How Everything Started

Chapter one

On March 12th 1978, it was a causal day for Meryl and John: Meryl woke up at John's medical room at 7.00 am, checked John's heart, took a shower, get dressed, said "hello" to the nurses, helped them to prepare the breakfast and brought it to John. After both had eaten their bread and drunk their tea/coffee, she helped him to take a shower. It has been very difficult for him to do things by himself. He hated being assisted but he had no choice. Meryl had become one of the nurses, she became a great friend to all of them. They accepted Meryl because she was so in love with John and he was in a terminal illness from cancer so the boss accepted her to be with him until the end. After his shower, she dressed up him, laid him in his bed and read him the newspaper but mostly the sport section. While John was taken care of, Meryl could read some scripts even if she knew she couldn't take them. That day, Meryl left the hospital to go to the apartment she and John shared. She had to pay the bills, take some new clothes for both her and him, wash their clothes and ironing. She did what she had to do and went back to the hospital.

"-Miss Streep ?" asked the oncologist.

"-Yes, it's me."

"-I'm so sorry, while you left, John passed away."

"-No, you must have made a mistake. When I left he was like the other days. It can't be possible ! Why ?" she cried

"-We're so sorry Miss. He will be missed. We are going to pack his things and yours and we will give you it back."

"- Sir ?"

"-Yes ?"

"-Can I see him one last time ?"

"-Sure! I don't think it will be a problem. He's at the morgue."

"-Thank you."

Before she goes to the morgue, she called her parents and her best friend, Kate. All three were on their way. Meryl went to the morgue. She saw him, run towards him. He was pale, breathless. How was it even possible ? All this time she had been so close to him, she didn't noticed how sick he was. "I love you. Very much. John, I'm gonna miss you. How will I ever be able to live without you anymore ? You meant everything to me. How is this possible ? John, tell me ! How ? I was so blind. I'm so sorry. I tried all my best for you. Maybe it wasn't enough. I'm sorry John. I love you. Thank you for everything you gave me. I'll never forget that. Ciao mi amore." She kissed him one last time and left. She was crying all the tears of her body. The love of her life has just died a couple hours ago. She was to young to live that, she thought. She went back to their apartment with her parents and her best friend. They stayed a while. She really needed them.

It has been a week since John's death. Meryl had fallen into a great breakdown. Everyday she took pills and pills and pills and pills and sometimes pills. She didn't go out anymore, didn't eat much and didn't care about herself. She wasn't the pretty girl with clean long blond hair, dresses, light make up on and she wasn't wearing a smile anymore.

Another drama was coming: John's ex knew about his death and remembered that his apartment was also hers. Years before Meryl and John lived together in there, Anne and him bought it. It was part his, part hers. Meryl didn't have her name on the lease and nothing said something about him giving Meryl the place. Anne went to the apartment and threw Meryl out. She had a couple of hours to pack everything. After that she went to her brother's, Third. In a week, she had lost her beloved boyfriend but also the place they shared. She was devastated.

"-Harry ?" she asked

"-I'm coming." he yelled. He opened the door and his Big Sis crying but big suitcases behind her. " What's going on, Mer ?"

"-She threw me away."

"-Who did that ?"

"-His ex girlfriend."