"Why? Why do you care so much?!"
"Because I'm in love with you!"
Vanessa's words played on Rhona's mind for minutes before she spoke again.
"What do you mean 'I'm in love with you'?"
"You know exactly what I mean" Vanessa sighed as she looked down at the floor"
"So, so you're saying you've fallen for me?"
No answer.
"Well?!" Rhona started to raise her voice, confused about Vanessa's confession, her withdrawal very quickly taking over.
Vanessa stayed silent, slowly nodding her head in reply to Rhona.
The women were interrupted by an infuriated Paddy. He turned to Vanessa and snapped.
"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't realise we all get paid to stand around chatting all day. See I was under the impression that we get paid to work."
"Sorry" Vanessa mumbled, still looking down, desperately holding back the tears that were rapidly filling her eyes.
Rhona stormed out of the room, bursting with anger.
Paddy soon noticed the look of upset on Vanessa's face and started to feel guilty.
"Vanessa, are you ok?" he asked quietly as a tear escaped from her eyes.
Vanessa quickly wiped her eyes and looked up.
"Yes, of course I am." she replied before making her way out of the room. Paddy gently grabbed Vanessa's arm and stopped her.
"Have you and Rhona had an argument or something?" Paddy questioned.
"No, why do you ask?"
"Well I just don't fancy living in a warzone that's all!" he joked.
"It's nothing that can't be sorted" Vanessa said optimistically.
"So you have argued?"
"Sort of" Vanessa started to mumble again.
"About?"
"Nothing that concerns you! Can I go now?" Vanessa demanded.
"Fine" Paddy sighed.
Vanessa trailed round the house, searching for Rhona.
No sign of her.
She started to look around the village, desperately needing to talk to her, desperately needing to explain.
Still no sign of her.
Rhona was in fact off into town to meet a new dealer.
Neither Paddy or Vanessa saw or heard from Rhona that evening.
The next morning Vanessa got up early, hoping to find Rhona back safely. Instead she found her on the sofa, unconscious.
"Rhona? Rhona?!" Vanessa frantically shook her best friend, trying her best to wake her up. She pulled her phone out as quick as she could and rang 999.
"Hello? Yeah, um ambulance please. It's my friend, I think she's had an overdose. She's just lying here unconscious" Vanessa panicked more and more as the tears fell from her eyes.
She continued to try and wake Rhona, all her efforts failing miserably. She heard footsteps on the stairs, gradually approaching the living room.
"Oh god" Vanessa sighed. "Please just wake up, please"
Paddy walked into the room and instantly noticed Rhona lying unconscious on the sofa.
"Rhona?!" He raced over and knelt next next to his wife. "What the hell happened?!" Paddy shouted at Vanessa.
"I don't know. I, I just found her here!" The rate at which Vanessa's tears fell increased as she lied to Paddy about Rhona.
The ambulance arrived shortly after and rushed Rhona to hospital. She was stuck on a ventilator, Vanessa and Paddy both refusing to leave her side.
"You know what this is all about don't you?" Paddy questioned Vanessa.
She shook her head, refusing to say anything.
"Don't lie to me Vanessa! My wife is lying here unconscious, in a hospital bed, hooked up to all sorts of machines! Don't you dare pretend you don't know what this is all about!" Paddy shouted.
Vanessa sighed and looked Paddy. "She's an addict"
"What?" Paddy was in complete shock.
"She's been addicted to her painkillers, the ones she had for her back. When the doctor stop prescribing them for her she started doing drastic things. That's what has been going on for all this time"
Silence. Neither Paddy or Vanessa spoke for a long time afterwards.
Completely speechless.