Toxic (H.S.)

26*

"Harry, I'm glad you all made it haven't had a chance to speak to Marlene." She said kindly. Marlene's mom was like Emily, crazy and unpredictable when it came to her mood swings. It was rare you got her on a good day.

"Yeah well, I wanted to ask you something because Marlene, whether she likes to admit it or not, worries about you." She nodded. "Victoria said something that gave us the impression that you're sick." The look on her face said everything.

She sighed. "Yes I am, I'm surprised Jeffery didn't say anything." She spoke quietly which made me a little mad. Jeffery knew and hadn't told Marlene. "I hadn't been feeling well and I went to the hospital and they told me that I had a stroke and that I was fine, but when they did tests, the doctor found a hole in my heart. They're checking to see if it'll fix itself, but it hasn't so I'm having surgery."

"Are you planning to tell Marlene." She looked down. "I'm going to have to tell her, I'm sorry that you're sick but she's your daughter-"

"And I'm the mother she hates, she'll be glad that I'm sick." She turned and walked out of the kitchen. I looked down at Ollie who was rubbing his eyes and knew it was time to go.

*

"She told you that?" Marlene asked as we got ready for bed. "Of course I'm not happy about this, oh god she thinks so little of me."

"Princess, you laughed when she told you your grandmother was sick, you can be a very cynical person." She looked at me as if she didn't want to admit I was right.

"Cynical would be for me to say how ironic that she has a hole in her heart. She would have gone into surgery and I wouldn't know." She covered her face. "I don't hate her, I just wish she was different. I wish she respected my decisions and let me be myself." She looked out the window and sighed.

"Jeff knew and didn't say anything." slowly shaking her head she took a deep breath.

"He didn't want me to worry, besides that, I didn't tell him we got married." It was quiet for a while until I heard her sniffle and roll over to cuddle with me. "I don't want her to die you know." She began crying. "Our relationship is shit but she's my mom."

"I know baby, I know." I rubbed her back gently until her breathing evened out.

*

I was asleep when my phone went off in the morning, a little too early for my liking. I stood up and looked at the caller ID and didn't recognize the number. "Hello?"

"Harry?" It was like I was dreaming.

Or worse, I was having a nightmare.

"Emily?" I sighed. "You have some fucking nerve."

She sighed. "Yeah, it's me I was wondering if -sorry it's so early." She said quietly. "Are you at your home?" I had a sick feeling she was here so I stood up and walked over to the window.

Like her mother, she sat in a black Escalade in front of the house. It was their driver from the other day and I began getting a migraine again.

"What do you want, why are you back here?"

"I want to see him, if it's too early then I can come back." I looked over and Marlene's eyes fluttered open as she stretched her arms.

"Well then come back later, he's asleep and I need to think about this." I hung up taking a seat on the edge of the bed.

"What's going on." She sat up.

"Emily is here, outside and wants to see the baby." Marlene looked concerned but didn't say anything. "Should I let her?"