Page 5 of Decoding Morse

“She still hasn’t come out to her family.”

I huffed out a breath, hating what that poor woman must be going through. But I loved my friend more. “It sucks that she doesn’t have a family environment that provides the safety she needs to come out, but are you okay with being a secret?”

She narrowed her eyes at me. “I’m gonna need a little more unconditional support and a little less voice of reason from you right now.”

She wasn’t ready to be called on her bullshit yet.

“Noted. I’m just saying anyone worth your time would be proud to be with you.”

“Gotta know your worth, Thia,” Morgan added from the couch, gaze still plastered to her tablet.

Thia gasped in mock outrage. “I know my worth. I just go on sale sometimes. Are you seriously judging me from your pajamas on the couch? It’s Saturday night, and you’re here at home with us.”

“So?” Morgan still didn’t look up.

“You haven’t dipped a single toe into the dating pool yet, child. You have no idea how shark-infested the water is.”

Morgan’s brow furrowed as she finally lifted her gaze to Thia. “Sharks? I’m confused by the metaphor. Do your dates try to eat you?”

Thia flashed her a wicked grin. “I mean… only if I’m lucky.”

Morgan groaned and went back to her ebook.

I shook my head. “You walked right into that one, Morgan.” To Thia, I added, “Will you stop trying to traumatize my teenager?”

“What?” Thia asked. “She’s eighteen now, and she’s had sex ed. When do we get to start talking to her like an adult?”

“Regardless of her age, I can guarantee she’ll never want to hear about your sex life.”

I bent to pick up a dog toy, and pain speared me right through the spine, down my left butt cheek, and deep into my thigh. Hissing out a curse, I straightened. When the pain shooting down my leg lessened but didn’t disappear, I hobbled over to the sofa and flopped beside Morgan. That only seemed to intensify it, so I stood. Standing was marginally better now, so I hissed out a breath and shifted from foot to foot, trying to find a more comfortable position.

Thia watched the entire debacle with a concerned expression. “What is happening here? What do we need to do?”

“I don’t know,” I said through clenched teeth. “It feels like the rubber band connecting my leg, foot, and left butt cheek to myspine was left out in the sun too long, and now it’s all brittle and about to snap.”

“The rubber band, huh?”

“You know what I mean.”

“Do the symptoms include pain, weakness, and numbness down one leg?” Morgan asked.

I wobbled a few steps and nodded. “Yeah. Why?”

“According to the internet, you likely have sciatica and need physical therapy. It says here you should make a doctor’s appointment so they can verify the diagnosis and make a referral.”

“I don’t have time for that right now.” I dug my knuckles into my left butt cheek and tried to massage away the pain, but it didn’t help. “This’ll have to wait until after your college visits.”

Thia folded her arms across her chest. “Unacceptable.”

“I’m gonna need a little more unconditional support and a little less voice of reason from you right now.”

Lobbing Thia’s words back at her felt satisfying until Morgan popped her head up and chimed in.

“Agreed. You should check the app for the doctor’s office. Sometimes, they have cancelations.”

I wasn’t emotionally prepared for a diagnosis or to have a doctor assure me this was normal and that bodies just started falling apart once people reached their forties, but Morgan peeked up from her tablet. She and Thia both stared at me expectantly, waiting. This was a battle I couldn’t win, so I tugged my phone out of the pocket of my leggings and logged into the app.

Thia showed her absolute distrust in me by crossing the room to peer over my shoulder. “Lookie there.” She stabbed at the screen. “They have an appointment Tuesday morning before you guys leave. You better snag that one up before someone else gets it. Maybe I can come with you.”

---