The Last Confession

The Last Confession

It was Friday September 15, 2023 . I was dreading catching my flight to Chicago to see my friend Gwen Coleman for the last time. I remember going to the doctor with her when she was first diagnosed with lung cancer. I guess I was ignorant thinking that only people who smoked got lung cancer. Gwen never smoke cigarettes a day in her life and she became ill with the disease. It started with a cough that didn't seem to go away even with treatment. Then the shortness of breath. I finally persuaded he to go to see a doctor. By then it had advanced to stage III cancer. She began her treatments and it seemed the treatments made her sicker than the illness. Gwen had one son, Travis who was a senior at the University of Chicago. Gwen husband James had ran off with an old girlfriend when Travis was six years old. James and Gwen first met when we were all in high school. He played varsity basketball and Gwen was a cheerleader. They always seemed so in love back then. I was amazed how quickly things changed after they had gotten married. I was one of the bridesmaids in their wedding and Travis's godmother. We all lived in Clarksville, Alabama back then. After James left Gwen, her and Travis moved to Chicago with her grandmother. I missed my dear friend so much after she moved. We kept in touch by telephone everyday. It still wasn't the same as when she was here with me. I went to visit with her and Travis on Christmas holidays. Her grandmother passed and left the house to her and Travis. During the summer months when school was out for summer break, Gwen would come to Alabama and visit me. It was just like old times. We would go shopping, out to eat at restaurants ,and pig out watching old black and white movies like we did as kids. Travis would hang out with my sons Max and Kevin watching cartoons. About six years later, life happened and we didn't really visit each other anymore. The occasional happy birthday calls and happy holidays cards would be our only interaction we had with one another. When Travis graduated high school in 2018, Gwen sent me and invitation inviting me and the boys to come to Chicago. I was so excited to finally see my dear friend in person. I was surprised to see how skinny she had gotten at the graduation.

“Girl,” I said. “You got to tell me what diet you're on so I can try it.”

“It's no diet girl,” said Gwen. “I just don't have the appetite I used to have.”

“Well, you look great,” I said.

I was surprised that she didn't invite James or any of his family. I understood this first hand how a man's family can turn against you if you and that person are no longer together. The same thing happened to me when my husband Timothy and I when we got a divorce. Gwen threw Travis a graduation party at Jackson Park with all the balloons, presents and catered foods. She gifted him a 2019 Honda Accord. It was Travis favorite color olive green with cream interior. As soon as he got his car, he and his friends took off and didn't come back to the party. I walked over to one of the park tables and sat with my dear friend. She seemed kind of sad and looking around in sort of a daze.

“What's wrong sis?” I asked.

“Children grow up so fast,” said Gwen.

“That's life,” I said. “Are you okay?”

“Daisy,” said Gwen. “If something happens to me you make sure Travis is okay?'

“Of course,” I said. “Why would you ask me such a thing?”

“Like you said,” said Gwen. “That's life.”

“You so silly girl,” I said.

We both laughed and walked arm in arm around the park. It was a beautiful summer day filled with sweet smells of honey suckles vines and lavender flowers. We spent the night at Gwen's house. I awaken hearing Gwen with the worst cough I've ever heard. I threw on my robe and headed towards her bedroom. She was on the floor near her bed. She had a white towel over her mouth and when she brought it down, I could see bright red blood covering it and blood on the tip of her bottom lip.

“My God,” I said. “You need to see a doctor Gwen.

“This happens all the time,” said Gwen. “I was just coughing to hard is all.”

“Somethings not right,” I said. “You need to see a doctor and I'm not leaving until you do.”

The next morning Gwen was up cooking breakfast acting nonchalant like nothing happened the night before. I looked in her purse and found the number to Dr. Smith office. I knew she would never call so I picked up the phone and made an appointment for her. The nurse told me that they had a cancellation and the doctor would be able to see Gwen at 2:00 pm.

“Get dressed,” I said.

“For what?” said Gwen.

“You have a doctor's appointment 2 pm,” I said.

I was surprised that she didn't put up much of a fuss like she usually does. We got to doctors Smith office around 1:45 pm. When the nurse called her back I went with her to make sure she told the doctor everything. The doctor sent Gwen across the hall to x ray. After the x rays were done, the nurse came in and got blood samples from Gwen. I could see that Gwen was a little nervous. I picked up her hand and held it in mines.

“Everything is going to be fine,” I said.

Gwen looked at me an smiled. I wish that I believed myself when I told her this but I felt that something was wrong The doctor came back in with a look on his face that worried me. He told Gwen she had stage III lung cancer. He made her appointments to start chemo and radiation right away. I hated that me and the boys had to go back home the next couple of days. I really wanted to stay longer with my friend as she went through this so that she wouldn't be alone. She assured me that she would be okay. The following year everything went terrible real fast. Gwen cousin Amy called and told me that the cancer wasn't responding to the treatments and it had spread to her liver. I knew this was a bad sign. The same thing had happened to Timothy's mother and she was only given weeks to live after this. I wanted to talk to Gwen but she didn't feel like talking to anyone during that time. Three months had went by before I had heard anything else from Gwen. I tried to call her cell phone but it was turned off. Then finally Amy called telling me that I need to get to Chicago as soon as I could. Gwen wanted to talk to me. I didn't hesitate one second. Both my sons had moved in together an gotten an apartment close to where they were attending school at Spillman. When I got off the plane, I caught a cab with my luggage in hand. I got the cab diver to drop me off at the Northwestern Memorial Hospital. I got to the front desk and they told me what room Gwen was in. Amy was sitting at her beside when I got there. I wanted to cry seeing her lying there with tubes, a oxygen canula in her nose and hooked up to morphine pump. Gwen motioned for Amy to leave us alone. She took my hand and began to speak.

“I have something to tell you,” said Gwen. “Please don't think ill of me friend.”

“I won't,” I said. “What's on your mind.?”

Gwen closed her eyes and began to tell me about what really happened between her and James. She said she had caught him with a waitress that worked at Lou's Diner. James denied having relations with the woman even when Gwen had proof that he was cheating. Gwen said James smacked her on her cheek and knocked her to the floor hitting her head on the cabinet. Gwen jumped to her feet grabbing a butcher knife from the kitchen counter and proceeded to stab him over twenty times. Gwen said he killed James an wrapped up his body and threw him in the pier over Patrimony Cavern. The pier is known for having the deepest cliff ever in the world. I'm sure more than James's body is lying somewhere deep down in there. James family never liked Gwen and I supposed they were too happy to learn that he had left her than finding out where he was.

“Do you believe me?” asked Gwen.

“I do,” I said. “You've never lied to me before.”

“Are you going to tell on me?” said Gwen.

“Why on earth would I do that?” I asked. “This is just between us.”

Gwen took my hand and squeezed it tightly for the last time. I kissed her forehead and told her that I loved her. I watched my dear friend close her eyes and take her last breath. I kept my promise to her about her son. Travis decided that he wanted to continue to live in Chicago. He graduated college and now has his own law office. I never told anyone what Gwen had confessed to killing James to me. Like I told her before she passed away, “This is just between us.”