Page (7)

"Hey, sis." Vida answers on the first ring.

"What's going on with you?" Page asks.

"Chillin' mostly. What's up?"

"Wanted to know if you'll take me and sit with me while I make some mac and cheese and a cobbler at the Inglewood store?"

"What's in it for me?"

Pages laughs. "Some mac and cheese and peach cobbler and my company."

"That's all I need."

"I'll be ready in a couple hours. Let me get some things straight here. Sorry for the last minute notice. Pete just called me."

"Girl, you know if I'm available I got you. Just call me when you're ready."

"Bet." Page and Vida hang up. They have been friends almost ten years. Vida is the friend Page usually calls when she goes in to make food and desserts for the bar b cue chain she sells to. She used to make the dishes at home and take them into the restaurants before they opened then Pete, the owner said she had to come in to make the food because they could be cited if the board of health found out she was cooking outside the store. Because Page doesn't drive she calls a friend to keep her company while she's there. Also there were a few times when Pete was there with her and told her one too many times how good she looked in her jeans. How he liked a woman who was fit but still had some meat on her. And then the hugs that lasted a few seconds too long. Page made a mental note not to be alone with him.

Page goes into Rock's room to help him into the bathroom. "Ok, brother dear let's get up."

"Wait till the commercial?" Rock is watching a marathon of his favorite show, Law & Order.

"You've seen this one a million times."

"Commercial!" Rock shouts.

"Ok, ok!" Page closes the door and goes back in her room. She returns to Vanessa's YouTube channel and watches her sit at her kitchen counter and listens to her talk about her day. Her depression. Her hospital visits. Page has never known anyone with lupus so much of what Vanessa says about the disease is news to her. The depression is another story. Page relates too well. She does what she can when she has the energy but when her dark mental clouds form, it's hard for her to get through the day. On some depressive days she gets up only to feed and get Rock to the bathroom. Then she stays in bed, usually crying. She doesn't know what she's crying about but the tears flow anyway. She doesn't cook. She barely does anything. And thoughts come. The suicidal ideations, the questions about why she was born anyway, the thoughts about how no one would miss her. Vanessa goes through that also, plus she's a good cook.

"Commercial or not, Rock, let's get this done." Rock is 6'2 and 235 pounds. Page is 5'5 and 120 pounds. He has limited use of his legs and needs her assistance getting from the bed to his wheelchair, then from the chair to the toilet. For the most part, Page has a good attitude about being his main caregiver but they both know it's wearing on her.