I closed Angeline's file. I was trying to see what she was in the asylum for. She was admitted by her parents for attempted suicide. I figured that much. She had bandages on her wrists. Something that I had noticed Erik paid a bit of attention to. I supposed he had a sore spot when it came to suicide. But I ruled what did was a desperate cry for attention, not that snotty 'Oh she just wanted attention' decision more like 'She was alone and felt like no one needed her and asked for help but no one gave it and she did that' decision. Her parents were always gone, leaving her alone by herself. I felt bad for her. She was getting ECT and quite frankly I wasn't sure whether or not that was a good idea. But what did I know, I was just a nurse.
It was quiet as usual in the evening, I didn't know what Erik was doing, he wasn't in the day room with me but he was in his room with the door shut, which actually meant he didn't want to be bothered today. I figured it had something to do with the fact that he and Margie met today. Either he was in a bad mood or he was still processing. He needed to come out regardless. The curse was still making me into a sort of an addict. I wanted him with me. I toyed with a pen, wishing someone were there to help me alleviate my boredom. Peyton had been moved to day shift because one of the nurses quit and for the meantime Peyton was going to fill the position until we could find a replacement.
Margie drifted into my mind. I wandered what they talked about today.
I expected Erik to come out into the day room on cue like he always seemed to do, but he didn't. I'd be fine. I was a big girl, I didn't need him to entertain me. I was entirely capable of keeping my mind occupied without him.
I was getting antsy though.
"I need to go to the public library some day, maybe pick out a book. Normal people don't just sit here and stare into space." I muttered. This was painstaking. I got up and went to the asylum library and started to browse. I didn't find much there. I decided that maybe I should at least go check on Erik. Not because I was bored to death without him but… well. I was a nurse. I had a right to check on a patient that deviated from his usual routine. In an asylum that could be bad. I toyed with my keys as I walked down the hall way to his room. Upon arriving I knocked on the door and waited for his response. Erik's shadow fell across the window and I was plunged into darkness until he opened the door.
He gave me a strange look as the door opened and I was revealed to him.
"I wasn't aware you were working tonight." He told me. That explained things, unless he had been preparing an excuse while he waited for me to come check on him.
"I remember a time when you knew my schedule better than I did." I replied with a gentle smile. This brought one to his face and I always loved seeing him smile so softly.
"As you've already assumed I have had a lot on my mind of late." He said.
"Yeah, how was that?" I asked. Erik sat down at the table and rested his head on his hand, looking at me.
"It was strange seeing her. She was scared I think. With my behavior when we parted last she has every right to be frightened but that was twenty five years ago…" Erik muttered, looking away at his the black computer screen. At this point I don't think he was talking to me more or less at me. Which I was fine with.
"I don't think it was you she was afraid of." I told him. This caught Erik's attention and he looked back at me.
"Then what else would she be afraid of?" He asked.
"Of how you'd treat her. She's known for a very long time that you aren't like that anymore. She's been afraid that you would reject her." I told him.
"I put her on my visitation list." He said.
"That doesn't mean a thing. You could've brought her here to tell her off or something that would hurt her. Women literally worry about everything." I told Erik. That didn't seem to help him relax.
"What did you two talk about anyways?" I asked. Erik didn't answer my question. He sat quietly for a minute or two.
"Have you looked into Angeline?" He asked, clearly changing the subject. I guess it wasn't any of my business, but it was my biological mother and my sort of boyfriend. Calling him that seemed strange, juvenile. He was much classier than that.
"I did. I think her parents over reacted. I mean yes, she did hurt herself, but all she needed was proper parenting and she wouldn't have done any of that mess." I said.
"What makes you think that?" Erik replied.
"Oh, well… her file says she's eighteen. Her parents hit the big time in their business and now they have to travel a lot, trouble at school, bullying, why someone would pick on a girl like her I have no idea, but her recent life leading up to the incident was a big rough patch. She does need help but she doesn't need to be checked into a mental hospital. They just shuffled her off to us so they don't have to be responsible for her." I told him. Erik contemplated what I said for a moment or two.
"I understand her." He said simply. I nodded, approaching him I pressed a kiss to the top of his head.
"You're acting different today." I told him simply, giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze. I left him to his own devices.
~~~STPH~~~
Waking up that afternoon was hard. It was drizzly and wet and there wasn't a sun to rouse me from my sleep. I groaned and dragged myself out of bed with difficulty. I didn't have much of anything to do that day. I already knew that trying to catch up on my favorite shows was going to be hopeless. I thought about asking Asher if she wanted to do anything but then I remembered that she was working today so that was out. Maybe Margie could do something with me. I trudged to the shower.
I toweled my hair dry as I went to my closet. I looked for a cute rain appropriate outfit that I could go out in. I didn't know where I was gonna go. I decided to pick an outfit after I made plans with someone. I could just go to the library and check out a few books. People go there by themselves all the time. I dialed Margie's number and waited while it rang, checking my mail. My check came. I should go deposit that.
"Hello?" Margie asked.
"Hi, Margie." I told her.
"Oh hi, baby. What are you doing?" She replied, I could hear the smile in her voice.
"Nothing, I'm bored though and I want to do something. Are you and Nautia busy?" I asked.
"Well Nautia's at work. Are you sure you want to go out in this mess? Its supposed to storm later." She said.
"Yeah. I'm thinking maybe getting my nails done. I could use a good pedicure." I replied, opening my mail.
"That does sound nice. There's a salon just down the road from Nautia's apartment, we could meet up there." Margie suggested. I smiled
"Sounds good." I told her and we said our goodbyes. I hung up the landline and went back to my closet. Maybe a skirt? But with the rain…. a short skirt could work. A jean one. I looked for one that wasn't made for partying (I had a phase, okay?) and settled on a well worn one that didn't quite go down to my knees but wasn't half way up my thighs. That would look cute with my rain boots right? I pulled out a pair of black slightly see through stockings and decided against the rain boots and for a pair of leather ones. I threw those at the foot of the bed and started my quest for a top.
I eventually found myself a decent outfit and headed out to my car. Nautia had an apartment in a quiet town a few miles outside of Paris. I pulled into the parking place outside of the salon and went inside, Margie was sitting in the waiting area just inside.
"Hi, Lee. I was beginning to think you weren't coming." She said, looking up at me with a kind smile.
"I had a hellish time trying to find something I wanted to wear. I almost wore rain boots." I told her. She cracked a smile and started to giggle.
"Oh no!" She said laughingly. "I've always admired your taste in clothes. I think you should pursue a career in fashion design." Margie said, putting her magazine down. I smiled.
"I'm good, thanks. That a field of work is too competitive for me, thanks." I told her. She laughed softly.
"How was your visit with Erik?" I asked her. Margie shrugged.
"Tense." She said simply. Neither one of them wanted to tell me how that went… Then it really wasn't any of my business.
"You really don't need to worry about how he feels about you." I replied. Margie sighed, shaking her head, like she knew him better than I did. No one knew him better than me. At least I thought. I did remember Mom saying that they would just sit and he would tell her everything. He hadn't said much about his past. I gave Margie a side ways glance and suddenly I felt a little insecure. Maybe he was too scared to do that again considering what she did…. The only times he had ever poured his heart and soul out to someone they rejected and broke him without a second thought. I wish he had been treated better by those he trusted.
We walked out of the salon. I had gotten acrylic nails and a French pedicure. I felt thoroughly pampered. Margie and I discussed going to lunch. I wasn't really sure if I was up for it. We went anyways, to a little cafe on the other side of town. After that we parted ways and I went home to get ready for work.
This was a little shorter than usual, sorry. I have to get a new computer and until then I will have to be using public computers whenever I can get my hands on them.
