Smiles Echo In My Memory

Frank’s Point of View

That was two days ago.
Dad has lost part of his speech, and is learning how to talk again, just like a kid. He can only make noises.
Sazzy is always so sad. Mom looks drained and teary all the time.

“Frankie, please, could you at least just have a little bit of your dinner?” Mom asked me from across the dinner table. I shrugged, my elbow propped up on the table, my head resting in my hand. I pushed around the food on the plate with my fork, not really hungry. To be honest, I felt quite sick.
“Frank…” I heard Sazzy whisper. She didn’t really sleep at night anymore, and her voice kind of showed how tired she was. I sighed, stabbing a piece of quorn chicken with my fork, putting it in my mouth. Mom seemed to relax, and carried on eating. I carried on making crap out of my food, until I felt a hand on my knee. I looked to my left, seeing Sazzy give me a distraught look. I sighed again, and started eating my food.
“Thank you,” I heard her whimper. It almost broke my heart hearing her talk like that. I put my head down, shoveling food down me, wanting all emotions to pass.

“Sazzy,” I murmured into her ear.
We were lying on my bed after dinner, her eyes shut. She was tired, but I had to get it out.
“Mmm?”
“Why did you say thank you?” I rushed, not knowing what answer to expect. I held my breath. Her eyes cracked open, rimmed with red and darkish circles under her eyes.
“You ate.”
Her eyes bore into mine, just emitting sorrow. I sighed, propping up on my elbow.
“So?”
“You don’t seem to eat anymore. And you only drink water. Don’t you see what you’re doing to yourself, Frank?” I scowled, rolling onto my back.
“Go back to sleep,”
“No. You woke me, now... Frank,” she sat up, facing me. I didn’t move.
“You’re getting back into the habit of not eating. You’re going anorexic again, Frankie. I can’t bear it,” she whispered. I could tell she was scared of my reaction… or my lack of one. So I didn’t react.
“Frank… I thought you knew better.”
And she lay back down, and I witnessed the most breathtakingly beautiful action but also the most heartbreaking one; a single solitary tear sliding down from her closed eyelids, across her cheek and down her neck.
I lay back down next to her, crying myself silently to sleep.