Enigma

I woke feeling drowsy and groggy. My stomach turned I as pushed back the covers and sat on the edge of the bed. My hair stuck up in every direction, and my face felt clammy and swollen.

The door opened slowly and Mum walked in, carrying a glass of water. “Morning sweetheart.” She spoke quietly as she slipped across the room to the bed. She sat beside me and pushed my hair back from my face. “How are you feeling?”

“Not too bad,” I forced a smile at her. “I better get ready for school.”

“Ah, not today.” Mum placed the glass on my bedside table.

“No really Mum-” I protested standing up. I wobbled slightly as I made my way over to the cupboard. I grabbed the handles to steady myself.

“Annette, it’s eleven.” Mum led me back to the bed. She ran her fingers through my knotted hair as she spoke. “You didn’t wake up earlier, so I just let you sleep. Your father and I decided that it might be a good idea for you to have a day off.” She paused and brushed my hair behind my ears. “Now, I’m not going to take you to the hospital just yet, but if you get any worse you must tell me. Seriously Annette. No lying. Because if you lie, I’ll take you in anyway. Clear?”

I nodded meekly, there wasn’t any point in arguing. I didn’t have the energy for it anyway. I felt as if I had run out of batteries, my energy levels were just completely zapped and there was nothing left.

“Do you want to come downstairs and try eating something?”

I nodded again.

“Right, well, you come down when you’re ready, and just call out if you need anything. Okay?” She kissed my forehead. “I love you Annette.”

Another nod. Mum paused, perhaps waiting for me to say something. She patted my hair again before turning and walking from the room.

I padded slowly across to the cupboard again and pulled open the doors. After pulling on some clothes, I grabbed a blanket from my bed and carried it down the stairs with me. The smell of toast wafting from the kitchen made me gag. I paused and allowed my body to become accustomed to the aroma before walking in.

Mum smiled and placed a mug of camomile tea on the table. I wrapped the blanket around myself before sitting. I sipped the steaming liquid and gave Mum a small smile when she slid the toast infront of me.

“Just eat what you can. I’ll just be in the living room okay?” She kissed the top of my head and walked away.

I hate being sick; the lethargy, the fussing. It’s all so….stifling. I picked up the bit of toast and broke a bit off. It scratched the back of my throat as I swallowed. By the time I had eaten half the slice, it was stone cold.

Mum walked back in. “Well, at least that is something.” She tossed the remainder into the bin and placed the plate in the dishwasher. “Want to come and watch a movie with me?”

I followed her into the living room. She had selected Charade, one of our many old black and white movies. I sat down on the sofa beside her. Mum wrapped her arms around me and gently ran her fingers through my hair and along my neck and back as the movie started.

We had not watched movies together like this for years. There was always something else to do, and when we did watch movies, it would be the entire family and I would lie on the floor. The floor was usually my favourite spot from which to watch, but not today. I rested my head against Mum’s shoulder and my eyes flickered close. I had slept for over ten hours, but I feel as if I had just run a marathon.

The words of the actors became fainter, until they ran together and I couldn’t make any sense of it.

When I woke, I was lying alone on the sofa. I could hear Mum in the kitchen, talking on the phone. I shuffled closer to the door to listen.

“She’s been sleeping most of the day,” Mum paused as she listened to the other person speaking. “No, she was sick last night. Yes, she says she just came down for painkillers and then was sick into the sink.” A longer pause this time. “I don’t know……..No, I’m fairly sure it isn’t. We haven’t had a bug in the family recently……Perhaps, but it isn’t really that time of year is it?” I could hear her walking around the kitchen, cleaning and moving things. “I was just thinking that you might be able to give me some advice…..No, I asked her to tell me if it gets any worse and then I’ll take her in. But if I think she is worse then I’ll take her in anyway.” She sighed heavily and I could imagine her running her fingers through her hair that way she does when she is frustrated. “Of course, thankyou.”

There was a plastic clunk as the phone was set back into its place. Mum walked through into the living room. I quickly lay back down.

“Annette?” She knelt down beside me. I fluttered my eyelids open, doing my best impression of just waking up. “How are you feeling?”

Truthfully, not much better, but not any worse. “About the same.”

“Alright. Want something to eat?”

I could already smell the toast, so I knew that I was going to have to say yes, so I just nodded.

“Righto then.” Mum pulled me up and walked with me into the kitchen. She watched me eat this time and I managed to eat the entire slice. “I was talking to David’s father.” She said, turning away to clean some more. “He has to go into hospital soon for his checkups.” She frowned and glanced up at me. “What’s Sean’s girlfriend’s name?”

“Vivien.”

“Yeah, apparently she was planning to ask us to dinner at their place this weekend before David goes to hospital.” She glanced at me, her forehead still wrinkled. “I told Sean we’d think about it, but we wouldn’t be able to go if you weren’t feeling any better.”

“Okay.” I folded my arms on the table and rested my head against them. As of yet I had not been able to form a complete sentence.

“Why don’t you go back to bed sweetie? Just lie down and read a book or something.”

I nodded and pushed myself away from the table and made my way slowly up the stairs.

“Annette, phone for you.” Courtney knocked on my door and walked in. I sat up in bed and laid aside the book I had been reading. “David.”

I took the phone from her and held it to my ear. “Hello?” I knew my voice must have sounded weak and distant, especially through the phone line.

“Annette, Dad told me you weren’t feeling well. Thought I might call you, cheer you up perhaps.”

“Thanks David.”

“So, how bad is it?” There was a short silence before he laughed quietly. “And you can tell me the truth.”

I smiled, even when I was sick he managed to bring a smile to my lips. “Better. Last night it was bad though. My stomach was chucking a spaz, so I went to get some painkillers and then I was sick.”

“Apparently you’ve been asleep most of the day.” It was a statement, not a question. Obviously David had been filled in on all the details. The smile left my face; perhaps he was asking questions to glean information so that he could tell his father who would then pass it on to my mother.

“Yeah, I don’t know why but I’ve just felt really drowsy and groggy all day.”

“Eugh, I hate being sick.” He paused and I heard him take a deep breath. “I really wish I could be with you now Annette. Seriously. I just want to jump in the car and drive myself to your house.”

My heart thudded oddly and I smiled again. “I wish you were here too.”

He sighed loudly. “Damn. Well, I have to go now. But I promise I’ll call you tomorrow. I might even be able to convince Vivien or Dad to drive me to see you. Or I’ll catch the bus.”

I laughed quietly and immediately felt drained of what little energy I had. “Night David.”

There was silence from his end and it almost seemed as if he were trying to find words to say. “Yeah,” he spoke finally. “Night.”

I dropped the phone onto the table and lay down. I closed my eyes, and before I had time to turn off the light, I was asleep.