Different

“Different”

             “Your son and daughter are as different as night is from the day,” Mr. Fritz matter-of-factly commented to Karyl’s mom.  At that time, Karyl was only four years old, and her brother Geoff was five.     And their appearances reflected Mr. Fritz's statement.  The two of them were not only different in their looks, but they're temperate. Geoff was easy going, while Karyl’s was anything but quiet, making her voice heard.  Destined to be different from birth had become a curse.  A curse that Karyl learns to hide, attempting to blend in with her peers.

**                                                                                                                                                                      

 Throwing her hands up, “You’re hopeless.”  Sally retreats out of Karyl’s room, leaving her still holding the hammer.  

                            “Fine,” Karyl yells, “I’ll do it myself,” with one swift swing, she completely misses the nail. “Ouch!” Karyl screams, instantly holding her throbbing fingers. Her frustration is getting to her. Now with this second attempt at trying to hang her mothers’ picture. The only one that her brother was willing to share.   Determination and grit, staring at this imposing wall, Karyl holds the nail.

             “Ouch!’ throwing down the hammer with a thud.  Karyl hissed, “I will never be able to  do it.” Walking out of her bedroom into the living room.

                          Sally said sarcastically, “Do what? Wiping her hands on a dishtowel as she emerged from the kitchen.

             Karyl just glared at Sally, “You know what I was talking about,”

                            Sally holds her ground,  “I was only trying to help.”

             Karyl grumbles, “Trying to help?”

                            “Yes,” Sally’s words spat out, turning on her heels, disappearing back in the kitchen.

             “Humph,” Karyl mumbles under her breath, retreating to her bedroom.

***

             Karyl returns to the scene of the crime, her mother’s face staring at her from the dresser. The hammer laid where Karyl had dropped it. A bittersweet reminder of Kayl’s inability to accept another person's help and or their advice. It has always been this way for Karyl. A curse from her birth. Knowing that she is different, as night is from the day, those were the words. One’s that Kayl had never forgotten. The very ones she tries to overcome.

             Karyl glazed out of the window as Sally quietly enters the room.

                            Sally shifts her weight before clearing her throat, “Hey, Karyl.”

             Karyl's’ turns around, “Yeah?” As she brushes a few strands of her hair aside.

                            Sally instinctively looks down at her feet, “I am sorry,” looking up,  “I do want to help you,” 

             Glancing over to the wall, then back at Sally, “I think I can do it myself.”

                            “Um..,” Sally cautiously said, “If you need my help, please let me know.” She relented, returning to the kitchen.

             Karyl’s determination, the spirit has often gotten her into more trouble than she ever wanted. It is a driving force. Perhaps that’s what makes Karyl different. With the nail in place, Karyl gently gives it a few short taps. She was standing back, admiring her handiwork. 

“Good job,” Karyl whispers, as she relishes in her accomplishment. Karyl completely unaware of Sally standing just outside her bedroom door.

             Smiling Sally reaffirms Karyl, “Good job,”

                            “Thanks,” as Karyl adds the finishing touch placing her mothers’ picture on the nail.

               “You’re welcome,” Sally added, “Oh, by the way, if you are hungry, I made some soup.” In mid-stride, going back to the kitchen.

                            “Lunch?” Karyl’s disbelief that it was already the afternoon.

             Turning around, Sally matter-of-factly answered, “If you’re hungry,”

 Karyl’s stomach grumbles, reminding her that it is well past time to eat.  As she ambles into the kitchen, there is Sally already with a bowl of soup in her hand. 

“I just thought that you would show up right about now,” Sally smiled, placing the bowl on the table. Without a second thought about their disagreement. Sally continues to hum as she went about the kitchen, “A mother hen.” Is what Karyl thought of Sally.  As Karyl started to eat, she notices that Sally wasn’t joining her. 

             Confused, Karyl glances over to Sally, “Aren’t you eating?” 

                            “What?’ Sally momentarily stopped cleaning up.

             “Don’t you want to eat?”

                            “What?” Sally repeated herself, facing   Karyl

             Concerned, Karyl said, “Are you okay?”

             “ Yes, yes, I am fine,” Sally hastily answers, unconsciously wringing her hand

In all of the years since the two of them have been friends, there was something wrong. Never before had Karyl ever witness Sally in such a state as she is now. Karyl knows that to find out Sally’s problem, she will have to dig a little deeper.

             Approaching Sally, weighing her words, “Sally, I know that something is bothering you,” Karyl continued, “Please let me know so that I can help you.”

             Sally gazes at her feet, “ I am fine,” her words spat out. Drawing her attention away from Karyl to the task of straightening up the kitchen,  

             A heaviness settled in the kitchen. Karyl wanted to say more, but she realizes that it will be best to let things lie.   

***

             Days have passed since their argument. With things back to normal, at least on the surface.  Karyl’s attention, once more, is focused on herself.  Gone are the concerns about Sally and whatever her problem was.  Karyl's’ obsession with her mothers’ things was drawing her into a tighter circle.   Isolation and loneliness. Yet, Karyl is too blind to see what she was becoming.  “Different” as the night is from the day.

             Sally watches as Karyl goes down a path that she was a part of  Sally, who feels responsible for Karyl. After all, they have been best friends since how long now?” Ah, yes, now she remembers high school. A memory that ends up taking  Sally back to those days with fondness. Now it seems Karyl is changing every single day.

***

             Exhausted from her job, Sally pulls into her apartment complex. Systemically, looking for a spot closer to her building. By now, Sally starts feeling frustrated with this particular unseemly dilemma. “Oh well, muttered Sally, “It is what it is.”  Pulling into the first available spot. Trudging from her car, she gets distracted by her cell phone vibrating. “It can wait.”  As for now, she is focusing on her daily routine, going from her scrubs to street clothes.   

             Once inside, Sally takes the opportunity and grabs a quick shower. With the warmth of the water cascading down her weary body, she breaths deeply. Closing her eyes, Sally re-examines the past couple of days. Sally is determined to figure out what had started this thing with Karyl.  From her point of view, a catalyst of some source is responsible for Karyls’ changed attitude. “But what? Sally mumbled.  Thoughts like waves came crashing in her mind. All jumbled together with one after another. Sallys’ thoughts are soon interrupted by the ringing of her cell phone. 

             With her blonde hair in a ponytail, comfortable sweats, Sally checks her phone. A few miscalls and a text from Tom.  

             “Hey, Tom,” Sally nonchalantly said, ambles from her bedroom to the living room.

             “I was trying to reach you all day,” Tom offhandedly said

                            Sally matter-of-factly answered, “You know that I was working, right?

             “I know,” Tom hopelessly uttered, “I just thought that we could get together later,”

             “Tonight?”

                            “Yeah, tonight.” Tom pleaded, “there’s something I would discuss with you if that’s all right?” Tom cautiously said

            “Sure, what time?”

                            “I’ll pick you up at seven o’clock.” Tom hangs up.

Sally was bewildered by Tom’s insistence of getting together tonight. “Why tonight?” Sally wonders, “What is so important that it can not wait?” Sally sighs, feeling the pressure on all sides, between her concern for Karyl, now, Tom.  Retreating to the refrigerator, Sally grabs a piece of apple pie, comfort food. She was devouring the portion of the pie just as Karyl opens the door. 

             Tossing aside her handbag on the couch, Karyl announces, “I’m home.”- Kicking off her shoes.  Karyl saunters into the kitchen, “Is there any left?” – Glance over to Sally, munching on the pie.

                            “Um.., sure,” -Sally answers, as she was about to open up the refrigerator when Karyl stops her in mid-stride.

             Karyl hesitantly said, “I don’t want any now, I just wanted to know,” – ambling out of the kitchen to her bedroom.  Closing her door, Karyl changes into a loose-fitting teeshirt, leggings, and running shoes.  With her chestnut hair pulled up in a bun, as Karyl is walking past the kitchen, she casually said, “I’m going for a run,”  

             Glancing at her watch, Sally rinses her fork and plate before heating a plate of left-over spaghetti and meatballs for Karyl’s dinner. Jotting down a note, Karyl left your supper in the oven. Be back later tonight,” Sal

*****    

             Karyl soon finds her rhythmic beat upon the pavement. Autumn’s air fils her lungs. As she finds herself lost in thought.  Pondering over her last chat with her brother, Geoff, and his promise of showing some more of their mother’s possessions. Those that she had long to get a hold of, but was unable to, mainly because of their disagreement. Though, truthfully, it was more of his fault than hers.  Karyl mumbles, “Things hadn’t changed,” just as she was rounding the corner, she catches a glimpse of Sally getting into Tom’s car.

             Sally waves to Karyl as she and Tom drive by.  With a nod, Karyl continues on her way back to the apartment.  Afterward, a refreshing shower and a quick change of clothes. Karyl wonders into the kitchen, searching for something to eat besides a piece of the pie. There was a note from Sally neatly position on the countertop. The aroma of the spaghetti filtering through the kitchen, Delighted that she didn’t need forage for something to eat. Sitting crossed leg on the couch, just as she was about to start eating, her cell phone starts buzzing. 

             Annoyed, Karyl answered, “Hi Geoff,” she off handly said, setting down her plate.

                            “Hey, I’m not disturbing you am I?” Geoff jokingly said.

             “Yeah, why?’

                            “I just wanted to ask when we can get together, you know.”

              “I don’t care whenever.” Karyl sarcastically answered.

                            “About tomorrow?”

             “Sure, what time?”

                            “Six tomorrow night?”

             “Fine,” Karyl said, “Is there anything else?

 As they continued to chat, Karyl was increasingly growing impatient with Geoff’s point of view concerning their mother. She mostly felt guilty for not being with their mom when she fell ill, just before passing away.    That was what had caused their argument before. Geoff’s attitude that he did more for their mother than she did. There just wasn’t anything that Karyl could say to change his mind.   In the end, Karyl relented and said, “Okay, Geoff, if that is how you feel, there’s nothing more for me to say.” Karyl wasn’t admitting a defeat. It was her way of letting Geoff believe that he had won.  

             Cautiously Geoff said, “Well, I’ll see you tomorrow, you know.’

                            “Yeah, I know.”

             With her dinner cold, Karyl ambles back in the kitchen, exchanging the spaghetti for a delicious piece of apple pie.  Karyl trots back to her bedroom with her dessert. The one place where she can find solitude. As the night sky blankets across the horizon. Karyl gazes into the darkness. A reminder of what Mr. Fritz had said when she was four years old.

             “That she was different as the night from the day.”

Perhaps she is different, and maybe she is like the night. Dark and mysterious. Uniquely made. One of a kind.

             Amused by this revelation, Karyl smiles, “I am different.”

 Closing her door, Karyl crawls into bed, saying, “Good night, mom.” Then Karyl closes her eyes and falls asleep