Alicia had heard enough. This couldn’t be. All she had been told was a lie.
“Wasn’t it?” she thought.
My life as a mom and wife can’t be over.
She would need to be drugged until they could find help. How could this be? Just yesterday, she had delivered her baby boy or so it seemed. The doctors hadn’t said anything then. Wouldn’t they have known? She fought back despair. After all wasn’t despair another form of mental illness?
“Alicia – think! What do you recall the symptoms would be: erratic behavior, emotional, angry, can’t make wise decisions. What is the rest ? I must be crazy. That sounds like me. But- did they ever consider postpartum depression?”
For one moment she had a reasonable thought. Then -“Alicia you are talking to yourself. You are nuts!!!”
Alicia knew her husband and his new assistant would never give her drugs and keep the children away if she wasn’t crazy. Sonya, his assistant, was so sweet.
“Young and pretty- like I was as a young wife.”
There was still that hesitation.A stronger more rational thought.
“Alicia don’t take the medicine! If they make you, force it back up.” She had to know.
*****
“Alicia, honey, here is your medicine.”
“Oh good, thank you- I was waiting. I think it’s helping. Could you get me some juice? It helps with the after- taste.”
While Sonya was gone, Alicia slipped the pills in an empty envelope.
“Oh thank you. I was able to get them down but this will help with the taste in my throat. I’m tired – I’ll take a nap.”
***
A week or two went by. Alicia felt better; her terrible headaches were gone. She didn’t feel like staying in bed round -the -clock though she did so it looked like she was taking the medication.
“Hello Katie. I’m sorry I haven’t returned you calls. I need you to do me a favor. I’ve not been well. I”m feeling so much better. I was wondering if we could go shopping tomorrow. My husband is overly concerned -please don’t let him convince you I can’t. I think the best thing for me is to get out.”
“Hello Tracy. It was so kind of you to offer to have the children come over. Would you be able to have them tomorrow – and the baby? My husband feels it would be good for them to have a play date. Oh they will love it. Would you mind calling and telling my husband’s assistant your plan. Thank you so much.”
***
It was a bright sunny day, children were playing, two friends were shopping, an employer and his beautiful assistant discussed when they would live like there was no tomorrow…
For more stories visit The Tenth Daughter of Memory – theme “Live Like There is No Tomorrow”
penned in moon dust 