Tell Me Everything

Although it is the middle of April, Bob and Margaret’s forsythia bush is still not blooming.

Olive’s best friend Isabelle is leaving. Isabelle’s daughter lives in California and is moving Isabelle to a facility there. Isabelle cries when she tells Olive. Olive doesn’t cry but can’t sleep. On Friday morning, she sends a note to Isabelle, telling her that she feels connected to her. She doesn’t hear anything from Isabelle that day and goes to bed angry at Isabel’s daughter, Amy. She is so upset that she considers dying by suicide—reflecting that no one would be that sad. Then she thought of her father, who had died by suicide, and how deeply it affected her.

On Saturday, Isabelle doesn’t contact her. Olive refuses to go and say goodbye. On Sunday, Isabelle calls Olive. She says that she has refused to move and will fight to stay there. Amy and her husband just left, and Olive says she will come right over.

In the third week of April, Bob and Margaret’s neighbors hear them having a terrible fight. Earlier, Bob went with Margaret to Boston, where she gave a talk. She practiced the sermon in the car on the way. Bob knew that the sermon was good, but sometimes, he was troubled by the sanctimoniousness that she exudes when she speaks at church.