Title: Hi You, XOX Me
Summary: Just a sweet moment in Red's world.
Disclaimer: I do not own OITNB or any of its characters. They belong to Jenji Kohen, I do, however, own my writing so please don't steal- Johanna002©
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A/N: Hi all, I hope you're doing well. What a crazy world we are all living in right now. I did not think this COVID-19 thing would explode like this. When I said I wanted to experience the roaring 20s this isn't what I meant. *sigh* Stay safe & wash your hands!
It was just after 6:30 am when Red's alarm started to go off. Not even bothering to lift her head up from the pillow and blindly fumbling for the off button, she couldn't help but growl deeply in the back of her throat. How was it morning time already?
Her eyes were blurry with sleep and she struggled to push herself up into a sitting position. Her back was searing in pain, protesting the way she had slept. Which was almost laughable, considering she hadn't had a decent night sleep in weeks. Rubbing her hands over her face, and the sleep out of her eyes, she shook her head in an attempt to dispel the hazy fog her mind was consumed in.
Her brain felt as if it were pulsating against her skull. She was so exhausted. She'd been up all night with her granddaughter, Vera, who had begun to run a fever sometime in the night and then had gotten sick all over the bed. In addition to having to change the sheets, she'd had to rinse off and change both Vera and her older brother, Koyla, who had begun to sob at the fact his sister had gotten sick next to him.
It'd been an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish. Nothing had gone right. Even the hours before the kids had gone to bed they'd been out of their minds, choosing to test her limits more than they ever had before. She loved them to death and was so grateful that their parents entrusted her with their care, but she wasn't as young as she used to be and it was starting to catch up with her.
Feeling a sudden, erratic movement beside her she looked down and couldn't help but feel her heart burst with happiness. Vera was curled up with her brother and the two of them looked so sweet and angelic, it was almost impossible to imagine that they'd been complicated, uncontrollable bursts of energy just hours before.
Stroking her hand delicately over Koyla's angelic face, she slowly extracted herself from the bed so that she could begin getting ready for the day. It usually started the same way every morning, she'd wake up and make coffee for herself and then prepare breakfast for her grandchildren. She'd get them dressed, make sure their teeth were brushed and then walk Koyla out to his bus, and then she'd keep Vera happy and distracted until her mother woke up around noon.
Lida, her daughter in law, worked the night shift at a nearby diner, and Vasily had taken a job with his brothers driving 18-wheelers and was often gone for days at a time. Despite how much the young couple had wanted to be able to raise and independently care for their family, it just wasn't in the cards for them right now, and Red was more than happy to step up and help them in any way that she could.
Running her hand through her hair, and not bothering to stifle back the yawn the broke from her, she made her way toward the living room, the ground creaking below her steps. The glow from the moon illuminated her path and the figure on the sofa, and she was surprised to recognize it as Lida's. Walking toward her, and gently touching her shoulder, she smiled softly at the young woman who jumped in response to her touch.
"Jesus," Lida muttered under her breath, looking at her in alarm. "You scared me." She rolled onto her back and rubbed her hands over her eyes.
"I'm sorry," Red apologized softly. "Why are you asleep on the couch?"
"I don't know," Lida answered honestly. "I was just too tired to walk to my room."
Red nodded in understanding. She worried for Lida, she thought she pushed herself too much but knew there was no point in telling her that. She had to make money to help support her family and there just wasn't any way around that.
"Did you just get home?" Red asked curiously. Sometimes Lida would come in any time between 5 am and 7:30 am depending on how much money she was making, and if someone had gotten to the diner to switch off with her for the morning shift.
"About an hour ago," Lida yawned. She was still in her work clothes, and her shoes were still on her feet. "Tonight is my last night working nights," she told her mother in law as she shifted into a sitting position.
"Good," Red nodded her head. "You know I never liked you working late at night. It's not safe."
"Yea," Lida nodded. "Anyway, I really appreciate how much you've been helping me these last couple of months with the kids, I hope you can still help me during the day? I know you liked having your afternoon to yourself but, I should be home around 5 or 6 now."
"Don't even worry about it, honey," Red shushed her. "I'll handle things around here and I'll have dinner ready by the time you get home. Besides, I think we could all stand to get back to a normal schedule around here. "If you're home, maybe the kids will want to sleep with you instead. I wouldn't mind a night where a foot wasn't in my back."
"Thank you, Galina," Lida told her sincerely as she rose up on her feet. "I really do appreciate you. These last couple of months would have been impossible without you."
"No mother can do it alone, Lida," she told her lovingly. "Anything I can do to help you, I will. You know that."
Lida smiled. "Yea. Gloria told me the same thing this morning. She's going to start giving me a ride to work in the morning, and then home in the evening if we get off around the same time."
"Gloria?" Red couldn't help the smile that came to her face. "She was here?"
Lida nodded. "We pulled up at the same time, she was on her way to work, but she dropped something off for you," she nodded her head in the direction of the kitchen. Another yawn escaped her. "Anyway, I'm going to go back to sleep. I'll see you in a couple of hours, okay? Wake me up if you need me."
"Okay honey, sweet dreams," Red watched her daughter in law disappear down the hall before turning to make her way into the kitchen. Turning on the light, her stomach flipped at the cup of coffee from her favorite bakery, a pastry, and a yellow envelope sitting on the table. Picking up the cup, she took a small sip. It'd already gone cold from sitting on the table, but it was nothing the microwave couldn't fix.
Putting a timer on for 30 seconds and pressing the 'start' button, Red opened the envelope and leaned back against the counter. Pulling out the card inside, she couldn't help but think how very Gloria it was. The front of the card was purple, glitter shimmering on the front.
The timer on her coffee went off, but she ignored it, losing herself in the purple penmanship on the inside of the card.
"Hi, You,
I know this is unexpected. It's not your birthday or Mother's Day or any other special occasion, but I just wanted to do something nice for you. The last few weeks have rough for you, trying to find a way to balance everything on your plate. I know you don't think that you're doing enough, and I know that you're second-guessing yourself. I just wanted to tell you that I see you and that I know how hard you're working to keep things running smoothly. Your family needs you and they love you. They're very lucky to have you. Those babies are lucky to have you.
I'm lucky to have you, and I hope today is a beautiful one for you. I love you.
XOX
-Me"