As Long As You're Alive Here I Am
Chapter 03
''Don't worry about, man.'' Bert told Dan.
''Is she like that because of Branden's death?'' Dan asked
''Yeah. It's been a month but the doctor said it might take her a while to accept it. She's still having a hard time as you saw.'' Quinn said as he washed dishes.
''Maybe I shouldn't do this. It's obviously triggering something in her.'' Dan said, shifting uneasily.
''Nonsense! Don't sweat it, dude. She'll deal with it.'' Bert assured him.
''Alright.'' Dan sighed, covering his face in his hands. ''I'm going to go shower.'' He said, walking out of the kitchen.
Jeph and Anna walked into the kitchen a minute later.
''What's up, banana?'' Bert smiled at Anna.
''Nothing.'' Anna mumbled. ''I'm going to my room.'' She said, turning to leave.
''Is she okay?'' Quinn asked, turning to look at Jeph.
''For now she is.'' Jeph sighed heavily. ''Got blisters on your feet yet?'' He chuckled.
''Where do you guys keep the towels?'' Dan called out, walking out of the bathroom.
He stopped in his tracks when he saw Anna in the hall staring right back at him. They stared at each other for a few seconds before Anna walked into her room, leaving Dan alone in the hall. Dan didn't know what to make of that and descended down the stairs to ask the guys about the towels.
Anna sat on her rocking chair staring at the small porcelain vase on top of her nightstand that stood in front of the bedroom window. The vase held withering daisies. She didn't want to touch them. She'd kill herself if anyone threw them out. Branden had been the one to pick them and put them there nearly three months ago.
A few minutes later Quinn walked in with Anna's usual dosage of medication: two anti-depressants for right now and a painkiller in thirty minutes.
''Here's your medicine and water.'' Quinn said, handing Anna a small disposable cup and a water bottle.
Anna took out the two anti-depressants from the cup and handed it back to Quinn. He took the cup and turned to put it on the nightstand before making sure Anna swallowed the pills. Anna made sure Quinn wasn't looking before stuffing the pills into her pocket. She took a gulp of water and set the bottle on her lap. After setting a timer to go off in thirty minutes, Quinn turned back to Anna.
''You take them?'' Quinn asked, looking down at Anna.
Anna nodded, continuing to stare at the daisies. They were the only thing she had to remind her of Branden. No one in the house knew why she was so protective of them. They were afraid of letting Anna keep any remainder of Branden, fearing it would give her a huge wave of nostalgia and eventually lead to attacks.
''Want to go pick more daisies?'' Quinn asked, following her gaze.
''No.'' Anna shook her head.
''Alright. Yell if you need anything. I'm going to be in the music room with the guys.'' Quinn said, walking to the door.
Anna didn't say anything, simply kept staring at the crippled flowers. Quinn left the room and went to the music room. Anna waited another minute to make sure it was safe. When Quinn nor anyone else entered her room, she got up from her chair and went to look under her bed. She pulled out a shoe box and opened it. She placed her pocketed pills into a baggy already filled with all the pills she should have taken. Placing the lid back on and hiding it again, she went back to her chair.
''Is she like that because of Branden's death?'' Dan asked
''Yeah. It's been a month but the doctor said it might take her a while to accept it. She's still having a hard time as you saw.'' Quinn said as he washed dishes.
''Maybe I shouldn't do this. It's obviously triggering something in her.'' Dan said, shifting uneasily.
''Nonsense! Don't sweat it, dude. She'll deal with it.'' Bert assured him.
''Alright.'' Dan sighed, covering his face in his hands. ''I'm going to go shower.'' He said, walking out of the kitchen.
Jeph and Anna walked into the kitchen a minute later.
''What's up, banana?'' Bert smiled at Anna.
''Nothing.'' Anna mumbled. ''I'm going to my room.'' She said, turning to leave.
''Is she okay?'' Quinn asked, turning to look at Jeph.
''For now she is.'' Jeph sighed heavily. ''Got blisters on your feet yet?'' He chuckled.
''Where do you guys keep the towels?'' Dan called out, walking out of the bathroom.
He stopped in his tracks when he saw Anna in the hall staring right back at him. They stared at each other for a few seconds before Anna walked into her room, leaving Dan alone in the hall. Dan didn't know what to make of that and descended down the stairs to ask the guys about the towels.
Anna sat on her rocking chair staring at the small porcelain vase on top of her nightstand that stood in front of the bedroom window. The vase held withering daisies. She didn't want to touch them. She'd kill herself if anyone threw them out. Branden had been the one to pick them and put them there nearly three months ago.
A few minutes later Quinn walked in with Anna's usual dosage of medication: two anti-depressants for right now and a painkiller in thirty minutes.
''Here's your medicine and water.'' Quinn said, handing Anna a small disposable cup and a water bottle.
Anna took out the two anti-depressants from the cup and handed it back to Quinn. He took the cup and turned to put it on the nightstand before making sure Anna swallowed the pills. Anna made sure Quinn wasn't looking before stuffing the pills into her pocket. She took a gulp of water and set the bottle on her lap. After setting a timer to go off in thirty minutes, Quinn turned back to Anna.
''You take them?'' Quinn asked, looking down at Anna.
Anna nodded, continuing to stare at the daisies. They were the only thing she had to remind her of Branden. No one in the house knew why she was so protective of them. They were afraid of letting Anna keep any remainder of Branden, fearing it would give her a huge wave of nostalgia and eventually lead to attacks.
''Want to go pick more daisies?'' Quinn asked, following her gaze.
''No.'' Anna shook her head.
''Alright. Yell if you need anything. I'm going to be in the music room with the guys.'' Quinn said, walking to the door.
Anna didn't say anything, simply kept staring at the crippled flowers. Quinn left the room and went to the music room. Anna waited another minute to make sure it was safe. When Quinn nor anyone else entered her room, she got up from her chair and went to look under her bed. She pulled out a shoe box and opened it. She placed her pocketed pills into a baggy already filled with all the pills she should have taken. Placing the lid back on and hiding it again, she went back to her chair.