Color Blind

Chapter Fifty

AN: Remember how I said you needed to check out The Sunset Limited? I MEANT IT. 'Reach a Ruin'-my personal favorite by them.

* * *

Nancy was vacuuming when the phone rang. She hated when it did that.

"I was in the mood!" she wailed. "I have to be in a certain mood to vacuum!"

She picked up the phone, sending a steady stream of hate towards the person on the other end.

"Hello?"

"You're...Nancy, right?"

She knew that voice. That was Sean. Thank god Cole wasn't home.

"Yes." She wondered if she could get away with calling him an asshole and hanging up. "What do you want?"

There. That was rude enough.

"Is Cole there?"

"No, he's busy right now."

"Doing what?"

"He's at the store." She scowled. Asshole. "I can give him a message for you, if you want."

Well, maybe. If she liked the message.

"I just wanted to see how he was feeling."

Really? He waited until now to call and see?

"He's got broken ribs."

"Broken ribs?"

"Yes." She wasn't going to tell him anything else unless he asked specific questions.

"I'm sure he's exaggerated a bit. About me, I mean."

Exaggerated-! That might have worked on third-grade teachers, but it didn't work on her. She remembered only too well the bruises on his back, thank you very much.

"I don't think so." she said. "I have to go now. Is there anything you want me to tell him?"

"That I hope he's feeling better."

"I'll do that."

She hung up without waiting for a reply. Asshole. She was tempted to change their number, really.

Where was she...ah. Vacuuming.

* * *

"Your dad called."

"Interesting."

"He wanted to know how you were feeling."

"Did you tell him I was dying?"

"No."

"Oh."

He sighed and eased himself onto the sofa. Maybe he shouldn't have gone to the store.

"You okay?"

"Sure...where's Sadie?"

"The bathroom. I was vacuuming and she was scared."

He closed his eyes and folded his hands over his stomach. He looked like he might be planning on a nap.

Nancy yawned. She could do with a nap, too. They'd had group work in class today. She hated group work. Really, this was college. If she didn't have the social skills down by now, it was too late.

"Candy canes."

"What about candy canes?" Christmas was over! It was a bit late to have a candy cane craving.

"Could I draw you with a candy cane?"

Well. That was random.

"Um..."

"Please?"

"How much say-so do I have over what I wear?"

"A little."

Well, it was better than none. Just to be safe, though, she was hiding her yellow pajamas. Cole liked them, but she thought they were a bit too low-cut. And see-through. And just not suitable.

"Sure, I guess."

"Great." He yawned again and made himself comfortable. "I'm not calling him back."

She hadn't thought he would. She was glad to hear it, though.

"Okay." Tempting as that nap sounded, she had a test tomorrow. Whaa. "I'm gonna study for a bit. Try to get some sleep."

"M'kay."

She wasn't even out of the room before he fell asleep.