His favourite Toy

Part 4: After-Care

Clem laid in her bed, tucked into some new clean clothes with a bucket beside her bed, so far empty. She muffled her cries by resting her palm by her Lori while she laid her side. I gave her a sincere smile since my heart ached for my little girl, who has a large phobia of sickness.

"You'll feel better in the morning, baby. I promise" I assured her, patting her duvet down on her, snuggling her in. I then leaned down to give her a peck on the forehead, stroking her wet hair after I gave her a bath.
"I love you, Clem" I whispered to her. Her watery eyes mine.

"I love you too" she mumbled into her palm.

———

I stared up at the ceiling aimlessly, my alarm ticking as the minutes past by.

Tick tick tick....

"Boo"

She laughed in her ear, jumping onto the bed - startling me. I jumped out my skin a little at her, as she smirked at me while eating her favourite crisps as she got comfortable beside me. There was a long moment of silence, with a lot of staring involved. I slowly raised my finger at her as I pouted my lips due to curiosity.

"We've been here before?" I rhetorically asked her.

"Oh, he'll over it" Mia waved her hand at me, her eyes glued to the TV as she watched shameless intently. I laid beside her, my eyes rotating between the screen and Mia, who was shoving crisps into her mouth, chewing obnoxiously - which we did only around each other.

"No he won't! Ah, weren't you listening?" I cried, clasping my hands against my skull in a rage of panic, jumping up to my knees at her showing my frantic face. Her chewing slowed slightly, glaring at me with wide eyes and an open mouth.

"Yeah, you said he was being a cunt, calling you an alkie and shit" she responded, going to back to focus on her crisps.
"Then you threatened to end things, but I keep saying..." she leaned closer to my face, the smell of her food hitting my nostrils.
"Drop-his-ass. He's a dead beat city boy" she whispered, tapping her finger on my nose then giggling as she laid back down.

"Yeah you've got a point but... his dogs!" I squealed, to which she replied in a loud groan of disgust at me.
"They're so small and little" I went on to act out weird little noises of adorableness. She waved her hands at me, screaming no at the top of her lungs. After a minute of continuous petty slaps received from Mia, we both broke out laughing, rolling over my bed.

"Why did you do it..." I whispered to her, my voice shaking as I rested my back against my bed frame, my head tilted to the side where Mia laid. She looked at me with those glassy eyes, showing grief.

"I was clinically depressed, Grace..." she reminded me, talking in a soft tone with me. I shot my head away, wiping the developing tears away with my duvet however they just kept coming.

"I needed you... I need you" I whimpered to her, the Barb wire feeling getting tighter around my neck.

"You'll live" she joked, letting out a tired chuckle up at me, slowly sitting up. I stared at her, my eyes leaking slightly as a faint smile slowly developed on my face.
"Now come on, I know you wanted to talk about that sexy therapist of yours" she playfully slapped my arm, just like old times. My smile was wide, my tears had dried and I took in a breath to say my thoughts of him, until I realised she isn't here... she's just another coping mechanism.

———

"Grace? Grace are you listening?"

I shook my head back into reality, quickly taking in my surroundings, to be at work - lots of elders playing chess or listening to the jazz music, moving their limbs the best they can to the music. I then peered over at Irene, to see her leaning forward on her wheelchair, inspecting me with stern eyes which made me sink back a little into my chair.