my hands as soon as I got home.
It was a quiet afternoon. Dad called to check on me, and I answered an email from Mom, telling her about stupid stuff like Career Day, but leaving out my plans with Ethan. After heating her gross lasagna for dinner, I changed into a nicer black shirt, one with lace sleeves.
I dreaded checking the local news, but felt compelled to know what was happening. One article online summed it up.
Portico Press
Mysterious Illness Strikes Local Residents
by Jenny Silverman
Seasonal flu in New Jersey usually peaks in February. But that’s not the case this year in Morris County, where fifteen people have been hospitalized with a flu-like illness, dubbed the “Blue Flu.” In at least one case, the disease proved to be fatal. Elizabeth McKinley, 32, of Portico, New Jersey, died at Overlook Hospital in Summit yesterday. Dr. Brodey told reporters, “Ms. McKinley was in good health until late Tuesday. The illness struck suddenly, and despite our best efforts, we were unable to save her. Our thoughts are with her family at this time of tragic loss.”
Symptoms include: high fever, headache, aches and pains, fatigue, weakness, cough. Extreme exhaustion may occur with the onset of these symptoms. Seek medical attention if necessary. Known cases of the Blue Flu have occurred in Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey to date. Scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continue to work with local health departments to investigate this illness.
I thought about the stranger from town who died. Did she have a big family, lots of friends, maybe a boyfriend who would miss her? I imagined a whole existence for her that ended unexpectedly.
The news reinforced my desire to stay home, away from all possible germs. But canceling with Ethan would be awkward. I wasn’t sure if I looked forward to seeing him or not. It was hard to imagine snuggling with him on the couch the way we used to. Just the thought of physical contact made me fidget, so it took me twice as long to polish my nails with Licorice Heaven to match my clothes. They were reasonably dry when I got a text.
Megs:
Come over! Fashion emergency!
Me:
B there in 15.
I found Megs surrounded by a dozen shirts heaped on her bedroom floor.
“What should I wear?” she asked. “I need something to go with my favorite jeans.” She plopped on her bed, face flushed.
I hesitated, torn between worrying about her safety and wanting to support her romantic longings. “You’re sure you want to go through with this?”
She nodded.
“Then don’t worry, we’ll find something. You have great clothes.” I glanced at her alarm clock. It was 6:15.
She followed my eyes. “I’ll be fashionably late.”
I pulled out a turquoise blouse that had fabric cutouts in the back.
“I need to look good from the front, not when I leave,” she said.
“Right.” I told her about Ethan while I searched her closet for something better.
“Are you sure you want to start with him again?” she asked.
“I don’t know. He made it sound like, how could I not give us one more chance?” My phone pinged. “Ugh.”
“What’s the matter?”
“Ethan’s already texting me.” I sighed. “He’s looking forward to tonight.”
“Ah, it’s nice to see he hasn’t lost that stalker-ish quality.”
I glared at her.
“Lil, you know I’m right. If your heart’s not in it, don’t go.”
“I miss my old life before . . . everything.” I kept flipping through her closet.
“But dating Ethan again won’t magically turn back time. It won’t make the other stuff vanish.”
“I guess you’re right,” I said.
“Hmm . . . at least we both have dates tonight.”
“It’s not a date. I’m going over to his house.”
“I’m sure we’ll have a lot to talk about tomorrow,” she said. “I can’t believe I’m finally meeting him.”
Near the back of the closet, a black top with three-quarter sleeves was lodged between two camis. I didn’t
It was a quiet afternoon. Dad called to check on me, and I answered an email from Mom, telling her about stupid stuff like Career Day, but leaving out my plans with Ethan. After heating her gross lasagna for dinner, I changed into a nicer black shirt, one with lace sleeves.
I dreaded checking the local news, but felt compelled to know what was happening. One article online summed it up.
Portico Press
Mysterious Illness Strikes Local Residents
by Jenny Silverman
Seasonal flu in New Jersey usually peaks in February. But that’s not the case this year in Morris County, where fifteen people have been hospitalized with a flu-like illness, dubbed the “Blue Flu.” In at least one case, the disease proved to be fatal. Elizabeth McKinley, 32, of Portico, New Jersey, died at Overlook Hospital in Summit yesterday. Dr. Brodey told reporters, “Ms. McKinley was in good health until late Tuesday. The illness struck suddenly, and despite our best efforts, we were unable to save her. Our thoughts are with her family at this time of tragic loss.”
Symptoms include: high fever, headache, aches and pains, fatigue, weakness, cough. Extreme exhaustion may occur with the onset of these symptoms. Seek medical attention if necessary. Known cases of the Blue Flu have occurred in Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey to date. Scientists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continue to work with local health departments to investigate this illness.
I thought about the stranger from town who died. Did she have a big family, lots of friends, maybe a boyfriend who would miss her? I imagined a whole existence for her that ended unexpectedly.
The news reinforced my desire to stay home, away from all possible germs. But canceling with Ethan would be awkward. I wasn’t sure if I looked forward to seeing him or not. It was hard to imagine snuggling with him on the couch the way we used to. Just the thought of physical contact made me fidget, so it took me twice as long to polish my nails with Licorice Heaven to match my clothes. They were reasonably dry when I got a text.
Megs:
Come over! Fashion emergency!
Me:
B there in 15.
I found Megs surrounded by a dozen shirts heaped on her bedroom floor.
“What should I wear?” she asked. “I need something to go with my favorite jeans.” She plopped on her bed, face flushed.
I hesitated, torn between worrying about her safety and wanting to support her romantic longings. “You’re sure you want to go through with this?”
She nodded.
“Then don’t worry, we’ll find something. You have great clothes.” I glanced at her alarm clock. It was 6:15.
She followed my eyes. “I’ll be fashionably late.”
I pulled out a turquoise blouse that had fabric cutouts in the back.
“I need to look good from the front, not when I leave,” she said.
“Right.” I told her about Ethan while I searched her closet for something better.
“Are you sure you want to start with him again?” she asked.
“I don’t know. He made it sound like, how could I not give us one more chance?” My phone pinged. “Ugh.”
“What’s the matter?”
“Ethan’s already texting me.” I sighed. “He’s looking forward to tonight.”
“Ah, it’s nice to see he hasn’t lost that stalker-ish quality.”
I glared at her.
“Lil, you know I’m right. If your heart’s not in it, don’t go.”
“I miss my old life before . . . everything.” I kept flipping through her closet.
“But dating Ethan again won’t magically turn back time. It won’t make the other stuff vanish.”
“I guess you’re right,” I said.
“Hmm . . . at least we both have dates tonight.”
“It’s not a date. I’m going over to his house.”
“I’m sure we’ll have a lot to talk about tomorrow,” she said. “I can’t believe I’m finally meeting him.”
Near the back of the closet, a black top with three-quarter sleeves was lodged between two camis. I didn’t
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