Chapter 7
When reality first came to her, Breccia kept her eyes closed.
I'm in bed
I'm going to get up, make a pot for dad, then go out on the porch.
She could already see him on the deck. She'd venture out, maybe offer him a mug with hers in hand. He'd make a passing remark about how he preferred tea, but drink it regardless. In the later days of his life, he's cough between sips.
Their move to Lavender was for the air. It was easier on the lungs.
Shale never came by...
Her father did what was right, stepping down at the gym. It made for more time at the clinic and Breccia's brother was eager to take over.
He got what he wanted.
"Finally, some good news." The nurse, a larger woman with a heavy floral perfume, appeared at Breccia's bedside. She turned to her Chancey at the desk, muttering before going to her patient. "Your fever broke last night. I was hoping you'd come around at some point today."
The room Breccia awoke to was completely white with very few decorative fixings. (Save for an electronic Luxio clock flashing zeros on the wall). "Where am..." She sat up too quickly and swallowed her sentence when the world spun,
"The infirmary dear, you've been out for a while. Try not to strain yourself."
Letting her head soak into the pillow, Breccia took a sharp breath in. As she did so, an exasperated cough escaped. It was as if her lungs were made of delicate paper.
"They-" It came back to her then: the accident, the trek through the cave. "M-Morice, Nessa, where are they?"
"He's already back on duty." The nurse plucked a pin from her bun, nibbling on the end before scribbling on her clipboard. "Quite lucky in the grand scheme of things. Only a concussion and a few bruised ribs."
"Nessa?"
"I'm not at liberty to say." Adjusting the saline bag attached to Breccia's IV tree, the nurse shrugged. "I only deal with minor bumps and scrapes. You're the most excitement I've had all year." Tugging the lever on the side of the bed, she helped prop her patient into a sitting position. "You aren't at one hundred percent yet. We'll keep you over another night. You can report to Riker later." The nurse paused for thought, looking at her notes. Thinking outloud she added: "Fever of hundred and three, coughing up blood. You weren't in the best of shapes."
"I wouldn't think so." Breccia then noticed she was wearing a baggy scrub gown and a pair of fuzzy socks, the kind with the rubber grips on the bottom. Noticing the cloth sagging on one side she struggled to tie the suture around her neck. "Did you...undress me?" Upon realizing a complete stranger had seen her stark nude, she felt a heat break across her face.
"Honey it was nothing." The nurse chuckled. "Like I haven't seen that a million times before." From then on, any other questions asked about the issue near Verandi were pushed out of hand. Clearly there were things Breccia either wasn't allowed to know, or the nurse simply had no idea.
It would be a few hours later before the infirmary would receive any news pertaining to Caleb, Lars or the others.
, on her way home with a full casserole dish in hand, stopped in per Riker's request. Setting the plastic Tupperware container on the desk, the nurse had little time to thank her. As soon as the container hit the table top, the nurse's Chansey ripped into it with the fury of a starved child.
"Well, I'd thank yo for the dinner, but it looks like I'm having ramen again tonight."
Fastening the last two buttons on her red, fur coat, Ms. Morre brushed her finger tips through the gray strands that fell from her ponytail. "I made more, but he boy refused to eat it. I'll wait until tomorrow to nag him. Today's been stressful." She sighed. "With the funeral and all."
Breccia heard this and turned her head to the woman. Deep down, she felt her heart flutter with confirmation. "Caleb?"
Ms. Morre was able to make out the faint uttering and frowned. The lines in her forehead deepened as she did so. "Best lab worker we had."
Cupping her face in her hands, Breccia tried to calm herself with deep breaths. This was more than losing an acquaintance. Back in Pewter city, when her old man was alive and well, Caleb was an apprentice at his gym. She and Nessa spent their days in the grass lands near Mt. Moon. She had no friends in Saffron where her mother lived, so the weekends and holidays were always exciting.
The Carter's home life was about as functional as she was currently well. Their father was a drunk and their mother was a poor, downtrodden woman who had been broken down by her husband's abuse. She tried to make things well for her children, but would often take her partners side against them. (Likely to save herself a beating).
Even after Caleb was smacked with his first felony and banned from the gym, Breccia's father still kept a close connection with the twins.
Then Breccia's mom took off for Alola with her in tow. By the time she was dragged back, her friends were long gone. Nessa sent letters saying they found "better work" elsewhere. It wasn't until Breccia herself was in trouble that they spoke up and got her where she was now.
"He'll want to hear from her." The nurse and Ms. Morree's conversation cut into Breccia's grief. "He should be getting a call from..." Ms. Morree cleared her throat. "The Boss. I doubt he'll be kind."
"Surely he knows it isn't his fault?"
"I've known the man for a long time. He doesn't care if it's the boy's fault. He expects responsibility." Picking her plastic container, now licked clean, Ms. Morre gave the nurse a friendly pat on the shoulder. Before turning to go, she sent Breccia a quick glance.
From there, the door closed and the waiting game continued.