us has worth. Can I tell you something?’ Tammi turned back to Maggie who went on,
    ‘Last night I was so blue. My daughter had left for college, and you were in the hospital, and the house was so empty. Everything seemed hopeless. So I called one of my old high school friends, and do you know what happened?’
    Tammi’s eyes showed a spark of interest. ‘What?’
    ‘She called some others, and started this wonderful chain reaction going. Today I had calls from three of them wonderful old friends I haven’t heard from in years, people I would never have suspected cared one way or the other about whether I was happy or not. That’s how it will be with you, too. You’ll see. Why, by the time I was getting ready to leave the house to come and see you, I was hoping the phone would stop ringing.’
    ‘Really?’
    ‘Really.’ Maggie smiled, and received a glimmer of a smile in return. ‘Now, listen, little one...’ She took Tammi’s hand, careful not to disturb any of the plastic tubes. ‘They said I could stay for only five minutes, and I think my time is up. But I’ll be back. Meanwhile, you think about what you’d like me to bring when you get into your own room. Malts, magazines, nachos - whatever you want.’
    ‘I know one thing right now.’
    ‘Just name it.’
    ‘Could you bring me some Nexxus shampoo and conditioner? I want my hair washed worse than anything.’
    ‘Absolutely. And my dryer and curling iron. We’ll fix you up like Tina Turner.’
    Tammi almost laughed.
    ‘That’s what i like to sec, those dimples showing.’ She kissed Tammi’s forehead and whispered, ‘I’ve got to go. Get strong.’
    Leaving the hospital, Maggie felt charged with optimism: when a twenty-year—old girl asked to have her hair done, she was rounding the corner towards recovery! She stopped at a beauty shop on the way home and bought the things
    Tammi had asked for. Carrying the bag, she entered her kitchen to find her phone ringing again.
    She charged across the room, whisked up the receiver and answered breathlessly, ‘Hello?’
    ‘Maggie? It’s Eric.’
    Surprise took her aback. She held the paper sack of shampoo against her stomach and stood tongue-ted for a full five seconds before realizing she must make some response. ‘Eric - well, heavens, this is a surprise.”
    ‘Are you okay?’
    ‘Okay? I... well, yes. A little breathless is all. I just came in the door.”
    ‘I talked to Brookie and she told me the real reason you called last night.’
    ‘The real reason?’ She set the bag on the cupboard in slow motion. ‘Oh, you mean my depression.’
    “I should have figured it out last night. I knew you weren’t calling just to say hello.’
    ‘I’m much better today.’
    ‘Brookie said s6meone in your group tried to commit suicide. I just got so scared - I mean...’ He heaved in a deep breath and expelled it loudly. ‘Christ, I don’t know what I mean.’
    Maggie touched the receiver with her free hand. ‘Oh, Eric, you mean you thought I might be suicidal, too - that’s why you’re calling?’
    ‘Well... I didn’t know what to think. I just - hell, I couldn’t get you off my mind today, wondering why you’d called. Finally, I had to call Brookie, and when she told me you’d been depressed and in therapy my gut clinched up. Maggie, you were always laughing when we were young.’
    ‘I’m not suicidal or even close to it. Honest, I’m not, Eric. It was a young woman named Tammi, but l just got back from visiting her in the hospital and she’s not only going to make it, I got her to smile and almost laugh.”
    ‘Well, that’s a relief.’
    ‘I’m sorry I wasn’t completely truthful with you last night. Maybe I should have told you that I’ve been in group therapy, but after you answered the phone I felt - I don’t know how to describe it -