Fix Me

Chapter 36.

*****

"Hannah? You okay?" I nodded giving Lyle a smile.

I had fallen asleep somewhere in between last night and this morning and I woke up feeling a little tired and depressed. It was fine, though. The contrast just made me want to have another pill, but I didn't take one because I still didn't know what it was.

Lyle was currently driving me to work while I sat with my lyric book on my lap trying to write things neatly into it as the car bumped on the road.

"You called last night, I couldn't answer. Nat and I were rowing and then there was a storm. I only saw the call when we got back to the house." He explained glancing at me.

"It's fine. I just wanted to check on you." I shrugged.

We stopped at a red light and he took the time to give me an uncertain stare.

"Why do I feel like there's something you aren't telling me?" He asked furrowing his brows. I smiled to let him know that whatever it was, it wasn't important. I shrugged in response to his question and he began driving again as the light changed. I heard him sigh and I looked at him questioningly because it sounds like he wanted to say something, "So... Tomorrow's my sister's birthday – my other sister – and I was thinking of having a little dinner for her at the apartment." He said.

"Oh. Okay." I replied as I began writing again. It was fine, I would be at work.

"So I thought maybe you could ask Max for the day off tomorrow." I looked up.

"You-you mean meet her?" I asked.

"Yeah, I mean -" he began.

"I can't, it's really busy on Sundays," I said as he stopped in front of the diner.

"Hannah, wait. Look, I just thought you could meet her, you'd love her and she's family -" he was saying.

"She's your family. You don't have to pretend I'm part of it. I'm fine on my own, Lyle."

He caught my wrist as I opened the door. "But you're not on your own, Hannah. I'm not pretending." He said. He sighed. "You don't have to be afraid of family –"

"Um... I need to get something after work." I cut him off as I pulled my wrist from his hand, "I'll walk home." I said before I left into the diner. It still had the 'closed' sign up on the door.

I greeted Max as I walked in, Kristy wasn't there yet.

"Wow. You look like you need sleep." I laughed hearing Max call out from the counter as I walked by. I headed into the changing room and pulled my hoodie off, immediately hearing something fall onto the floor. "What's that?" I froze hearing Max's voice behind me.