Chapter 23: October

Chapter 23

October

Holly, Holly, and I were sitting around the coffee table at blonde Holly's house while the kids played out back. It was October 13^th, and blonde Holly was skin and bones. At 5'9”, she once told me that she thought no one would love her if she weighed over 130 pounds. She was now under 100 pounds and relying more and more on brunette Holly and me for assistance.

“I'm not going to make it,” she said.

“It's not too late,” brunette Holly said, “you can see a doctor, and...”

“I already saw a doctor,” blonde Holly replied. “He said that the cancer has metastasized and that it's only a matter of weeks.”

I remained silent.

“So there's nothing we can do,” brunette Holly asked.

“There's lots you can do,” blonde Holly replied, hesitantly. “I talked with Mitch in Arizona over Skype, and he doesn't want my kids. He says they aren't pure and that he's filing to give up his custodial rights. All my family's in the church, and they won't take them, either, except maybe Mimi because she's a girl, and that scares me. They'll just marry her off to some asshole like they did with me.” She coughed. “Will you take my kids? Raise them? Treat them right? I know it's a lot to ask, and you don't have to answer right away.”

“We'll talk about it,” brunette Holly said.

“Also, I want Mike to make love to me,” blonde Holly said, continuing to cough. “I've never been treated right. My first husband, all he did was rape me and make me take care of him, and me and my second husband never happened. I won't steal him from you, Holly, I promise.”

I looked at brunette Holly. She closed her eyes and nodded her head. “Alright,” I said.