If Only...

THE END OF BEANS

It is only now that it hits me.

She knows things.

They may not be the things I know, but something must ring a bell.

"What-what time is it?" I stutter, and then swallow down my bone dry throat. At least the fire's gone. It's still hard to believe that all of that; all of that pain was real. . .

I shiver, and Blue eyes efficiently pulls the sheets further up my neck.

"Almost six o' clock, Mrs. Moore." She smiles.

Good. Rosie can't be up yet. Heather must've taken the day off to look after her.

"And uh . . where did you say my . . . h-husband was?"

"I'm sure he's on his way back, Mrs. Moore. I'll go page Dr. Hart." She takes a step back, but I wave my hands no.

"No, that's okay. I'll meet her this weekend. I need to get home before my daughter wakes up."

And before she freaks out.

"Wakes up?" Blue eyes frowns, and then her eyes widen. "Oh, when I said 6 o' clock, I meant 6 pm, Mrs. Moore." She smiles sheepishly.

6 pm? I've slept through most of today? But I'm sure the mediation that has me feeling heavy headed had helped. A lot.

"It doesn't matter. I need to see my daughter--"

"Rosie?"

My head jerks up again, scrutinizing Blue eyes with my brown ones. How does she know so much?

"She's right outside in the play pen with the rest of your family, Mrs. Moore."

My what?

"I could go fetch them if you'd like."

"No, I'll go. I'm leaving now anyway." I throw the heavy sheets and comforter off of me, sliding my unwilling legs to the edge of the bed. This is too much to take in.

"You can't just leave, ma'am!" Blue eyes pulls the sheets over me again.

Yeah? Watch me.

I kick them off again, but she is being really persistent. That's what they pay them for, of course.

Unlike me after the stunt I pulled yesterday . . .

I need to swing around the restaurant once too. Just to confirm whether I've really lost my job or not. Well, if last night was real, then what about the pain? . . .

Because I am entirely fine now. A little heavy headed with a runny nose but that's just the morning. I don't need to be admitted in a hospital for that! Danny really over does everything.

I grumble to myself. I have a bone to pick with that man who has just registered us as husband and wife.

A mushy and warm feeling rummages throughout me, waking up my limbs too.

There, that's better.

"Mrs. Moore, you--"

"Carlton?" Both our heads whip through the air to the doorway, even though it was barely a whisper.

I light up when I see Brian and the open door; but more importantly the combination of the two because I don't know a better escapist than Brian.

I shove Blue eyes' hands away and shimmy up to get off the bed, but Brian rushes up and pulls the sheets and the fuzzy blanket up to my neck.

Hey!

"You stay put, princess. They're mopping the floors outside."

I chuckle after far too long, and I hate to admit it, but it hurts. Blue eyes subtly makes herself scarce, and shuts the door behind her.