Member-only story
Time to Act
Nan clenched her teeth and slammed the fridge shut as Tom went out the door, his cutting remark about her “dumpy figure” blazing a path in her mind.
“He wouldn’t win any contest either!” she muttered under her breath. Karen looked up from her homework.
“Mom, what does bulimic mean?”
“It’s a symptom of an eating disorder. Where did you hear that word?”
“I overheard Sandra say it to someone on the phone last night.” Nan caught her breath. For once she didn’t scold Karen for eavesdropping. Dazed, she walked into the bathroom, locking the door behind her.
Sitting on the edge of the tub, hands pressed to her forehead, tears streamed down her cheeks. Soft sobs escaped as she recalled her subtle and not-so-subtle suggestions and comments to Sandra about losing weight.
Standing, she went to the sink and washed her face. Gazing at her round flushed cheeks and almost double chin, she covered her face with the hand-towel.
A few hours later when Sandra arrived home from her evening class, she and Nan sat down to their nightly ritual of hot chocolate, cookies and conversation before bed. After asking how Sandra found her class, Nan bowed her head and stirred her chocolate.
“I feel disgusted with how I look and I haven’t been feeling well lately.” She glanced…
