Backstory Part 2
By: Karen L Sundstrom
January 25, 2011
After Delana’s classes were done for the day, she made here way back to her dorm room. She was glad she only had a few classes that day, since it had been hard to concentrate, even though her mind still didn’t fully grasp the idea that her mother was dead. She sat on her bunk with her back against the wall and wondered why they had to make these rooms so drab and depressing. She shook her head and sighed before taking her cell phone out of her purse. She knew if she felt this sad her dad must feel even worse.
Her dad picked up on the first ring. “Hello?”
“Hi dad, how are you doing?”
Delana heard his heavy sigh. “Not good. I tried to go to work to keep my mind busy, but it didn’t work.”
“I know how you feel.” Delana grabbed her pillow and hugged it. “My classes were a welcome distraction, but I found myself drift into my own sad thoughts a lot.”
“I also can’t believe she’s really dead. I figure I won’t believe it until I see her.”
“When will she be flown in?”
“She’ll be here tomorrow. I already made plans to have her transported to a funeral home. Have you talked to the dean?”
“Yes, he sent me a note to come see him after my classes. He said what everyone has been saying, that if I need to take some time off he’d understand and that it won’t be marked against me.”
“So are you going to take some time off?”
“I’m still not sure. One minute I feel fine the next I feel like curling into a ball and cry my eyes out.”
“How about sleeping on it tonight and letting me know tomorrow morning if you decide to come home a few days before the funeral?”
“I will. Take care dad and try and get some sleep tonight.”
“You too honey.”
Delana ended the call as her roommate, Heidi entered their dorm room. Heidi placed her books on her desk then sat beside Delana. “Oh Delana, I’m so sorry. Tracy told me the news about your mom.”
Delana hugged her pillow closer to her chest. “I still can’t believe it, Heidi.”
“I doubt I’d be able to believe it either.” Heidi leaned against the wall. “So what are you going to do?”
“I really haven’t decided yet. Part of me thinks I should continue to go to class and stick to my normal routine. But another part of me wants to go home for a while. All I know is that right now I can’t stay in this dorm room much longer.”
Heidi looked around the small square room. They had tried to cheer it up with posters, but they still couldn’t hide the cold white washed walls. “Have you eaten anything today?”
“No, but I don’t feel that hungry.”
“You have to eat. Let’s call the guys and have them meet us at the student union. And we can make further plans from there.”
They both called their boyfriends then left their dorm room to head across campus to the student union. When they arrived there was already a nice gathering of students. The jovial atmosphere helped lift Delana’s spirit a little while they sat at a table waiting for their boyfriends to arrive.
January 25, 2011
After Delana’s classes were done for the day, she made here way back to her dorm room. She was glad she only had a few classes that day, since it had been hard to concentrate, even though her mind still didn’t fully grasp the idea that her mother was dead. She sat on her bunk with her back against the wall and wondered why they had to make these rooms so drab and depressing. She shook her head and sighed before taking her cell phone out of her purse. She knew if she felt this sad her dad must feel even worse.
Her dad picked up on the first ring. “Hello?”
“Hi dad, how are you doing?”
Delana heard his heavy sigh. “Not good. I tried to go to work to keep my mind busy, but it didn’t work.”
“I know how you feel.” Delana grabbed her pillow and hugged it. “My classes were a welcome distraction, but I found myself drift into my own sad thoughts a lot.”
“I also can’t believe she’s really dead. I figure I won’t believe it until I see her.”
“When will she be flown in?”
“She’ll be here tomorrow. I already made plans to have her transported to a funeral home. Have you talked to the dean?”
“Yes, he sent me a note to come see him after my classes. He said what everyone has been saying, that if I need to take some time off he’d understand and that it won’t be marked against me.”
“So are you going to take some time off?”
“I’m still not sure. One minute I feel fine the next I feel like curling into a ball and cry my eyes out.”
“How about sleeping on it tonight and letting me know tomorrow morning if you decide to come home a few days before the funeral?”
“I will. Take care dad and try and get some sleep tonight.”
“You too honey.”
Delana ended the call as her roommate, Heidi entered their dorm room. Heidi placed her books on her desk then sat beside Delana. “Oh Delana, I’m so sorry. Tracy told me the news about your mom.”
Delana hugged her pillow closer to her chest. “I still can’t believe it, Heidi.”
“I doubt I’d be able to believe it either.” Heidi leaned against the wall. “So what are you going to do?”
“I really haven’t decided yet. Part of me thinks I should continue to go to class and stick to my normal routine. But another part of me wants to go home for a while. All I know is that right now I can’t stay in this dorm room much longer.”
Heidi looked around the small square room. They had tried to cheer it up with posters, but they still couldn’t hide the cold white washed walls. “Have you eaten anything today?”
“No, but I don’t feel that hungry.”
“You have to eat. Let’s call the guys and have them meet us at the student union. And we can make further plans from there.”
They both called their boyfriends then left their dorm room to head across campus to the student union. When they arrived there was already a nice gathering of students. The jovial atmosphere helped lift Delana’s spirit a little while they sat at a table waiting for their boyfriends to arrive.