In the kitchen, Francine mixes up some grits and puts the bowl in the microwave. For seven minutes she stares at the microwave window as the grits cook inside. The cooking cycle finished, the microwave beeps four times but Francine doesn't stir to stir her grits. She continues to stare at the microwave window. Masani, getting up for more coffee, notices Francine's trance, and says, "Francine, I think your grits are done."
"Huh?" Francine starts.
"Grits," Masani points at the microwave.
"Yeah, I wanted a break from oatmeal," Francine says.
"O . . . K. Well, they're done," Masani says, pouring herself another cup of coffee, "Are you all right?"
"Huh?" Francine says, opening up the microwave door, "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine."
Francine puts on some oven gloves and takes the bowl of grits out. She bobbles it and the bowl tumbles to the floor. Some of the grits spill onto the floor, but fortunately the glass bowl doesn't break. "Oh, this day is off to a great start already!" Francine exclaims, "I thought it might be better than yesterday, but I guess I was wrong."
Helping Francine tidy up the mess, Masani asks, "What happened yesterday? Did you break up with Jake or something?"
"No, though that might have been better. I found out that a friend of mine died," Francine sighs, putting the bowl and the remains of the grits on the kitchen counter.
"Who?"
"Dyani."
"Dyani? Did I ever meet her?"
"No, she was a high school friend. I hadn't seen her in years actually. It still bummed me out though."
"How'd she die?"
"I don't know for sure. The newspaper obituary didn't say, but people chattering online seem to think it was cancer. What's up with obituaries not explaining how people die? Isn't that the first thing you want to know when someone dies? How?"
"Um hum. How old was she?"
"31. She was a year older than me. I kind of looked up to her. She was the cool quirky girl who wasn't afraid of anything. Even though I lost touch with her, I still liked to think she was out there in the world making it better."
"I'm sorry, baby," Masani says and hugs Francine.
"Don't be. You didn't kill her," Francine says and laughs.
The laughter turns to quiet sobs and she grasps Masani tightly, "I'm the one who should be sorry for making such a big deal out of it. I mean I hadn't even thought of her much these past few years. She probably could have used a friend at the end. I'm surprised it's hit me this hard. I guess I'm just feeling a little more mortal today than usual."
"Or a little less immortal. Just enjoy your friends while they're around and you'll have no regrets when they're gone," Masani says.
"Thanks," Francine says, "I love you, Masani. We don't tell our friends what they mean to us enough."
Masani pats her on the back, "I love you too, baby, even though you're white and not from the South, yet still eat grits for some reason."
Blog Love Omega Glee is a novel by Wred Fright about two bloggers who fall in love while the world falls apart, which is being serialized on his blog. To start reading from the beginning or read another installment, please visit Blog Love Omega Glee Central on WredFright.Com. If you like what you've read, or you've read all of Blog Love Omega Glee and want more Fright, then please read his first novel, which is available in print and as an ebook.
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