"You look like shit," Bianca said as Vivian walked into her house.
"Gee thanks."
"You look tired. Are you feeling ok?"
"Yes. I'm fine. I wish people would stop asking me that."
"If the question is being asked that often then maybe there's something to it."
"I just haven't been sleeping very well. That's it."
"Why?"
"I've had a lot on my mind," she said. "Been dealing with a lot stuff at work."
"Everything's still good with Brian?"
"Yes. Where's my niece?"
"She's upstairs playing in her room."
Vivian headed up to Kara's room and they played games and took silly photos until Bianca called them down for dinner. Many laughs were had at the table and by the time she left she was feeling pretty good.
The lack of sleep was really starting to catch up to her. Later that night after she had taken her make up off she noticed the bags under her eyes. Her good mood stayed with her until she went to bed. She thought being in a good frame of mind when she fell asleep would stave off the nightmares. She was wrong.
As had become a regular occurrence, she woke up in a cold sweat with her heart racing. She got up and went into the bathroom, splashing water on her face before using the toilet.
She had taken to sleeping in just her underwear since waking up covered in sweat had become commonplace. She'd grown tired of having to change into different pajamas almost every night. When she climbed back into bed she laid on the other side.
She laid there for a while, the vivid images of her dream flashing through her mind. Why was this happening? Why now? It had been months since the attack. She had been determined not to let what had happened define her. But now it seemed to be consuming her life. She eventually drifted back off into a restless sleep.
Mid morning the next day she got a text from Brian asking if she wanted to go to dinner that night. She stared at the text for a few minutes before she replied, telling him she had plans with Eva and Iris. She hated lying to him, especially since it was the third time in the last month she had done it, but she just wasn't in the mood to go out.
**
"What did she say?" Sal asked Brian as he was getting mic'd up.
"She said she has plans with her friends."
"You don't believe her?"
"I don't know. I talked to her last night and she didn't mention anything about it."
"Maybe she just made the plans this morning, before you asked."
"That's possible I guess," Brian said. "I just don't understand what's going on with her lately."
"She always says it's work that's stressing her out? You don't think she's cheating do you?"
"No, I don't think that's it. I just wish she'd open up to me."
"I'm sorry buddy. I don't really know what to tell you."
Brian sent Vivian another text, asking her to come to dinner with him the next night. Feeling guilty for lying to him about that night she said yes.
