The Last Chapter

This story is by Jenny Wang and was part of our 2024 Fall Writing Contest. You can find all the writing contest stories here.

Aging is one bad bitch. And Doreen knew very well of it. She was now lying in bed sulking, frustrated with her faded memory and weakened limbs. It was her second hospitalization after a nasty fall. Her daughter Lindsay had to pick her up. Doreen felt terrible about it, but what could she do?

“What were you doing in the basement, Ma?” Lindsay asked. She must’ve had enough, Doreen thought, her incompetence had to worry Lindsay all the time. 

“I was trying to fix things.” Doreen didn’t remember exactly what she tried to fix. The only clear vision was when she tripped over the last step of the basement, falling face down onto her dining room floor. 

“Sorry Linnie. I’m so sorry.” Doreen cried out. Gray tears dropped out of her hazy eyes. “I should’ve ended it sooner.” This outbreak of sorrow became more frequent for Doreen nowadays. Her doctor said these could be a sign for dementia or senile depression. Neither was good news to Doreen. But guess what, you don’t have much good news in the last chapter of your life. 

*

Carol was cleaning the kitchen when she heard her husband shouting at the TV. 

“Damn it, you losers!” followed by a crushing sound of aluminum, as though Carol’s heart was squeezed. 

She slowed down on her washing, hoping by the time she walked to the bedroom the angry engine fueled by alcohol would’ve been extinguished. But tonight it was a simple dinner, and he rushed to the TV for the footy. 

She took a deep breath, tiptoed while crossing the living room, avoiding any eye contact.

”Where the hell you think you’re going? Heh? Why is the floor so dirty? What’re you doing all day?”

Too bad. Her arm was grabbed by force and her right cheek was burning before she could run. That was the first slap of the day.

She tried not to cry but it was hard these days. Not only her pregnancy hormones interfered, her body was clumsy. But the tears only infuriated him more. Carol usually pretended that she was the bean bag. I could take it. She told herself. Anything for the baby. Once they became real parents, it would be better. But the fists kept coming down. She curled up in the corner, arms around her belly, imagining she didn’t scream out loud.

*

Doreen woke up to find her yellow post-it note on the nightstand table. It was not a good night’s sleep at all. Her leg was still sore, her back was stiff like a wood, and not to mention the noise from her neighbors.

“Mowing. Jim.” and there was a big circle around Jim. 

She pushed her saggy upper body to sit at the side of the bed, stretched to reach her walking frame, held it tight and tried to stand up.

A sharp lightning struck her leg, triggering a sudden revelation.

That’s it! I remember it now. Fluttered, Doreen hobbled down to the kitchen, grabbed the landline speaker after finding Jim’s number from a pile of notes. She was still in pain, panting like a pug, and her upper arms were sore. But there was no time to waste. She opened her freezer door and pulled out the cheesecake.

On the black package it had a bright orange brand name “Heavenly Treats”. That was Greg’s favorite. Doreen’s late husband had a sweet tooth. But nothing else about him was sweet. She remembered his tobacco tinted hands even though her dementia couldn’t wipe it all out. When those hands laid on Doreen, how shocked, desperate, and ashamed she felt. 

And poor Linnie. 

Doreen could not bear any more reminiscence. She snapped back to reality and shoved the cheesecake into the oven.

Ten minutes later Jim appeared at her front door. He was a cheerful young man with broad shoulders. 

“Morning Darl! Here is Superman to help my queen!” He waved at Doreen with one hand in the air and a big bright smile on his face. 

“Oh love! Thank you so much.” Doreen hugged Jim and patted him on his back while one hand was still holding the walking frame. “I don’t know what to do without you! You see, my garden is horrendous. You know if Greg could see it, he would’ve been furious at me for not being a good wife.”

Jim didn’t reply to that. Of course, he’d agreed with it. 

“The mower is in the shed just at the back. I’ve got cheesecake baking. Would you like the orange flavor?”

“Yeah I guess.” His face lifted up with a sunshine smile. 

What a lovely man. You know what they say? “I could never imagine he’d done anything like that.” Well Jim was exactly that type of man. 

By the time Doreen sat on her dining chair with her teacup in her hands, she could hear the soothing hum of the mowing machine and smell the refreshing grassy air. All these made a suburban morning too perfect. 

“Ting!” The oven rang. Doreen startled but didn’t move, until the humming stopped and Jim was back. 

“Oh thank you so much!” Doreen stood up by her frame, wabbling. 

“Doreen Darl, I better get going. Missus’ been waiting. I’ll have to wait for the next time for the cheesecake.” Jim winked. 

“Oh yes Carol. Oh silly me!” Doreen gasped, “I almost forgot about the baby gift! I meant to give it to you before. You know, after my stupid fall and things. How far along is she now? 6 months?”

“Seven.” Jim grinned with new father’s pride. 

How dare you be proud. 

“But don’t worry about the gift. We almost got everything sorted.” 

“Oh I have to. Remember I told you Greg was a good carpenter? He built a crib before Linnie was born. And it is still in perfect condition. Come have a look. If you guys don’t like it, feel free to sell it on the Marketplace or whatever. You know, I am too old to play with those things. ”

Jim gave up resistance. Doreen knew he’d looked up to Greg. Because they were cut from the same cloth.

She walked over to the basement, pulled out the key from her pocket and opened the door. 

“Sorry love. you’ll have to go down there by yourself. The light is a bit wonky. Do turn on the light on your phone. Be careful.”

Doreen’s voice shook just a little. She saw Jim walking down. One step, two step, three step, four step, and BANG!

He slipped on the fifth step and his left leg swung to the air at a weird angle. In a millisecond at least three wooden planks underneath snapped in two. Jim fell straight down to the basement, from at least 8 feet. 

She waited for his scream and curse. Nothing. Only silence. 

She’d expected only a broken leg and a couple of broken ribs. But maybe it turned out a lot better. Maybe he broke his neck. Maybe you could have some good news in your last chapter. 

Don’t be too excited Doreen! He might have just fainted. She told herself and waited for another ten minutes. Eleven, twelve, thirteen. Her palms were sweaty and they almost slipped from the walking frame. When she counted to fifteen, she swung the door shut. Another BANG. 

*

It was past Carol’s lunch time when she saw her neighbor’s front door wide open. She stepped on the orange-smelling porch and found Doreen was dozing off inside. 

“Doreen, are you alright?” She patted her, while crossing her arms and stroking them. Her finger clinched on her elbow sleeves, too afraid that Doreen might see all the bruises underneath.

Doreen slowly lifted her head and her eyes brightened when seeing Carol. 

“Would you know where Jim is? He said he came to help you with the gardening but it’s been hours.” Carol asked.

”Oh yes Jim. Don’t you worry about him, Love. Come and sit down. Would you like some cheesecake?” Doreen cut a piece of cheesecake on a small plate and handed it to Carol. 

“Let’s just say, he won’t come back to hurt you or your baby any more.”

Carol heard each word Doreen said but had a hard time understanding them. Her face froze, eyes wide opened, mouth trembled but they made no sound. Then her tears welled up while her baby wiggled inside. 

Doreen opened her arms and pulled Carol in. She looked at Carol as if she was the most precious thing. Suddenly Doreen cried out. Gray tears dropped out of her hazy eyes.

“I’m so sorry Linnie. I should’ve done it earlier so you don’t have to live in fear anymore. But I did it. This time I did it.”