Episode 2 

 

Now it was time to get down to the business of reviewing the book.  Therese never liked to go first, as she hadn’t gone to Uni like Patricia or Brenda and was ashamed to admit her reading before the book club had mostly been confined to gardening books and true romance.  

“That’s why it’s probably good for you to be in a book club, Therese, you might at least learn something” her Inner Auditor whispered.  So she began brightly:

“So, what did you think of it, Brenda?”

“Well, I…ah, it’s not my cup of tea really” she said with that shy toothy smile.

Caroline said.

“I think the title is really interesting. She Warrior, that’s fascinating.  I’d never thought of myself as a warrior - never really been interested in Women’s Lib.  They always seemed like such hair under the armpits blokey sort of women. Strident, I heard them called.”

Patricia chimed in now. “I think it was a crock of shit.  All this American navel gazing.  The self-help gurus of this world are laughing all the way to the bank while some poor saps keep buying this stuff.  Whose suggestion was this, anyway, was it you, Therese?” 

“Um, it was on the New York Times bestseller list.”

“What, in 1983?  All this stuff has been done to death.  Jung was at the forefront of Psychology theories aeons before this.  They’re all copycats now. What are we even reading this for? “

“I thought it would be interesting.”

Caroline smiled brightly.  “Anybody seen any good movies lately?  I saw the new Terminator one – it was fantastic – all that muscle and grunt – I know Arnie has well and truly had his day, but it’s still funny.”

Therese was in the kitchen when she heard the thump.  She rushed in, to see Brenda lying on the floor.  Everyone was bent over her, trying to get her to respond.  It looked like she was out cold.

“Oh my God, Brenda…Brenda, can you hear me…?”

Moving in quickly and professionally like the ex-occupational therapist she was, Therese checked Brenda’s pulse.  It was fine.  She seemed to be coming around.  She sat up.

“Are you alright?  What happened?”

“I don’t know.  I must have…”

Diana chimed in. “You look very pale.  I had low blood sugar once, and the doctor said…”

“Oh shut up, Diana.” Therese snapped. “Let her speak”

“I must have just had one of my turns.”

“You’ve had them before?  You never said…”

“I didn’t want to worry anyone.  It’s probably nothing.  I just feel faint every now and again.”

“Well, we can probably rule out pregnancy. Have you seen a doctor?”

“Bob is always nagging me to, but it’s like…I don’t want to know.  I’ve always had the breast screens and the pap smears and all that, but now…I’m just…

“Scared?”

Therese could have sworn she saw an ever so brief look of trepidation cross everyone’s face. What did they have to look forward to, at the pointy end of life?  Cancer, dementia, strokes? The thoughts Therese usually banished immediately they bubbled up.

“Well, you just rest up there now.  I’ll get you a glass of water.”

Usually, Therese could shut the door on the final guest – who always seemed to wander down the garden path and linger there for perhaps half an hour, while she checked on them every now and then through her blinds to make sure they were finally gone.  This afternoon though, they seemed to head straight for their cars, ahead of the expected rain. Now she could break out the G and T and settle down in front of the box.