Yesterday, 10:57 AM
Rachel’s sleep was dreamless and it was a welcome break from the nightmares. Lucio was always in the nightmares. Rachel didn’t know if that was a because he was a sentient or just how her fear and addiction always meant he was on her mind. Rachel wasn’t sure how long she had slept. But when she woke up, she felt a hand stroking her hair. Rachel opened her eyes and turned to lay on her back to see Mara right next to her.
Mara’s face was worried, but she was here. Rachel knew her sister had been upset about her condition. So upset that she had been avoiding seeing her older sister. It had made Rachel sad and a little guilty.
”Hey you,” Mara said, giving a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. She was trying. ”How are you feeling?”
Rachel looked away and saw Elyse in the corner. Elyse gave her a smile too, bright, cheerful, and encourging. Rachel squeezed her eyes shut. The fear had already pounced on her and she didn’t want to cry in front of Mara. She missed Mara and didn’t want her to leave.
But she couldn’t lie. Lying had been part of the problem. Even if she had been trying to fake being okay. ”I’m…scared.”
Rachel once again felt Mara’s hand on her head. ”I know. You’re safe here.”
Rachel didn’t say anything more. She just kept her eyes closed as her body spasmed with quiet sobs. She wished she was brave. Even just a little bit. She wished she hadn’t been so stupid. She wished she hadn’t fucked everything up.
But Mara stayed. She stayed and offered comfort that could barely penetrate the fear. ”You should sleep some more, Rach,” Mara finally said. ”Your body and mind need rest.”
There was some truth to that, but what if the nightmares came. She could take a pill. Those were available, but she used them sparingly. Some part of her knee that taking them all the time would be bad. But maybe this time it would help.
She felt Elyse come to her and opened her eyes. ”She’s right - you should rest.”
Rachel nodded slowly. ”Okay - could I have some meds?”
”When did you have one last?” Mara asked. Rachel saw Elyse texting.
Rachel shrugged. She didn’t know. Everyday just seemed to bleed with the next. ”Emily said it’s been a few days. She can have one.”
Rachel felt the weight of the bed shift as Mara left to get the pill. ”Is everything going to be okay Elyse. I’m so scared.”
Elyse opened a bottle of water for Rachel. ”You’re safe and everything will be okay. We will help you.”
Mara came back with a pill and Rachel sat up to take the medicine. She then lay back down and Mara began to tuck her in. ”sleep and rest.” she said, placing a kiss on Rachel’s forehead. Rachel closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep waiting for the medication to take effect.
Mara’s face was worried, but she was here. Rachel knew her sister had been upset about her condition. So upset that she had been avoiding seeing her older sister. It had made Rachel sad and a little guilty.
”Hey you,” Mara said, giving a smile that didn’t reach her eyes. She was trying. ”How are you feeling?”
Rachel looked away and saw Elyse in the corner. Elyse gave her a smile too, bright, cheerful, and encourging. Rachel squeezed her eyes shut. The fear had already pounced on her and she didn’t want to cry in front of Mara. She missed Mara and didn’t want her to leave.
But she couldn’t lie. Lying had been part of the problem. Even if she had been trying to fake being okay. ”I’m…scared.”
Rachel once again felt Mara’s hand on her head. ”I know. You’re safe here.”
Rachel didn’t say anything more. She just kept her eyes closed as her body spasmed with quiet sobs. She wished she was brave. Even just a little bit. She wished she hadn’t been so stupid. She wished she hadn’t fucked everything up.
But Mara stayed. She stayed and offered comfort that could barely penetrate the fear. ”You should sleep some more, Rach,” Mara finally said. ”Your body and mind need rest.”
There was some truth to that, but what if the nightmares came. She could take a pill. Those were available, but she used them sparingly. Some part of her knee that taking them all the time would be bad. But maybe this time it would help.
She felt Elyse come to her and opened her eyes. ”She’s right - you should rest.”
Rachel nodded slowly. ”Okay - could I have some meds?”
”When did you have one last?” Mara asked. Rachel saw Elyse texting.
Rachel shrugged. She didn’t know. Everyday just seemed to bleed with the next. ”Emily said it’s been a few days. She can have one.”
Rachel felt the weight of the bed shift as Mara left to get the pill. ”Is everything going to be okay Elyse. I’m so scared.”
Elyse opened a bottle of water for Rachel. ”You’re safe and everything will be okay. We will help you.”
Mara came back with a pill and Rachel sat up to take the medicine. She then lay back down and Mara began to tuck her in. ”sleep and rest.” she said, placing a kiss on Rachel’s forehead. Rachel closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep waiting for the medication to take effect.