Polaroid Cancer

Maudie is a much more relieving company to be around then Casey had anticipated. She’s capable of keeping conversations going; especially when she knew that it was starting to die, Maudie could kick them back up again with another topic. The bright female also didn’t mind helping out with Niall when Casey needed to run errands. After a couple of days though, Maudie became curious as to what was going on between Casey and Oliver.

“Oh, just… stuff,” Casey’s actions became rigid and she got really quiet whenever Maudie brought him up.

“Uh, Casey?!”

Casey had somehow stealthily swung herself into the bathroom in the nick of time before upchucking clear fluids, with white chunks, into the toilet. Tears blur her vision as the vomiting turned into dry-heaves. Maudie came bursting in, panic attacking her features, eyes wild with fear.

“G-get me some Pepto-Bismol, p-please…” Casey points weakly up at the cupboard above her.

Maudie quickly does as she is told and pours some of the pink liquid into a small plastic cup and hands it to Casey; she slurps it down with a loud sniff and wipes at her mouth and nose with a hand-towel hanging up next to her. Cold fingers press to Casey’s forehead.

“Holy fuck, yeh’re burning up!”

“Yeah… this flu has been in the works since… since Oliver left,” Casey sighs, she reaches for the Pepto-Bismol bottle and pours herself another two cups.

“Yeh need something other than that,” Maudie remarks, eyebrows furrow together in concern. “I’m getting yeh Nyquil and chicken noodle soup. Yeh need some proper takin’ care of.”

“What about Niall?” Casey asks, attempting to climb to her feet.

“Nope, yeh get into th’tub and take a nice, hot and long bath,” With nimble reflexes Maudie helps Casey up and starts the water all at the same time. Casey begins to numbly pull off her clothes as Maudie leaves the bathroom, “I’ll take care of Niall, don’t worry about anything right now, okay?”

After a long pause, Casey says, “well… alright.”

Casey wraps her arms around her pale legs and rests her chin on her knees, sky-blue eyes absent-mindedly watch the water fill up around her. As much as it hurt physically that Oliver was gone, she really didn’t feel horribly sad that he had left. It was their first major blow-out since the beginning of their relationship and she would be naïve to think that their relationship would be perfect. Every couple has their dirt. Her emotions were rather jumbled and the thought of either one of the Sykes brothers made her nauseous, but that might just be from the flu.

Chum came trailing up to the side of the tub and licks Casey’s water dotted leg.

“Hey buddy! Oh… hello to you too, Oskar! How are you two? I’m sorry your master abandoned you… at least know that means he’ll be back… eventually,” a small smile flutters her lips, “well… maybe. I’m just glad that you guys are getting along finally.”

Casey suddenly freezes when her gaze falls upon her engagement ring, now glittering, having been put in water. She had completely forgotten about it; the little piece of jewelry felt like a part of her body now, so that Casey hardly took notice of it anymore; unless it caught rays of light and winked up at her.

Biting her bottom lip, she pulled the band off and set it on the bathtub ledge. She stared at it, wondering if Oliver had taken his off yet; the thought made her stomach clench uncomfortably.