Disease

Afton grinned into the phone, "Of course we wanna come over Carol. Are yeh makin' Olleh's favorite?" She paused, looking at Oliver across the room who was making every suggestion not to go, "Okay we'll be there soon. Love yeh too."

She hung up the phone and looked at Oliver, "Why do yeh 'ave teh be such a twit when yer mum wants us over for supper? Yer always actin' like it's the worst thing ever an' then we go over there an' we 'ave a good time."

He sighed loudly, throwing his legs over the back of the couch and laying upside down, "Meh mum always wants teh know everythin' 'bout our lives and 'ow the relationship is goin'. Yeh know 'ow she is."

"Yeah, I know exactly 'ow she is. She gives a fuck 'bout us and is always keepin' us together. She's got a prat for a son. Go get dressed Oli, yer pissin' meh off."

"Oh am I now?" He smirked, standing up from the couch and walking past her.

She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, looking down at her attire. She'd already been dressed as she had gone to get the mail earlier that morning. She was wearing a pair of skinny jeans and a button up t shirt that came down past her belt line. As always, a pair of Oli's shoes were on her feet.

Afton grabbed the keys from the counter and jangled them loudly, letting Oliver know she was going outside. She slammed the door behind her and walked down the concrete stairs. Once she was in the car, she started the engine and turned up the radio, waiting for Oliver.

She watched the clock, beginning to get impatient. 7 minutes had passed when she finally threw the door open and walked upstairs. She barged through the front door and was ready to yell at Oliver when he turned around, with the phone pressed to his ear, red faced and irritated.

"Yeah, thank yeh Dr. Grant. I'll be sure teh let Afton know. Yeh 'ave a nice day now."

Afton's stomach dropped as Oliver slammed the phone down on the counter. She watched as his body shook with a deep breath and he bit down on his lip before opening his mouth to yell at Afton. She turned quickly on her heel and ran for the door. But Oli, being a bit quicker than her grabbed her by the forearm and whipped her around to face him.

"What in the fuck is wrong with yeh Af?" He screamed, "Don't yeh want teh get better? Yer not goin' in teh the doctor and I know yeh ain't takin' yer meds and what're yeh doin'? Yer fuckin' around!"

Afton looking down at the ground, warm tears already crawling down her face, "I just forgot."

"Bullshit yeh forgot!" He shook her roughly, "Don't yeh want teh be better?"

"Why?" She yelled back, shoving Oliver away, "So I can cough myself teh death every ten minutes? So I can sit at 'ome while yer off tourin' and doin' whatever the fuck? We can't even 'ave sex because I start hackin' like 'm fuckin' dyin'!"

"Yeh just gotta deal with it Af. Yeh can't just give up."

"Yeh don't know what's it's like teh live like yer dyin' Oli."

"I live meh life like that constantly Afton."

She looked up at him, angry now, "Alright. Yer right, yeh fuckin' do Oli. Yeh do live like yer dyin'. But yeh only live like that 'cause yeh know it ain't gonna 'appen anytime soon!"

"Yer not gonna die."

"Yeh don't know that."

"Yer not."

Afton crossed her arms and looked down at her feet, "Yer mum's waitin' fer us, let's go."

"What?" He snapped, "So we're just done talkin' 'bout this?"

She looked up at him and nodded, "Yeah we are. I don't wanna 'ear 'bout it no more."

She pulled open the door and walked down the stairs, getting in the passenger's seat, not bothering to wait to see if Oliver was coming. She knew he would follow her. He got into the car only moments later and slammed the car into reverse, backing out of the parking spot alarmingly fast.

"Yer gonna fuckin' 'it someone." Afton snapped.

Oliver ignored her and peeled out of their apartment complex, heading to the house where he grew up. He turned the radio up louder and drove as fast as he could without getting pulled over. Around 10 minutes later, they approached his old neighborhood.

Afton twisted the dial to the radio, turning it down. Oli reached over to turn it back up and she slapped his hand away.

"What the fuck?" He growled.

"Look, I know I pissed yeh off Oli. But we can't show up teh yer mum's actin' like this, alright? 'm sorry. I'll go teh the damn doctor tomorrow, but can we act like we weren't just fightin', please?"

"'m just wonderin' Af why it's okay fer yeh teh run 'round coverin' everythin' up and hidin' shit from meh, but we 'ave teh act 'normal' 'round meh mum and dad."

"Do yeh want teh be bothered by questions? Do yeh want them offerin' counselin'?" Afton snapped, "No yeh don't. So fuckin' smile and act like nothin's wrong and yeh can be mad at meh all yeh want when we get 'ome."

Oliver was quiet as he stepped out of the car and followed Afton to the front door of his mum and dad's house. Afton pressed the doorbell lightly and his mum's warm voice came through the door telling them to come on in. Afton grasped Oliver's hand, in need of some comfort. And they pushed the door open, walking inside to see Ian and Tom at the table, ready to eat. Carol smiled at them and met them halfway in the living room.

She wrapped Afton in a hug and Afton let go of Oli's hand for a moment, hugging her back.

"Aye Doll. Yeh alright? Look like yer cryin'."

"No, 'm fine. It's just real cold outside. Makes meh eyes water."

She nodded at Afton and turned to Oli, wrapping him in a hug, "'ow are yeh love?"

"'m good Mum. And yeh?"

"'m well dear." She paused, looking at both Afton and Oliver, who seemed a bit uneasy, "Well why don't the both of yeh come and sit down. We're gettin' ready teh eat."

They nodded, following Carol to the table. They sat down side by side, not looking at each other, and trying not to look at anyone else. Dinner was passed out and everyone was eating, besides Oliver. His stomach churned relentlessly and he was afraid that if he ate, he'd just get sick. Afton nudged Oli on the leg and he looked over at her. She made a look at him, trying to get him to initiate conversation with someone in his family, but he just couldn't get the words out.

"So, 'ow's the uh, cough doin'?" Tom asked.

Afton turned to look at him. "It's alright. Gettin' a bit better some days, worse other days. But there's not much I can do 'bout it, y'know."

"Thomas. I told yeh not teh bother 'er 'bout that." Carol scolded.

"Jesus Mum, if she didn't want teh tell me, 'm sure she would've told meh teh piss off 'er somethin'."

Afton merely nodded. The question had made her a bit uncomfortable, but there wasn't much she could do about it. People were going to be asking her about it, she just couldn't sit there and act like nothing was happening.

Ian cleared his throat, trying to get rid of the cloud of tension that was hanging over the dinner table. Afton nudged Oliver once more, trying to get him to talk again.

"Meh and Af er gettin' married." He said quickly.

Afton's breath caught in her throat, but not because of a cough. She couldn't believe Oliver had just said that. She felt her face go red and her eyes get big. She looked around the table through her bangs, a slight grin on Tom's face, trying to figure out the joke. Carol looked more surprised than Afton felt and Ian dropped his fork on his plate.

"Show 'em yer ring, Af."

Afton pulled back her long sleeve and revealed the green gem on her right ring finger, her hand trembling. Carol swallowed a mouthful of food and eyed the ring.

"Aye, that's gorgeous Afton. When did yeh lot decide teh get married?"

"Er, Oli asked me a couple weeks ago."

Oli nodded, "We were thinkin' of gettin' married 'ere soon."

"Don't yeh wanna plan it all out?" Carol said, looking at Oliver suspiciously.

Oli gripped Afton's left hand and looked at her, "No, we want teh do it right away. We've been together long enough. Gettin' married is the only option."

Afton pushed her right hand under the table, completely mortified. What the fuck had crawled up Oliver's ass all of a sudden?

"Well that's great yeh two. 'm happy fer yeh." Ian smiled, standing up from the table.

Afton sighed, "Erm Oli. I think we should go. 'm not feelin' well." She paused, "'m sorry Carol. Dinner was great. But I ain't been feelin' well all night and yeh know, this TB just acts up sometimes. Promise we'll stop by another time though."

"Yeh sure yeh don't wanna lay downstairs er somethin'?"

She nodded, "'m sorry."

Afton quickly stood up from the table and made her way outside, not bothering to wait for Oliver. Her heart was pounding and her face red from embarrassment. She balled her hand up in a fist and took a swing at the car window, doing nothing but causing herself pain. Oli's footsteps came up behind her and she turned around, shoving him hard.

His foot caught on the curb and he landed in the grass, "What the fuck, Af?"

"What the fuck is wrong with yeh?" She screamed, "Tellin' yer folks 'bout that!"

"What?" He snapped, standing up, "Yeh said yes. Don't see a problem with them knowin'."

"Oli. We don't have money teh get married. We don't have shit." She paused, "And with meh not bein' well, it might be just a waste teh get married."

Oli looked down at Afton, with her arms crossed. Just standing there in his shoes, her lip curled up in anger, her face red from embarrassment and her hair whipping over her shoulders.

"Might as well waste what I 'ave on yeh before yeh kick the bucket, yeah?"