02:17 am
Alex sat in the white rocking chair in the corner of Neave's room, she rocked violently back and forth whilst clutching Neave in her arms desperately trying to soothe her excruciating cries. Neave constantly whacked herself in her face with her tightly clenched fists, each time she hit herself she gave out another painful cry. Alex struggled to hold back her tears, she was yet spending another sleepless night listening to her daughter screaming for what seemed to be absolutely no reason at all. The mixture of no sleep, confusion and frustration made Alex want to scream down the apartment herself. In the year since Neave was born never had she ever acted in such a way, apart from the last few weeks of course.
Alex urgently tried to calm Neave, often taking a moment to stroke her soft brown locks only for Neave to then yank at it and cause herself even more pain. She squeezed her eyes tightly shut and recommenced aggressively hitting herself, Alex groaned in exhaustion and vigorously began rocking Neave in her arms. She tenderly placed a soft kiss on the top of Neave's head in an attempt to comfort her but in return all Alex got was a swift slap to the face from Neave.
Alex quickly clasped her hand on to her cheek, "oh no you didn't," she mumbled whilst rubbing her burning cheek. "Mason!"
"What!" she heard him call from the next room over Neave's horrific cries.
"Help me!"
Mason rushed in to the room but paused when he saw Alex cradling Neave and her sore cheek, "what's wrong?" he asked chuckling to himself.
"It's not funny Mason! She just hit me!"
"What? No, she wouldn't do that."
"Well I'm sorry but she did! Now will you please just take off those rose-tinted goggles you always seem to be wearing and just help me with our brat of a daughter!"
"Alex she's not a brat, why are you saying that?"
"Because I'm sorry Mason but she is! We haven't slept for weeks! She cries all night! I am exhausted and I can't take this anymore!"
Alex felt the tears that had been stinging her eyes begin to escape as they started to trail down her cheeks. Mason knelt down beside her and gripped her hand tightly, "I'm sorry. I guess I have been making excuses for her behaviour lately. It's just I'm worried there's something really wrong with her or that something is going to happen to her. There has to be a reason why she's been acting like this!"
"But I took her to see Dr. Butcher and he said she was fine! Why would something be wrong with her?"
Mason shrugged his shoulders, "I don't know. It's just, since Ana died those nightmares I've been having-"
"Wait, you're still having those? You haven't mentioned them in awhile."
"Yeah well, they're not something I like to talk about."
"You've never even told me what they're about."
"Like I said, it's not something I like to talk about."
"But how can I help you if you don't talk to me?"
"Fine, I keep dreaming that Neave's up on the roof with Ana when she fell and it's all my fault that they get hurt. Happy now?"
"What! Oh my gosh, Mason you don't really feel that way, do you?"
"Look it doesn't matter what I think, we can talk about this another time. Let's just get Neave sorted, okay?"
Carefully, Mason placed his hand on top of Neave's sweaty forehead but then instantly pulled it back, wincing in pain as he clutched his hand closely to his chest. "Have you felt how hot she is? That isn't normal Alex!"
Alex hesitantly copied Mason and put her hand on to Neave's head before loudly crying, "oh crap! That burns!"
Neave gave another painful scream and squeezed her fists forcefully together, Alex and Mason looked at each other in fear while Neave launched herself around in Alex's arms.
"What should we do?" Mason asked.
Alex snapped her fingers and in a dim flash of light her red wooden wand appeared in her hand. She levitated it over Neave's head and watched as the rays shot out on to Neave's forehead. Almost instantly, the low humming from her wand transformed into an ear-splitting siren which released red rays of light as it constantly circled around the room. "Another temperature," Alex stated rolling her eyes.
"Obviously, we didn't need your wiz-ometer to tell us that! What now? It's too late to call Dr. Butcher."
"Take her," Alex passed Neave over to Mason and began dialling on her wand.
"Who are you calling?" Question Mason as he swayed his body around whilst rubbing Neave on her back as she held on to him tightly.
"Just a minute," Alex panted as she dialled faster, "beep-bo-beep-bop-bee-beep-boo. beep-bo-beep-bop-bee-beep-boo BEEP! "
They both stood waiting patiently while Alex waited for an answer. Mason stared at Alex in confusion, often mouthing questions to her such as, 'who is it?' and 'what are you doing?' but instead of getting an answer Alex would simply reply by waving her hands around in his face and pulling irritated faces in Mason's direction. She quietly paced the room, trying to ignore Neave's distressed sobs, while she waited for an answer.
She paused as the call was finally answered, "hello?" Alex asked hopefully, "mommy! I need help!"
3:03 am
Theresa sat bunched up in her feathery duvet as she pulled it up beneath her chin and huddled down in between her smothering thick pillows. She felt her tired eyes once again become heavy while Alex rambled on to her over the phone. Theresa constantly nodded, agreeing with Alex and telling her what she wanted to hear. She tried very much to be there for Alex and help her in her time of need but she found it increasingly difficult with Jerry loudly snoring down her ear and taking up a majority of the bed.
"Ok mijha," she yawned, "no, no don't worry you're not keeping me up," she lied, "so tell me what's Neave's temperature again?... Uh huh… Okay, did she eat any of her supper? Yeah? Umm… Okay… Uh…"
Before she could begin her next sentence Jerry snored so deafeningly loud it roared around the room, causing Theresa not even be able to hear Alex on the other end of the line.
"Excuse me sweetie, let me just go in the hall away from your father before I smother him in his sleep!" She darted out of the room and into to the long tanned orange hallway where it was calm and quiet.
Theresa gave a sigh in relief, "okay Alex, what was you saying? Alright… Well I'm sure you don't need to worry… Yes Alex, I can hear her screaming… Yes Alex I can imagine it's hard to deal with… Oh Alex don't get upset, she'll be fine! Is Mason there with you? Okay, well I'm sure he's doing all he can to help… Yes Alex I do know how hard it is to be a working mother… Listen Alex, if you want me to come over and help I can leave now?"
Theresa sighed in relief, "Are you sure? Okay… Well how about you both see how she is in the morning and if she's no better I'll take her back to Dr. Butcher for you, it's probably still the side affects from her shots but if it makes you and Mason feel better I'll take her. That way you guys can go to work and college. But who knows she'll probably be fine! Yes of course I think she'll be okay! Hey actually, why don't you guys come for dinner tomorrow? It might help take the load off you a little… Okay mijha I'll speak to you in the morning… Night sweetie!"
She hung up on the call and collapsed against the wall in exhaustion, "oh dios!" She yawned as she slumped back in to her room and back into her soft bed. Theresa curled up next to her husband ready to return to sleep when she heard a low grumble next to her.
"Who've you been talking to?" Jerry murmured in to his pillow.
"Alex. She thinks Neave's sick again and she needed some advice."
Jerry shot up, "is she okay? Do we need to go help?"
"No, I asked that. She said that they'll be okay, I offered to take Neave to the doctor tomorrow if they think she needs help and I've asked them if they want to come to dinner."
"What did they say?"
"She said they'll come, I just thought if we're all around Neave it might take some pressure off her and Mason."
"Good idea, well lets get some sleep it sounds like we're gonna have a busy day tomorrow." Jerry let out a thunderous yawn, "man I just hope I can get some sleep!"
"Oh I'm sure you'll have no problem with that Jerry…"
6:37 am
Alex stretched out in her bed and squinted as the light rays of sunlight shone threw her drapes and stung her dark hazel eyes. She reached her arm out and her manicured hand began to search the mattress until she felt Mason's firm figure lay closely behind her. Alex flipped herself over so that she way now lay facing the back of Mason's body, gently she wrapped her arms around him before hugging him closely. She remained still as she felt the heat radiate from his body and the gentle movements from his chest, it leisurely rose and fell with each soft breath he took. Alex smiled at Mason lovingly and then started to delicately play with his brown glossy hair that resided on the back of his head.
The room remained silent as Alex continued to lay still next to Mason. As time went on she felt herself very slowly drifting back off to sleep when she heard a small squeaky voice appear from the other side of Mason, "oh no!"
Alex shot up and peered over Mason only to see Neave lay beside her father, tangled in his tight embrace, she looked up at Alex with her wide brown shiny eyes and her pink pacifier held securely in her mouth. Neave gasped dramatically, "oh no!"
Alex quickly shushed Neave, "I forgot you were here." Neave remained fixated on Alex as she carefully pulled her over Mason and laid her down beside her on the bed, Alex began to stroke Neave's brown locks carefully causing her to smile up at her mom.
"I see you're feeling better. Is your head not hurting today?"
Alex placed her hands on Neave's head and waited patiently while Neave quietly babbled away to herself. "No temperature?"
Alex looked at Neave in confusion while she kicked her dainty legs on the mattress and laughed quietly to herself. "Ah-dah," she muttered with her pacifier still in her mouth, "ah-dah!"
"Shh…" Alex softly rubbed Neave's stomach smiling, "let daddy sleep."
"No," Neave giggled roaming around the mattress.
"Well someone's clearly well enough for day care," Alex smiled kissing Neave on her rosy cheeks.
Alex then heard a low grumble beside her. She turned to see Mason shifting in his space, his arms stretching out and searching the bed with his eyes still tightly shut. "Neave?" he whispered, "where are you love?"
"She's here!" cheered Alex as she picked up Neave and dropped her heavily on to Mason's torso.
He shot up in shock, clutching his sides tightly, "bloody hell!" he called. "What the heck Alex!"
"Look! She's better!" She exclaimed happily, hugging both Mason and Neave tightly.
"Great," yawned Mason, "that's great…"
"Aww are you sleepy honey," Alex cooed pinching Mason's cheek.
"I'm surprised you're not! I thought we were supposed to be through all the sleepless nights?"
"Well apparently I didn't sleep through until I was five. Only four more years babe and then we're done!"
"Fantastic," muttered Mason sarcastically.
He pulled Neave closely to his body and tightly embraced her in his arms. Alex watched lovingly as he gave her multiple kisses on her head. Quickly, she lay down next to him and snuggled up to them before giving them both kisses on their faces.
"Oh, no temperature?" Mason asked.
"Nope! Not at all!"
"That's something then."
"How are you?"
"Me?" Mason chuckled, "bloody tired love!"
"No I mean, what you said last night. Its been kind of playing on my mind. Are you really worried something's gonna happen to Neave?"
Mason hesitated, "No. I mean… I don't know, I'm probably just getting anxious over nothing. Lets just forget it, I was tired and panicking but she's fine."
"Mason, but you know if you ever feel like that you can always talk to me. I know how hard it was when Ana-"
"Can we just leave it please?" He moved Neave off him and got up from the bed, "I'm going to get ready for college."
"So that's it?" Alex asked as she began to cradle Neave, "you don't want to talk about it?"
"Not really love, maybe another time."
Alex nodded as she watched Mason leave the room. "We're going to my parents for dinner tonight is that okay?"
"Yeah fine!"
Alex laid back on to the bed with Neave still tightly held in her arms. "You're okay, right?" She asked her.
Neave simply nodded her head before she pulled lightly on Alex's long locks.
"Okay then, I'll take your word for it."