You're a Lush and I Hate It

Needless to say, immediately after recovery I decided I would need to talk to someone other than family about this and I knew exactly whom that someone would be. I reached into my pocket and pulled my phone out, typing in Adam's number quickly before calling him. He answered with a gentle happy sigh before saying, "Thought I'd just got rid of you and yet you're all ready calling back," I heard him laugh softly then stopped abruptly when he realized I wasn't laughing with him.

"What's up? Why aren't you laughing with me? I wasn't that harsh in saying that, was I?" he questioned and I sighed gently, which quietened him.

"Can you just come over? It's one of those nights," I replied before swallowing hard. He murmured a quick yes before shouting to his parents that he would be at mine for the night. I gently whispered thanks before he hung up. I went downstairs and explained the situation to mum, who nodded in understanding before I lay down on the lounge, staring blankly at the black television screen while waiting to hear Adam's car pull up. No horn was blared and I barely heard the front door open before he appeared in front of me. He smiled sympathetically before crouching down in front of me.

"Hey Annie, why so down?" he questioned quietly. I looked at his hands, hanging carelessly on his legs before I gave a small shrug of my shoulders and started explaining the situation.

"Remember Aunt Magda, the woman who constantly complimented your hair last Summer? She wanted to run her fingers through it the whole week we stayed there?" he laughed at the memory and gave a shake of his hair before smiling brightly at me to say he clearly did. I sucked in a breath and continued, "She nearly died this afternoon. Heart attack or cardiac arrest, I can't quite remember but I'm going to go see her tomorrow in the hospital and it'd be great if you could come, moral support and all that jazz," I smiled weakly at him before he nodded.

"So, seeing as it's going to be one of those nights, what movie and what food?" He asked before rummaging around through the movies to the side to have a look at our choices.

"Anastasia, peppermint magnum and a bowl of popcorn. Some lemonade would be nice, too," I answered before he pulled out his wallet and car keys.

"I'll be right back with our treasure," he smirked and I smiled, watching as he pushed himself up out of the crouching position and stalked over to the door, hearing his car rev up shortly after wards.

I slowly pulled a pillow down from above me and hugged it to my chest tightly, sighing softly before rubbing at my damp eyes. I cried until my tear ducts had all but dried up before I was able to stop. Pulling a tissue out from the box placed on the glass coffee table in front me, I dabbed again at my eyes and blew my nose before walking out to the kitchen and threw the dirty tissues into the bin. My body felt as though it was about to shut down and I could tell my face was probably a blotchy red but I couldn't have cared less at that moment, my thoughts were focused on the hospital visit tomorrow.

I was dreading it with every ounce of passion I held within me. Why did she of all people have to have had this happen? She didn't deserve this, she was so sweet and caring. She always looked out for me, for my family, for my cousins and I when we were children by dismissing the 'kids eat separately' rule, calling it a load of rubbish. It wasn't her time, not now.

"Aunt Magda, Adam doesn't need to have his hair raped by an old lady!" I giggled as she ran her slender fingers through his soft, brown hair.

"I'm not raping his hair, just admiring," she smiled and Adam laughed nervously, an uncertain expression written upon his face.

"So, Adam, do you lather, rinse and repeat or skip the repeat?" Aunt Magda asked, watching Adam casually while her fingers continued to work their way through his hair.

"Oh, repeat, always. Best advice I've ever gotten from a hairdresser, other than don't eat something that smells worse than you do," he smiled. Aunt Magda hugged his shoulder shortly, laughing at his comment before finally retracting her fingers from his hair. Adam looked relieved and I felt relieved for him, I knew what Aunt Magda's eagle claws for nails were like, after all.

I was pulled shortly away from reliving the summer over again when Adam slammed the door.

"Sorry!" He called out before walking in with two bags, one filled with microwave popcorn and another with at least six magnums, peppermint as requested and 4 liters of lemonade.

"It's a nightmare at the servo, you wouldn't believe," he complained, brushing his hair with his fingers before putting the bags down in front of where I was and jumping over to the TV, turning it on and quickly setting up the movie. He murmured a happy scooch before hitting 'play' with the remote.

Just as he was about to sit down, he brought glasses and bowls out for the two of us and placed them on the coffee table. Once I was sure he wouldn't jump up again, I let myself fall to the side gently and rested my head against his knee. His fingers delicately brushed through the strands subconsciously and I stared blankly at the screen, not quite paying attention to the two Russian men planning to meet Anastasia's grandmother.

Hospital. Tomorrow. Understand, do you? You're just one big clich'e. Thoughts pulsating in my head wasn't helping with the lack of concentration. The movie played on while I stared at it confused. Why hasn't Anastasia appeared on the screen yet? I looked up at Adam and he was smiling, he was keeping on track with the movie. I lay my head back down and shut my eyes. Sleep wouldn't hurt right now, but it wouldn't delay tomorrow either. I closed my eyes anyway, and was soon seeing only black space in front of me and the movie was no longer buzzing in the background. I opened my eyes but the lounge room didn't appear in front of me. I was dreaming. A door appeared in front of me and I decided to go in. My dream self wasn't quite as precarious as I was, obviously. I saw a red sign screaming Emergency in a high pitched squeal repeatedly but it didn't bother my ears. I saw a wheelchair to one side, dirty linoleum to the other and an empty hospital bed lying in front of me. Next minute, I had plastic cords and tubes, tape and wire covering my body. I heard a buzzing noise and lifted my head only to find out I was now in the hospital bed. I closed my eyes and willed myself away before jolting out of my dream.

"Hey, you've been out for a while now. You missed the majority of the movie, but you're awake just in time to see the bad guy get it. What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?" Adam questioned, regarding me with uncertainty.

"Yeah..It was weird, I was in an empty room and there was this door and then I was walking around a hospital, I think, and next thing I know tubes and tape is coating my skin and I can't move and it was just really weird," I explained in a rush of words.

"Huh, weird indeed. Ah, there he goes! Suck it, dude!" Adam laughed, eyes focused on the screen now. I looked at the screen but all I could picture was the hospital bed and the faintest sound of buzzing again.