The Object of My Affection: My Band Mate's Sister

I'll Cry Instead

The past few days had been hectic for Brona. She had been spending most of her days with Patrick Murphy or sitting in front of her typewriter, typing away. She'd gotten much quicker at it.

Patrick would bring her to The Liverpool Echo's offices as often as he could to send her short stories to other newspapers and magazines to get her name out there. Patrick had become another great supporter of Brona's short stories, like her family, friends and boyfriend had, and he encouraged her to write a bit of Tread Softly every day. He was a big fan of the plot.

Tread Softly was set in 1955 - 1963. It revolved around a couple, Gary Murray and Jessica Collins, and their family and friends. They started off on the wrong foot and because of that it took eight rocky years for them to finally come together. Now they are engaged and are completely happy. On the week of their wedding, Jessica is in a car crash. Her memory is wiped and she is only left with flickers of her childhood. Gary is determined to rekindle their romance but will the loss of years be a too big of an obstacle to overcome?

Brona didn't know the answer to that yet. 

~~~

It was the second last day of autumn. Brona sat in her room on her lunch break, working on Tread Softly. She was in the middle of an angry scene with Jessica in the Collins' spacious living room with Gary, Jessica's parents and sisters and Gary's mother present.

"Yes," Jessica spoke sharply. "I remember how we played!" she added, her eyes landing on her younger sisters before they darted to her parents. "I remember my pony and my 9th birthday! What other memories would you have of a childhood spent here?! Why must everyone nag?! Most of my memory is gone; lord knows when it's coming back. Just leave me alone!"

Jessica threw her magazine fiercely down on the ground before rising from her seat. She stormed out of the living room, all eyes on her, and slammed the door behind her. Martha looked at her husband with tears dwelling in her eyes while a look of guilt and fatigue washed over everyone else present. 

Gary stared rather distantly at the door. His heart sunk in chest as a lump formed in his throat, making it hard to breath. All the hurt from his love not remembering his existence and having to watch her go through it was really starting to get to him.

He rose to his feet, ready to go and comfort her but someone took hold of his rest. He looked down to see it was David. The man who had become a second father of him addressed the room, trying his best to reassure them all, especially his wife.

"We pushed her too soon and too hard. It's only her second day out of the hospital and she needs her rest. We need to patient with her. As the doctor said, it's going to be hard for us all but we must remember that it's even harder for her." He looked up at Gary. "God knows it's hard for you too, son."

"I have a present for you."

Brona whipped her head around to see Patrick standing in her doorway holding a copy of the Echo. Brona's brows raised at the peculiar sight. He held up his index finger momentarily before flipping through the paper. Reaching a certain page, he wordlessly handed her the paper with a big smile.

She took the paper gingerly. Her eyes read the biggest font cantered on the top of the page: STORY SECTION. Her eyes scanned the page twice before she saw her 'present' under a five pound note.

Indifferent by Brona Harrison.

"They want another one next week," Patrick said when her eyes widened and darted from the page to him. "This is the start."

~~~

Stretched out on her bed, Brona made her last phone call of the day to her boyfriend. She fought to keep her eyelids that were growing heavy open as she listened to the dial tone, impatient to hear his voice. All she really wanted to do was listen to his voice before she drifted off to sleep.