Quick note: Welcome to my new fiction! Im going to start sharing a few ‘test runs’ here as practice for longer form and so you can meet my characters. I hope you enjoy it!
…
Jemima was great at lists.
If it is wasn’t on one of her lists, it didn’t get done. Sometimes things stayed on one of her lists week after week. The things she knew she had to do but kept avoiding.
She got a lot of other stuff done that way though.
Things like calling her mum, booking a Pap smear, decluttering the kids books. She’d been very productive while avoiding those. She would do them all eventually it’s just that the right time hadn’t come along.
The idea of decluttering the kids books and donating some seemed to give her a disproportionate sentimental reaction. So she avoided it. The broken and ripped books should be the ones to go in the bin but if they’re tattered then they were the most loved. How could she get rid of those?
On the few occasions she had attempted to declutter she collected maybe half a dozen that she didn’t enjoy reading to the kids.
This time was different. She had a new motivation.
The young couple across the road had a baby a few months ago. Jem thought giving them a few baby books was a good way way to check in and seeing how they were going.
She’d heard the baby crying during the night on the odd occasion when Jem had trouble sleeping herself. The memory of sleep deprivation was not that distant nor was the feeling of being so alone in those foggy, relentless nights.
Jem liked the idea of being a kind neighbour. So, she put aside her sentimentality and collected some alphabet, vehicle and farm animal picture books. It wasn’t too hard to let some go this time around. Memories are held in your mind, things are just things and it felt good to be generous.
Later that day when Jem walked into Chloe’s house with her pile of books, she was greeted with a sight that felt all at once familiar and painful. The sleepless nights were clearly taking more of a toll than anyone would guess.
Chloe looked ok and seemed happy enough to welcome her inside but it was clear from the state of the place that she was finding it difficult to manage. This was Jems opportunity. What question should she ask? Something not too personal but that would lead naturally in the right direction.
Think think think. This is your chance. Don’t tell a story, ask a question.
“How are you adjusting to becoming a parent?” She said, feeling caught out by the bland choice of question.
“Oh it’s great but I’m soooo tired. Matt’s away for work at the moment so it’s a bit intense but in some ways it’s easier, you know?”, Chloe replied.
“Oh is he? Yes I do know what you mean, it can be an adjustment when they get home sometimes, when you have a good routine going”. Jem encouraged.
“Oh really? This is his first trip away so I guess I’ll find out when he gets back. We do miss him and gosh I need to do a big tidy up before Matt gets back too. The place is such a mess bwut the baby is so clingy, he must be doing one of those growth leaps’. Chloe replied in a slightly scattered voice
Jem knew she should say something more meaningful but all that came out was a. Cliche. “oh yes those days are tricky. Everyone says sleep when the baby sleeps but I never found that possible”.
She was going to have to get a bit better at this if she wanted to be of any real help. She wanted take it a level deeper rather than the small talk surface level and make sure this new mum knew she wasn’t alone.
But how could she do that in a way that felt natural and not stalker-ish? It felt uncomfortable to come right out and say it. Maybe that was the problem, none of us know how to give or receive the help and support we so desperately need anymore.
Was it covid or capitalism that did that?
All Jem knew was she’d written “be a good person” on one of her lists. So she was going to find a way to do it.
She took a chance and continued. “When does he get back? I can help you with the tidying if you like, or take the baby for an hour for you? I know know what it’s like and I’m happy to help if you need it” she said in a tone that she hoped sounded more big sister than weird neighbour.
She smiled and looked at Chloe who sort of grimaced and burst into tears.
“well I don’t know really, I haven’t heard from him in days.” came her broken reply.
Well haven’t things taken an unexpected turn, thought Jem.