Free Forever: A Lobster Kind Of Love by Jody Pardo, Jennifer Tocheny Page B

keys in question finally pulling out a lanyard with a clump of key chains from various attractions and places travelled. “Found them!”
    How could you miss them ? I thought to myself. She couldn’t even close her hand around the clump of novelty key chains.
    We walked down to the end of the hall to the supply room. When she opened the door and revealed the treasure trove of supplies, I was in nurse heaven. I packed up two big boxes of supplies with everything I could need, including lots of catheters, gauze, bandages, packing materials, Band-Aids, antiseptic, saline solution, and notepads. Calais was a good 45-minute drive from Eastport and if I could avoid the trip for supplies that would be great.
    Sandra carried one box while I managed the other to my SUV. We loaded them in the back and closed the hatch.
    “See you next time!” She waved as I climbed in the driver’s seat and walked back to the building. I reset the GPS and headed back to Eastport.

    The past few days had passed quickly, and I still had a hard time believing I was actually here. It was time to get my apartment in order so I could enjoy tomorrow with Ethel. All I wanted to do was go home and change into my comfy yoga pants and read a little bit on the back deck. Maybe catch up with a little social media. The drive home seemed quicker than yesterday, maybe I was starting to get the hang of this.
    When I got back to my apartment, I hung up all my clothes, unpacked my boxes with books and knick-knacks, filling the empty bookcase in the living room, and found a place for everything in my new home. After I broke down and tied up the now empty cardboard boxes, I washed up and snuggled into bed. The cool night breeze drifted through my bedroom as I drifted off to sleep.

    “Mrs. Dacanay, I am going to need you to come with me.” The State Trooper escorted me down the basement hallway of the hospital to the coroner’s office. I was in a daze and felt like I was outside of myself, hearing their voices but they weren’t talking to me. They were talking to her, that other me with the dead eyes. I had to stand here in front of this window to identify Mason and Braxton before they released their bodies to the funeral home.
    “Am I going to be allowed inside?” I asked the trooper.
    “No ma’am. Not until they are released and treated by the mortician. It’s health code policy. I’m sorry.”
    The coroner pulled back the curtain on the other side of the window and…
    I sprung up in bed, disoriented, confused, shaking, and gasping for breath. Forcing my eyes wide, I took in my surroundings. This was not the morgue. This was my new home in Maine. I looked at my phone screen and it read 3:00 am. 
    I needed Tonya. I dialed her and she answered in a groggy slurred voice “Hello? Lydia? Are you okay?”
    “No.” One word was all I could muster as my throat constricted and my nerves got the best of me. 
    “Lydia, breathe. Take a deep breath. I want to hear it. If I don’t hear you breathe, I will be forced to get in my car and drive 600 miles to hug you…Lydia, can you hear me?” 
     “Tonya, I’m not okay. What am I doing here? What was I thinking? I can’t stop the dreams.”
    “Deep breaths, Lydia. I love you so much. You are so strong. There is no reason to look back when you have so much to look forward to. Please, don’t give up.”
    “I’m trying. I’m here.” I rub my eyes trying to erase the vision of my boys on the slabs. 
    “Try to get some sleep. I will call you from work later and check on you.”
    “I’m so sorry for waking you up. Thank you for reassuring me and always being there for me.”
    “I said it before, and I will say it again: anytime, day or night, I will be there for you. Just say the word and I will totally hop in my car and come see you.” 
    “Thanks, sweetie. Good night, talk to you later.”
    “Good night, Lyds.” Damn, now I felt bad for waking Tonya up. My friends were my saving grace. 
    That dream