Bedside Monster (House Beasts #1)

Stranding Up

He'd rather be home but the pharmacist had already sent him several messages to remind him that his order had arrived, and it would be strange if he didn't show up to pick it up since he was supposed to need it. The most painful part of it all was probably going to be the price tag but he didn't look forward to seeing her again.

"Ah, mister Renold," she said when it was his turn. "You came."

Her tone fell right in that middle zone where it was friendly enough to make one feel guilty. Oliver, despite himself, felt a dart of it pierce his heart. He lowered his eyes for a moment, then looked back up, detemined to get over it as fast as possible.

"I've sent you a message about your order arriving Monday," she said. Oliver's eyes darted to her name tag. She was still called Emily Spencer. "I take that you couldn't come until now?"

"Yeah, that's it," said Oliver.

"I'm sure you had your reasons to neglect your health," she said. "It's not my place to pry. I'll be going in the back to get your order, I'll be here in a moment."

Oliver was mildly annoyed at her. He thought that she was nosy and would better be off minding her own buisness. The reasonable part of him told him that he was being irrational, that she was only trying to do her job. He gleefully ignored that bit. There was something about her that threw her off and it totally had nothing to do with the fact that she was unwittingly putting herself between him and Wovyn.

No... nothing at all.

She came back with his box and placed it on the table. Oliver caught a glimpse of the price tag and winced. This was the last time he was buying this garbadge. This was the last time he was going to this pharmacy.

"It's for your own good," she said. She must have seen him make a face. "Sir, I swear that you'll feel that way until something really serious happens to you."

She really should mind her own buisness. "I'm taking them, no need to make a fuss."

She sighed. "You know, I have a sister with your condition. She's a smart woman but she got in some trouble with some... group, and now she is refuses to take her medication. Says some crazy things about how soceity is trying to choke people like her. I might be speaking out of line, mister Renold, but better take some medicine than have people tell you that you are crazy. Trust me."

There was some anger in her tone, even if that anger wasn't directed to him. He stared at her. Did she hate her sister? Was it because she was thinking differently than her? He wondered what sort of courage it took to face down all of society's idea about what was right and what was wrong. Did he have this sort of courage?

He remembered how sad Wovyn had been when he would tell him that he didn't believe that he was real.

"That's none of your buisness," he told her.

"Pardon?" she said. She had heard him, he had spoken loud enough.

"I said, that's none of your buisness. Also, maybe you are the crazy one, if you think that your own sister is insane. Ever thought of that?"

"I never said that I thought that she was insane! It's just that people... people think that."

Oliver paid her. "You are trying to put your nose where it doesn't belong and it's very unprofessional. And disrespectful, considering you are discussing my health in front of other clients. Good day, miss Spencer."

"I was only warning you about what might happen."

He didn't reply. He knew that he had spoken loud enough to catch the attention of her boss. The latter was looking in their direction now, as if she knew what was up. Maybe it wasn't the first time that Emily was doing such a number. He just turned around and left without another word, knowing that this wasn't his problem anymore.

He didn't leave right away once he was in his car. Instead he tossed his bag in the passenger's seat and crossed his arms, thinking.

He felt quite proud of himself. Telling people some of his truth felt a lot better than what he had expected. He couldn't believe that he had never tried it before!

Of course, he didn't think that he would have the courage to do the same thing with his mother but that would come in due time. His mother was a special case anyway. It didn't take a genuis level of IQ to figure out that she was a case on her own. He was lucky that he wasn't living with her at the moment or things would be a lot harder.

And Remy's reaction to the annoucement that he was gay? The other man had barely batted an eye at it. How many other people in Oliver's life would be just as fine with it as he had? The friends from the gym? His work collegues? He was still a little scared but less than before.

Did all his strength he suddenly have come from Wovyn?

No, that wasn't the right way to formulate. Rather, Oliver finally had something worth fighting for. Remy was right. Right now, Oliver was happier than he had ever been. He was going to hold on to this, he promised himself. He didn't believe that everything would be perfect right away but he was going to make it work, somehow. It was going to be worth it.

He glanced at the plastic bag next to him, the bag that held the little box with the little pills in it.

Oh, this wasn't that important. This was the last time he had gone to buy them and he wouldn't be taking any, he told himself. He would be crazy if he did! They would sit in his cabinet, unused, like his previous box, until they passed the safty date of consumption, and then he would be free to throw them away with no remorse.