Eyes Closed [TWD]

°•seventeen•°

"Can you at least try and be a mother?" Shane's voice hisses quietly.

"Rich coming from you," Jennifer scoffs.

"I get it, I screwed up. But, goddammit, Jen, at least I'm here now!" Shane snaps, getting louder.

"Shane, the kids will hear. Calm down, brother," Rick jumps in, voice calm and collected- but still on edge.

Shane hardly hears him, brushing off his friend as he continues at his ex.

"Where are you when she needs you? I'm busting my ass off at work day in and day out to provide for her and you can't give me or her a single weekend?" Shane raves.

"You said you were going to the bathroom," Carl's voice whispers, though I still jump.

I look to him and frown before turning my head back to look down the staircase. My knees were to my chest, arms resting on them as I lay my head down as well, my chin on my arm.

"Can't you see I have a life now, Shane! I'm finally learning there is a meaning outside of being your housewife!" Jennifer shouts and I flinch.

Carl sighs, sitting beside me on the steps with a frown on his face, too. He doesn't face the way I do, instead looking at me.

"Going out every night with your bitchy friends and getting shitfaced isn't my problem! I just need you to be a mother to our daughter every other week! I don't need anything from you! She does!"

Shane's voice echoes, getting louder and louder with each word he throws at her.

It's the feeling of Carl's hands on my head that make me jump despite the war of words happening below us. Without a word, Carl places his palms over my ears with a serious look on his face.

"And I need you to understand that I can't just drop everything I'm doing!" Jennifer screams, her voice muffled through Carl's hands.

"The kids-" Lori's voice breaks through, priority the same as Rick's.

"You should for our daughter!" Shane yells.

I keep my eyes on Carl's, the shouting sounding more and more distant as he fights for my attention to stay solely on him.

"Lori," Rick sighs between more words from my parents.

Lori doesn't respond to him which I should've taken as a sign as to what was coming.

Carl and I finally tear our eyes from each other as we hear hasty footsteps coming near us. Only one of Carl's hands drop and the yelling is suddenly louder.

"Kids," Lori gasps as she catches sight of us once she rounds the rail of the stairs.

When neither of us say anything, she sighs and climbs up the steps further.

"How about the three of us go to the park? Maybe get some lunch?" she offers with a forced smile.

"Yeah," Carl nods, grabbing my hand and standing as he drags me up with him.

"Good," Lori grins, "Come on."

Carl tugs me down the stairs and once we're down, Lori rests a hand on either of our backs, ushering us out the front door just as the sound of glass shattering sounds from the kitchen.

--

"Jade!" Maggie calls, bursting in the room, "You all right?"

"I am," I nod, still accepting her hug.

She relaxes, breathing out a sigh of relief as she caresses my head gently to avoid my injury.

"I wanted you to at least have the call. I didn't want to take that from you," Rick explains.