Page 48 of Eldritch

“Is there anything else wrong?” Sybil asked.

Letisha sighed. “Yeah. But I don’t...it’s weird as shit, and I don’t know what to do with it.”

“Well, you know me. I’m into all the esoteric stuff.”

“Okay. I think there are a couple of elephants in the room on this job we’re doing now. Maybe more than a couple.”

Sybil’s stomach dropped a little, but she tried to back away from the instant apprehension.

“Okay, spill it,” Sybil said.

“I’m not getting much done because of this fibromyalgia.”

“Can’t be helped. Don’t worry about it.”

“But I do.”

Sybil thought back, aware of her friend’s past. “You’re a hard-working person and take on way too much responsibility for things. Did your mother call you again?”

Letisha made a scoffing noise. “Of course.”

“What did she say?”

“All the usual greetings. This time she said she’s giving up her practice.”

“Wow. Well, she’s been saying she was going to do that.”

“Right. But there was a twist this time. She expects me to come home and be the office manager for the doctor that is taking over her practice.”

Sybil didn’t know what to say for a moment, then recovered. “And are you considering it?”

Letisha made a half attempt at a laugh. “Hell, no.”

“Might be easier on your body if you weren’t doing this physical work.”

“Girl, are you kidding me? Doing that office work would drive me crazy, and so would hanging around Mom more often. When I quit medical school, she was all up in me being her office manager. She’ll immediately start saying I need to go back to med school.”

“All right, but I’m playing devil’s advocate here. She wouldn’t be there. You could still participate in the medical field. It’s gotta be a step up from cleaning houses.”

“Come on. You know the drill. I don’t aspire to be in any medical field. Anywhere near it. Just the thought of it makes my muscles ache.” Letisha sighed. “I wish dad was still alive. He’d tell me to ignore mom.”

Sybil remembered him with a lot of affection. Letisha’s hard driving mother, not so much. “Your dad was cool.”

Letisha’s father had passed away when Letisha was fourteen. As a dentist with a reputation for kindness and a wonderful sense of humor, so many people missed him.

Letisha leaned her head back against the seat. “Maybe I’m kidding myself.”

“How?”

“Because I thought medical school and trying to keep up with my ambitious brother caused the stress that flared up the fibro.”

“You’ve changed your mind about that? I mean, your brother is pretty competitive, but I never heard him say anything negative about you quitting medical school.”

“No, he wouldn’t. And now he’s about ready to retire from the air force, well...maybe I can get over myself and stop competing with him.”

Letisha’s brother’s sterling personality and war hero reputation could be a lot to vie with. After all, the man flew A-10 Warthogs for a career.

When Letisha went silent, Sybil went on. “What did you tell your mother when she asked you about becoming her office manager?”

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