Basorexia - J.MAGUIRE

[4.70] fin

"So Chip... How has this week been?" Rosa asked after Chip had settled in her usual seat in the office, legs tucked up underneath herself.

"Grand," she responded with a soft smile, truly meaning it instead of the usual lie. "W- well I mean I had one moment where I hesitated using the full fat milk in my tea since we ran out of skimmed, but I put the usual amount in and drank it all. No exercise or nothing."

"Good, that's great Chip. Really," Rosa smiled. It, to anyone else, would seem like an incredibly small thing. But just the ability to drink a cup of tea without worry was absolutely huge to those who had a greater understanding of how her mind worked. "Did you think about what we discussed last week?"

Chip frowned, not instantly remembering what they had discussed. Their season last week seemed so far away now, given all previous events and such. Then she suddenly remembered something and asked softly, "About my future?"

Rosa nodded, "Aye."

"Aye I did. I mean it sounds like such a good idea and I feel like helping people like me has to be a majorly rewarding job, no?"

"I'm partially biassed but I would say that it's a hard but incredibly rewarding job when it goes correct, yes," she paused, clearing her throat softly. "But then you also have to think of the people that you won't be able to help, because those cases are often heartbreaking. Which is partly why I refuse to take anyone that I think is not at the stage of being helped, as protection."

Ciara nodded as she thought over her minimal options. They had, last week, discussed a program in which Chip would be able to shadow one of the nurses from Rosa's office. She had thought that the idea of becoming a therapist, specialising in the eating disorder part of things, was an incredibly good one. "I think I'm going to take it... If that's still okay."

She smiled, glad that she had made that choice and it seemed to have been done with a lot of thought. Chip had discussed it extensively with Michelle, weighing up the pros and cons on her chalkboard as they both worked through a box of cookies only the night before. "I'm glad you made that decision, Chip. You seem like the perfect person for this type of job, you'd actually care unlike some doctors."

Ciara's brows rose as she insinuated, "Like Dr. W?"

"I never said that," Rosa responded a little too quickly not to be suspicious. Chip chuckled softly, knowing how strongly Rosa hated Dr.W and his way of doing things that showed he really just did not care at all. Rosa could excuse the doctors who didn't have the resources but he did and just decided not to use them, it was a common known feud amongst many patients.

"So we will see you on next Saturday for your first day of shadowing then?"

Chip nodded, "You'll see me on Tuesday before that though."

Rosa smiled, "That's just it Chip... I think you're ready to be discharged from this facility."

-

The following day, after Chip had run to tell James the grand news about her not having to go to therapy anymore, she awoke in his bed - having fallen asleep in his arms - with the lack of warmth next to her that she had expected. Figuring that he was at his computer again, she turned in bed but frowned to see that he was nowhere to be seen. Just as she was about to lift the covers to climb out of bed, on route to find him, James appeared in the doorway to his room with a bunch of wildflowers in one hand, a box trapped under his arm and a plate of chocolate covered pancakes in his other hand. "What's all this?" she laughed softly as he fumbled into the room, being careful not to drop anything or spill a single strawberry on top of the pancakes.

"Celebratory presents," he responded with a matching smile as he handed her the flowers. It was instantly clear to her that these had been flowers he had picked, organised and wrapped in brown paper himself. Wild daffodils, bluebells and the larger size of daisies were scattered through the perfect bouquet. The idea that he had given her flowers, let alone self picked ones, welled tears of joy into her eyes. She lifted them to her nose and took a deep inhale of the spring scents, smiling as the brown paper the ends were wrapped in crinkled with an incredibly satisfying sound.

"They're beautiful," she almost whispered, mind so overcome with joy and affection that she didn't quite know how to communicate it all. She set the flowers down on the nightstand as he held out a rectangular grey box. She took it with a cocked brow, wondering if he had had whatever was inside for a while or had run out to get it as soon as the shop opened. Either way, she could not have appreciated the gesture any more. She drew her attention away from the nervous look in his eyes to open the box, smiling instantly at what lay inside. An absolutely gorgeous silver necklace shone back at her. It was a layered necklace, the longer thin chain had a stunning moon charm and the top shorter chain had an equally as beautiful star. "J I-"

"Do you like it?"

She nodded, unable to say another word. Until a question burst out of her, "How the hell did you afford this?"

He shrugged, "I sold some photographs."

"To who?" she chuckled softly with a raised brow. She had told him that his photographs were good enough to be sold professionally dozens and dozens of times but he had never seemed to listen, or apparently he had.

"This publishing company where Clare lives," he responded softly as he sat down on the bed next to her, taking the necklace from the box. "I'm proud of you love," he whispered as he draped the necklace over her neck, clasping it at the back with a singular movement.

As she let her hair fall back down to where it had hung before, she took his jaw and placed an incredibly appreciative kiss onto his lips. "Thank you," she whispered as their foreheads rested together. "For everything, seriously."

He smiled brightly, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek as she turned to the pancakes plucking a strawberry from the top. She laughed as the chocolate dripped onto her hand, leading her to put the entire thing into her mouth as quickly as possible.

"Good?" he laughed, the laugh only growing as she nodded profusely with a growing smile.

"I love you."

"Me on the pancakes?"

"Funny," she chuckled softly, taking the fork at the side of the plate before using it to cut into the small stack. "Obviously the pancakes."

James laughed as he reentered the warmth of the blankets, cuddling up close to her. "I love you too Chip."

Later in the day, after they had both reluctantly pulled themselves from bed, the two hand in hand and the rest of the group walked into the polling station where the future of their lives would be determined by a cross in a box - or a smiley face in Orla's case.

Afterwards, they all went to dinner. A small cafe that they often frequented but Chip had never actually eaten in before. It felt so incredibly amazing to be able to enjoy a meal out with her friends. She partook in the trying of everyone's dishes that they often did and even shared a desert with Clare. She hadn't realised that such a small thing, an act of human nature, could bring such a closeness. The idea that she had missed out on all of that for so long just fueled her desire to stay recovered.