The Bathroom
Zosia sighed for the second time, here she was, she'd locked herself away in the bathroom again, she'd been in here for a rough of four hours and she had no intention to leave the bathroom was the place she ran to, it was the only room in the entire flat she shared with Dom and Arthur that she felt completely comfortable in.
It was the place she ran when she felt stressed. It was kind of a comfort place were she could sit and gather her thoughts, it was the place she went to think. Some people, previous boyfriends used to find it odd how she could lock herself away in a bathroom for hours on end, some called it strange but Zosia, it was completely normal. It had always been something she had done ever since being a teenager, the bathroom was her escape and once she was in there. There was no way of luring her out.
There was a knock on the door. "Zosia." It was Arthur. "Zosia, you've been in there for four hours now." Arthur told her through the door. "So? Are you keeping watch on me?" She replied sarcasm thick in her voice.
"I wouldn't mind but i need the bathroom." Arthur implied. "Well you'll just have to use a bucket Arthur because i'm not budging." Zosia told him.
"This is ridiculous Zosia." Arthur exasperated. "No, you're the ridiculous one i told you to go find a bucket." Zosia retorted still not budging as Arthur tried the locked bathroom door, Arthur sighed heavily and Zosia soon heard his footsteps leave the hall way and away from the bathroom, when it was clear he'd gone she let out the breath she hadn't even realise she was holding
"No Luck?" Dom said as Arthur made his way back into the living room and Arthur shook his head "none what so ever." He replied,
"Maybe we should call Mr Self?" Arthur suggested and Dom glared at him. "Sure it you want Zosia to skin you alive go right ahead diggers." Dom replied. "Well there must be someone we can call. What about Colette? Maybe she knows what to do." Arthur said in an exasperated voice it was clear if Arthur didn't have access to the bathroom, things would get messy.
"Hi, you've reached Colette Sherward, sorry i can't get to the phone right now. Leave a message and i'll get back to you as soon as" Colette's voicemail rang into Dom's ear.
"Hi Colette, its Dominic Copeland. Zosia's flatmate. Me and Arthur are in a pickle over what to do and we're both worried over Zosia. If you can give me a call back when you get this message. Thanks bye" Dom hung up
Dom placed his phone down and chose that he would see if he could lure Zosia out of the bathroom. He approached the door carefully
"If thats you Arthur. I already told you go find a bucket." Zosia warned as she hears footsteps approach the bathroom door. "Its me Zosh, look me and Diggers are really worried about you, this sort of behaviour... well its not considered normal." Dom was honest
"Well its normal to me." Zosia snapped. Slightly annoyed at both of her flatmates. She thought if anything they would understand.
"We've rang Colette, Zosia" Dom tells her through the door. "Why would you do that. Idiots" Zosia retorted "well Digby suggested your father but i said Colette because i know you'd go off the rails." Dom explained
"Too bloody right." Zosia retorts
"Zosh, we only did it because we care about you, Digby cares even if he has odd ways of showing it." Dom said through the door.
Sure enough there was a knock on the door and Dom assumed it was Colette, his assumptions were right as he heard Colette's voice. "So she's been in the bathroom ever since?" Dom heard her say assuming Arthur was filling her in.
"Zosh always runs to the bathroom. Its her sense of security. She's done it ever since she was fourteen, mind if i make my way up there? I think i know what might work." Colette said and Arthur showed her the way, sure enough Colette greeted Dom outside the bathroom.
"Sorry for having to drag you away from work Colette." Dom apologised "honestly its fine. Let me talk to her." Colette said and Dom nodded. Leaving Colette to it. Unsure if she'd have any better luck than himself and Digby
Colette knocked on the door. "Zosh, its Col." Colette said. "What do you want?" Zosia asked bluntly. "To see if you're okay, Zosia." Colette said
"I'm fine." Zosia replied
"Zosh, clearly you are not fine. I've known you since you were little. You only lock yourself away in the bathroom when theres something seriously wrong, you and i both know that. I've been here plenty of times." Colette said. Remembering the last time, Anya's funeral. Zosia had locked herself in the bathroom all morning,
"Look the boys arent around. Do you want to talk about it?" Colette questioned. "They think its weird." Zosia admitted. "Who thinks whats weird?" Colette questions
"Me, locking myself in the bathroom. They called it strange." Zosia told her.
"Well Zosia its not usually considered normal but i understand why you do it." Colette told her.
"You do?" Zosia questions
"Of course. We all need a place to run when we need an escape, yours just happens to be a bathroom." Colette questions, she's well aware how troubling getting Zosia to open up actually is.
"Zosh. you're suffering with your anxiety aren't you?" Colette questions, she knows Zosia, she knows she has a history of anxiety and panic attacks,
"Dad thinks its time I came off my meds. He thought it was best but its not Col. I need my meds." Zosia confessed, Colette sighed. She might of known. Guy might thinks he knows whats beat for his daughter but even Colette knew Guy hasn't quiet grasped Zosia's anxiety. or the fact she has an anxiety disorder. along with the bipolar
"He thinks i only need my meds for my illness. And i was so anxious this morning Col i panicked and ran to the bathroom. My thoughts were racing and i, i needed my meds." She confessed. Colette sighed
"How about Zosh it i make a deal with you. You unlock the bathroom door and i'll have words with your father about restarting your meds for your anxiety, clearly you're not ready to come off them if this is what happens." Colette suggested.
Zosia went quiet for a moment. Thinking it through. "Zosh?" Colette called worried that she had gone quiet but was soon reassured when she hears the lock on the door unlocking and Zosia appeared at the door way,
Colette pulled her into a hug
"I'll speak with Guy when i get back to work. I think you should let Arthur use the bathroom." Colette told her and they both headed downstairs. arthur soon dashes upstairs when he sees them both together
"See, said i'd talk her around didn't I." Colette told Dom, and Dom nodded.
"So did you get to the bottom of it?" Dom asked Colette curiously. Colette looked at Zosia, but Zosia nodded her consent. "You might as well tell him Colette. Its better he knows and Arthur. Incase my bathroom habit happens again." Zosia tells her. pouring herself a glass of water.
"Zosia has an anxiety disorder Dominic, as you know of her bipolar. Zosh has been on her meds for her anxiety a lot longer and Guy thought being her father that it was time Zosia came off her meds for her anxiety but clearly if anything to go by she still very much needs them." Colette explained and Dom nodded. "Zosh you should have told us about your anxiety" Dom questioned
"Having one mental illness is enough." Zosia replies
"Zosia you have nothing to be ashamed of, dont ever feel like you need to shy away because of what other people say and think. You are still you regardless." Dom tells her.
A few hours later Colette chose her cue to leave, Zosia soon seemed settled with Arthur and Dom again,
"Right i best be off, Zosh i'll have words with your dad later when he's out of theatre" Colette explained and Zosia surprised her by pulling her into a hug. "Thank you Colette." She said smiling a little "anytime Zosh. Anytime. And boys no more criticising Zosh for her bathroom behaviour now you know its her reasons for it" Colette told them and saw herself out. Colette soon left, determined to make Guy see sense of Zosia restarting her anxiety meds...