• “Like I said over the phone, I’m not sure how much information I can give you. I was in….well…I was in a coma some of the time and only remember a few short details; that and what my parents have told me.”
    “But, you loved him.”
    The woman looked up from fiddling with her hands. She was tragically beautiful. Her long brown shoulders pooled past her shoulders, down to her waist with dark eyes to match. They seemed empty in a way. She hesitated for a moment. “Yes…I did.”
    A memoir…for the funeral he told her. A way to remember all the good things he had done. She wondered how that was possible. Jared had done so much, not only for her, but for his friends and family as well.
    “Would you like a drink?” She asked politely.
    The man shook his head. “No thank you.” He had a strong build, she noticed. The man wore a black slick suit, accompanied by a straight black tie. His blonde hair was slicked back, making him look more like a business man, rather than a friend. Robert Carver was his name. The woman just smiled as he took out a notepad and a pen, flipping to a blank section.
    “He talked fondly of you.” Robert assured her.
    “I’m surprised…I was lying in bed most of the time.”
    “You mentioned a coma?”
    She nodded.
    “From?”
    “Falling off a horse when I was eight.” She replied.
    “That explains the wheel chair.” He stared at it for a moment.
    There was a short silence as Robert scribbled down something.
    “And he came to interview you?”
    “Mr. Carver, I don’t understand why you’re asking me all these questions. You already know this, don’t you? You were Jared’s friend.”
    Robert sat back in his seat. “Then tell me Miss Brown.”
    “Tell what?”
    “Tell me everything. I shouldn’t be trying to pry information out of you anyway. This is about Jared. Not you.” He scuffed.
    Miss Brown paused for a short moment, thinking of where to begin. “I was in the hospital from eight years old on life support.”
    “Your parent’s orders?”
    She nodded. “Yes.”


    ://-----{.}-----:


    “Come on Rob! It’s a great story!”
    Robert rolled his eyes, impatiently. “Yah, a girl who lies in bed on life support for twelve years and is about to be taken off of it. Sure, that’s a real winner, and don’t call me Rob.”
    “Why not Rob?” Jared laughed, nudging his best friend with his elbow.
    “Stop!” Robert scowled. “I’m twenty now for heaven’s sake!”
    “So, I am too.” He retorted, taking a sip of his coffee.
    “SO….Rob was my kid name. I say, it’s time to grow up. You know…lock in a job…get a better apartment…maybe marry a girl—“
    “Who Carol?” Jared interrupted.
    A wide grin spread across Robert’s face. “Yah.” He fumbled around for something in his coat pocket. HE found what he was looking for. He showed Jared a black velvet box, then opened it revealing a beautiful diamond ring with a gold band.
    “Well well! Mr. Grown up!” Jared grinned as Robert put the box away.
    “Maybe you should look for a better job.” He suggested.
    “What? You think some boring desk job is better than journalism?”
    “It is when you’re writing stupid sap stories that people will never read. Come on Jared, you don’t even have a girlfriend.”
    “Never have…Never will.” He replied smugly.
    Jared and Robert sat at their normal table at the local Denny’s as they did every second Tuesday of the month. The waitress brought their plates of food, smiling, and walked away to serve the other customers.
    “All I’m saying is that maybe you should start thinking about the future.” Robert said, taking a bite of his toast.”
    “The future is the future, Robert. Why worry about it when there’s so much now?”
    Robert gave Jared a disapproving look, but Jared just chuckled and began to eat his breakfast.