The Bad Friend
Ellen seems to have it all, including a sweet fiancé named Troy and her lifelong best friend, Tanya. Even though Tanya has an edgier taste in men and a slight rivalry with Ellen, they are basically sisters. But beneath their close bond lie years of hidden secrets. Soon, Ellen will be forced to make a series of choices that will completely alter the life she thought she was building.
- Ellen - Troy’s fiancee
- Troy - Ellen’s first husband
- Maxine - Troy’s second wife
- Abigail - Ellen and Troy’s daughter
- Josie - Abigail’s friend, Ross’s daughter
- Tanya - Ellen’s friend
- Ross - Tanya’s date, Ellen’s second husband
- Ellen meets Tanya’s new guy, Ross.
- A few years later: Ellen and Troy are married and Ellen hasn’t spoken to Tanya in years.
- Ellen doesn’t love Troy but she loves Abigail.
- Ellen and Troy get divorced.
- Abigail is thirteen and her and Josie set Ellen up with Ross.
- Four years later, Ellen and Ross are married, Troy is happy for them and Abigail and Josie are still best friends.
- Troy meets someone else, Maxine.
- Ellen is fifty, she and Ross are empty nesters, and Ellen misses Troy.
- Ellen runs into Tanya, who says all those years ago, Ross raped her, got her pregnant, and she had an abortion.
- Ellen goes home and decides not to confront Ross.
- Abigail and Josie remain super close.
- They are seventy now and Ross has cancer and will be dead soon.
- Ellen is grateful that, of all the mistakes she made in life, at least she gave Abigail a sister.
This novella attempts to span a woman’s entire lifetime in only 44 pages, which makes the whole experience feel incredibly rushed. Instead of the sharp, psychological punch you expect from a thriller, it plays out more like a sad Lifetime movie about being careful what choices you make.
There is a small twist near the end, but it isn't enough to save the story or make it feel like a cohesive mystery. It’s hard to get invested in a plot that moves at such a frantic pace, leaving the final product feeling more like a depressing cautionary tale than a suspenseful read!
- Rape
- Abortion
- Divorce
Publisher: Amazon Original Stories
ASIN: B0CHKG6YDF
Publication Date: March 19, 2024
Note: Details are for the original edition. Other formats, editions, and audiobook versions may be available.
