There’s movement on the screen again.sampaguita72 is typing.
sampaguita72:
Ruby, I’m worried about you.
You always seemed so lonely
Cut off from other people
This is new. And weird. Since when does she notice my feelings, or want to talk about them?
Death changes people, I guess? The thought passes through me with a shiver.
Maybe the question ofpaperworkcan wait. Maybe I should keep going in order after all, try harder with the third item on the list:BE WARM AND PLEASANT AND MAKE PEOPLE LIKE YOU AT WORK.
ruby.ocampo:
Thanks, Mom. I’ll work on that.
Good night
I can’t help but scroll up and reread the part where she saidI was so proud of you when you got this job.
I spent so long chasing those words from her, and now that I’ve got them, I don’t know what to do with them. I reread it over and over, trying to make it sink in.
Tears quiver in the corners of my eyes while I take a screenshot, in case it disappears after she passes on.
And I pick up the phone and text Greg:
Ruby:
the next thing on the list is getting closer to everyone at work
being warm and pleasant and getting people to like me
making friends
not great at that, as you remember
Greg:
no that’s easy
you should come to pub trivia night
He sends me the place and time.
Greg:
and you are pleasant, okay? and everyone will like you
you just have to believe it
My heart feels like it’s stretched too tight, the way my face does right after I’ve been crying.
Then a couple more messages appear on my screen, this time from an unknown number.
Unknown:
