A Five-Minute Life

Rita glanced over her shoulder for Delia. Seeing the coast was clear, she leaned over my shoulder, our faces close in the mirror.

“Between you and me, I think Jim would lose his mind to see you in this dress.”

“And that’s your professional opinion. So it’s extra legit.”

“Extra legit,” she said. She gave me a squeeze. “Come on. Let’s buy this dress.”

I bought the dress.

After, I bought a few little things to liven up my wardrobe—sandals, sunglasses, perfume, and a little peridot gem on a delicate gold chain from a jewelry store.

“For Mom and Dad,” I told Delia. “Their birthstone.”

“They were born in the same month?” Rita asked.

I nodded. “Same day, actually. August twentieth.”

“They were born on the same day and died on the same day,” Delia said.

“There’s a poetry in that, don’t you think?” I asked, my throat thick. “They were meant to be together, from the very start.”

Delia said nothing but bought a little necklace for me without complaint.

After, we hit a Michael’s craft store and Delia spent a good wad of cash on three large canvases. Also, without argument. She felt guilty, but I wanted to tell her not to be. The past was done, and the future wasn’t created yet. All we had is now.

And I was going to live in it.

Just not in the Blue Ridge Sanitarium.

But the thought of not seeing Jimmy every day hurt my heart more than I expected.

He went into my world in order to bring me out. Maybe it’s time for me to return the favor.

Chapter 22

Jim

I was outside with Mr. Perello when Thea came back from a shopping excursion with Rita and Delia, looking as if she’d been on a beach vacation. I nearly dropped the lighter as I went to light Mr. P’s smoke.

Gone were the bulky khaki pants and shapeless tops. Thea wore sandals, shorts that revealed approximately eighty-two miles of gorgeous legs, a tank top that clung to her curves, and sunglasses. She popped bubblegum while she hauled shopping bags over her shoulders. Her blond hair was a tousled mess that I wanted to sink my fingers in to.

She caught sight of me, lowered her sunglasses with one finger, and wiggled her pinky at me in hello.

“Well?” Mr. Perello said from the bench. “You just going to stare at her like a dope? Say hi back.”

But by the time I got my shit together, Thea was stepping through Blue Ridge’s front door. Delia gave me a hard look before she disappeared inside.

“That’s a grade-A stink-eye right there,” Mr. Perello supplied helpfully.

“Tell me about it.”

Inside, I made my rounds, and then it was rec time. I found Thea sitting with Rita and Delia, surrounded by her doctors, just about to start a post-excursion barrage of questions.

“How do you feel?” Dr. Chen asked. “Was it difficult to process being in a crowded place like a mall?”

“You mean after being cooped up here for so long?” Thea replied. “No, it was easy but…”

She found me in the corner and smiled as if we hadn’t just seen each other minutes ago; better than a million compliments. Then her smile turned sly, and she winked at me.