Sleepless Nights

Forty Five

                   A Few Weeks Later

  "Can I stay over?"
"Yes!" Joey shouted down the hallway.
"Good." I called back as I put my feet on the coffee table, Mark and Bryan were outside talking, what it was about, I'm not sure but I do know they were both on edge about whatever it was. I walked into Joey's kitchen and opened the sliding door, making both the boys jump.
"Hey Mark, I'm going to stay tonight with Joey, is that okay?"
"You have to ask permission from him?" Bryan snapped.
"That's not what she– dammit." Mark sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Anna, okay." He sighed again and I felt uncomfortable so I shut the sliding door and plopped back on the couch.
"Do you want to do something fun?" I asked as Joey walked in. 
"What do you have in mind?"
"Shane's been dying to bring that Ouija board over."
"That sounds fun to you?"
"We can do it drunk."
"What if the spirit stays behind?"
"Then I'll move in with you." He chuckled and looked through the kitchen, at Bryan and Mark.
"Are they arguing?" I turned and looked at the two, I couldn't make out what they were saying, but it looked like it was getting heated.
"Should I go check on them?" I asked, looking over to Joey.
"No, I got it. Go ahead and text Shane and tell him to bring some alcohol." Joey opened the sliding door and started talking to Bryan and Mark.
Me; Hey, you can come over. Bring the board and some booze.
Shane; Yes bitch, I'll be over soon!
"Bye baby." Mark planted a quick kiss on my temple and stormed out, Bryan following closely.
"What was that about?" I asked as Joey walked back in.
"Nothing. Nothing." He shook his head, running his fingers over the bridge of his nose. "He's just still not the same after—"
"I know, don't say it." I swallowed the lump forming in my throat and sighed.
"Have you even cleaned up the room since he destroyed it?" I rethought the night over again.
"Mark! Mark!" I screamed as I slid down the shower wall, my stomach in knots.
"What is it baby?" He asked from behind the locked bathroom door.
"Get in here!" I screamed.
"Unlock the door!"
"I can't!"
He grunted as he rammed his self against the locked door and the door swung open. He was breathing heavy as he cut off the steaming hot water.
"What is it?" His hands shook as he held my bloody ones.
"Okay. Okay. Okay." He repeated as he lifted my wet, naked body and carried me to the bedroom, slipping on clothes for me as I was motionless, I already knew what had happened.
"I'm so sorry." That's what the doctor told us. "I'm so sorry for your loss." He said once more as I sobbed into Mark's chest. When we got home, he destroyed the nursery that was halfway set up. We haven't been in there since, the broken wood was still in place from where Mark destroyed the crib and the rocking chair.

"No, we haven't. I don't want to talk about it right now Joey."
"Okay sure." He said as he rubbed my arm. A knock on the door made the weight on my shoulders be lifted, I was so excited to see Shane.
"Hey Joey."
"Hey man."
"I didn't know what to bring so I just brought a lot of shit."
"Sounds good dude." Joey shut the front door and headed into the kitchen, pulling me out a chair as I followed.
"You bitches ready?" Shane asked as he started pouring shots.

~~•••~~
I giggled as Joey stumbled over to the fridge, tripping over the rug and catching himself on the counter. Shane snorted as he took another shot, sliding the full glass down the table towards me.
"Do you want coke?" Joey slurred, leaning against the fridge.
"Yas bitch!" Shane yelled as he threw his head back and downed another shot, grimacing his face. "Ooh girl I love fireball!" He chuckled. Joey managed to sit back down with the two liter bottle and Shane pulled out the board.
"Joey hit the lights."
"Check this out." Joey slurred as he took his shirt off and slung it at the light switch behind him, turning off the light.
"I didn't have to get up." He chucked as he slipped the tee shirt back over his head.
"Okay, put your fingers on." We put our fingers on the piece of wood and took a deep breath. "Is there a spirit here?" The piece of wood started moving, Joey screamed a high pitched scream as the word 'YES' was covered.
"Is there anything you want to tell us?"
It started sliding down to the letters now.
"F-I-G-H-T. Fight? What fight?" Joey asked confused.
"B-O-Y-S?" We all looked up to each other. "Are you talking about Mark?" I asked.
"Yes." We all said in unison.
"What about the fight?" I asked before Shane or Joey could open their mouth.
"B-A-R-?"
"Goodbye." Shane said as he took his hands off the board, Joey following him. Shane packed up the board and took another shot, sighing as he set the glass on the table.
"Fuck that." He breathed out.
"Anna?" Joey asked.
"Yeah?"
"They like to mess with people." Shane said, rubbing my back.
"Mark can't drink anyway."
"Exactly." Shane said, handing me another full glass of the alcohol. I threw
my head back and sighed with relief, licking some of the alcohol from my lips away.
"How drunk are you Joey?" Shane asked.
"Too drunk to stand up probably." He slurred, holding the almost empty bottle of whiskey.
"Try to stand up." Shane said.
"Okay!" He set the bottle on the table and stood up, his body swaying. "Woah!" He giggled, looking back up at me, he flipped the light switch back on and stumbled to the couch. Shane and I laughed as we watched him, his legs crossing as he walked, cursing to himself.
"Anna!" He whined. "I'm gonna throw up."
"Fuck." I stood up, everything was spinning as I pulled Joey off the couch, he leaned against me as we waddled to the bathroom. As soon as I opened the bathroom door he fell face first on the linoleum floor.
"Joey! Are you okay?" I knelt down beside him and he started chuckling, pulling me down with him.
"Joey!" I squealed, giggling as he rolled on top of me, sighing from the laughter. His laughter calmed and he stared into my eyes and brought his lips to mine.

Hey guys! I put a tv show reference in here, if you can spot it, you get 10 points haha, comment below if you excepted that plot twist. ;)