Excerpt: The Writing Class

In the waiting room, the waiting seemed interminable; other people seemed to be sitting staring in silence, the TV canned laughter diverting no one's attention..
"Want some coffee?" Jennifer asked her mom, who nodded. Her mom was as much an addict as the Nugget customers.
"They have a fancy machine--you can get a latte, mocha--all for a buck," Jennifer said, searching her pockets for quarters.
"Surprise me," her mom said, sitting tightly in a chair, her arms folded tight, her legs crossed, as though trying to contain herself and be a fortress against any news she didn't want to hear.
Jennifer handed her the coffee; she nodded.
"Your dad has always eaten right--maybe he doesn't exercise a lot but he's not fat. I mean, he's not the type to go to the gym but he and I, we've always liked to take walks, he goes to the doctor--he just had a physical--Plus he's younger than me--I didn't think--" The words sputtered out, and she didn't look at Jennifer, just straight ahead as though looking past the wall. A TV was on in the corner with some show with a laugh track--sounded like Bill Cosby and kids.
Jennifer put her arm around her mom. "He didn't do anything wrong. You didn't do anything wrong." But had she done anything wrong? She hadn't been around lately; busy with work and class and friends--busy in her mind, trying to figure out her past, she'd been overlooking the present.
The white-coated doctor came in the room. "Mrs. Fields?"
Jennifer's mom jumped up; Jennifer put her arm about her and they walked towards the doctor, a young man with gray-blue eye and glasses that slipped down his nose and a slight bristle of mustache on his chin. Ten years older than she, Jennifer thought, already had his life together, a success, family bragging about him at gatherings...
"He's doing well, Mrs. Fields. He's resting now. We put in a stint, to help--there'll be some precautions we'll tell you about, mainly when he goes to the dentist. But nothing major. Main thing--rest." He emphasized this. "Rest and be careful with the diet. We'll give you some information on diet and of course he'll need to followup with Dr. Trent."
Jennifer recognized the name; Dr. Trent was her dad's regular doctor.
"Thank you, doctor," her mother said. "I'm so--how long will he stay in here?'
The doctor frowned in thought. "I'm guessing another two days, to be safe. We'll evaluate him each day to see when he's ready. Usually patients recuperate best at home."
And it costs the insurance companies less, Jennifer thought to herself.
"Good," her mom said. "Good."