Best Woman

The following morning, Annabelle was suffering, she leaned over the white porcelain bowl of Evan’s bathroom and retched once more.

“Jesus Christ…” she muttered, as she coughed out her guts.

She stayed silent for a minute, leaning back onto the bath, no longer looking at her contents. Her mind was spinning and the sour taste in her mouth made her feel queasy again. She sighed tiredly, and listened the noises around her.

“For god sake Evan, you can’t just pick your friend up at a ridiculous time in the morning then let her sleep here and now she’s puking in our bathroom…” Ellie snapped, Annabelle cringed at the sound and words but listened on.

They were having an argument, in their bedroom so it appeared.

“Will you be quiet?” Evan hissed. Ellie scoffed: “No this is my home –” she started to shout

“Your home?! I’ll think you’ll find I pay the bills and rent!” Evan shouted angrily.

“You always bring that up don’t you?” Ellie hollered back.

“Because it’s true! You don’t pay for anything!” Evan snapped.

“Just get your friend out of here!” Ellie screamed.

“Oh just fuck off Ellie!” Evan responded back.

Annabelle cringed once more, as she felt the need to be sick again, the sound of doors slamming made her jump and eventually she could hear footsteps coming towards the bathroom door.

As she was puking once more, she heard a light chuckle behind her: “How close do you feel to death?” he teased, and Annabelle groaned as she flushed the toilet once more, and slowly got up, closing the toilet lid and sitting on it.

Evan smiled gently and sat opposite on the bath tub side: “Did you hear all of that?” Evan asked, sounding embarrassed and Annabelle looked at him sadly.

“I’m sorry…” she croaked: Evan shook his head but Annabelle continued: “I didn’t mean to cause arguments…I was so stupid. I don’t even know why I drank so much.” Annabelle whispered softly. She got up and rinsed her mouth out.

“Mouthwash in the cabinet…” Evan told her, and he watched as she swirled her mouth out.

“Annie, you’d know I’d help you out whenever….Ellie’s just being a bitch about it, like always. If I want you here, I can – it’s my apartment for fuck sake…” Evan sounded bitter towards the end.

Annabelle slowly sat back down and buried her face in her hands: “I feel so shit, I’m so sorry Evan…” she mumbled, and emotion overwhelmed and she felt tears prickle her eyes.

Evan shifted, and kneeled in front of her and Annabelle squirmed: “I smell like sick….” She groaned, but Evan ignored her and wrapped her in his welcoming arms.

“No matter what you smell like, sick or not: when you need a hug – you’ll get one.” He teased, and
Annabelle couldn’t help smile slightly. She sighed into the hug and finally responded as he hugged her gently.

“Are you hungry?” he asked, pulling away and brushing hair out of her eyes.

She shook her head: “I’m just really tired, can you take me home?” she asked softly. Evan agreed and helped her up, and eventually they got into the car.

They sat in comfortable silence, and Evan let himself in as he let Annabelle go first.

“Dad?” Annabelle croaked, no response. She wandered into the kitchen and saw a note on the side: he’d gone grocery shopping and would be home later.

“Thanks Evan…” Annabelle yawned as she made her way to the stairs, but Evan followed her.

“Where you going?” she asked confused.

“I’m going to make sure you’re okay…” he said like it was obvious. Knowing not to argue, Annabelle went upstairs, and grabbed some change of clothes and got changed in her bathroom. She reappeared in her room and saw Evan was relaxing on her bed, his shoes and jacket off and watching sports quietly on the TV.

“Mind if I just sleep?” Annabelle mumbled, and climbed into her side, Evan had taken up the other side. Evan smiled softly at her: “Course not…I’ll go when you fall asleep, I don’t want you choke on your sick or something…” Evan said, laughing lightly.

Annabelle could hardly respond as she drifted off to sleep, cuddling up into the side of him without much perspective. Evan wrapped an arm around her, gently stroking her shoulder with his fingers.

Thirty minutes later, and Evan didn’t leave: he watched the game on quiet, and glanced down at the girl in his arms, wondering why he felt so right.