Bits of scenes

P1

Louise's Death. 

I was rapturously watching the Week's Best Fails on YouTube when the phone rang. The alarming trill made me jump and curse. I tried to keep the annoyance out of my voice when I answered. It was an elderly woman's voice, unfamiliar to me.

'Hello? Is that Lynn?' Must be a distant friend of my mum's, I thought.

'Ah, no, sorry,' I said, apologetic. I noted the tone of tension in the woman's voice when she answered,

'Oh, ok, I must have the wrong number...'

'No, it's ok, I'm Lynn's daughter.'

'Oh, good. Do you have Lynn's work mobile?' I considered. I would have to go and check my phone contacts and considering the woman's slight urgency that would take too long and...I made a quick decision.

'No sorry. I just have her mobile which she may answer.'

'Her phone number? I mean, landli-ah... no, her personal phone?' She finished, exhasperated.

'Yes. Do you want it now?'

'Yes. What's your name dear?'

'Jess.'

'Jessica. Yes. I'm Louise De Longe's mother.'

Oh. Oh jeez. I'd never even heard of LouLou's mother. For her to be ringing our home phone, something bad must've happened. I didn't ask. Mum would tell me later.

'I've got a pen and paper here,' she said, waiting. I jumped to,

'0407627-' It took the lady a moment before she recited,

'0407...'

'627 915.' She read it back to me, and I wasn't sure she'd said it right. I let it slide; I wanted to get off the phone. I'd text mum to ring this lady on the phone if it ended up that she had the wrong number down.

'Thanks,' I said, and she hung up.

I sat back down in front of my laptop and watched a music video. The guy dancing in it moved like a mannequin. I watched another, absorbed. And then the phone rang again. I huffed.

It was my mum, and I definitely didn't miss the waver in her voice.

'Jess, LouLou's mother just called.' Did she just sniff? Oh god, was this worse than I thought? Was my mother's best friend in hospital?

'What happened mum?' I asked softly. 'Something bad happened didn't it?' Dread started to trickle in my chest.

'Sadly LouLou's just died,' and he voice cracked on the other end of the line. Shock.

'No. Oh my god mum...did she really? I can't-' Abruptly, surprised tears forced me silent. LouLou wasn't in great shape; her weight had been out of control for years, she'd had heart attacks, but she was only fifty. I hadn't seen her for months and months but still...she was one of my mum's last school friends.

'She fell down the stairs,' mum said with a sniff, 'And the firemen had to break down the door to get inside. But...' She stopped. I knew the ending. Tears were threatening because LouLou was dead. I couldn't trust myself to speak.

'Are you coming home now mum?' I said firmly.

'Ah, no,' she replied dismally. Ah, right. I'd forgotten. Platinum Properties had only three office staff these days, and not even the death of a dear friend could take mum off the front desk.

'Ok,' I said simply.

'Don't be sad for LouLou,' Mum began, and I knew she wanted to talk and reassure herself. 'She's been out of work for months. It's probably for the best. Her health has been horrible for years...at least I visited her recently...' she faded off with a great, blubbering sniff. My stomach wrenched. Poor thing, poor thing...