"I told Amy what happened," Rose said after getting off the phone. "I told her you'll be staying here so she's going over to a friend's house." Rose sat beside David on the couch placing a cup of tea in front of him. David just stared at the cup not touching it."You're welcome to sleep on the sofa." She offered.
"Thanks." He muttered. Rose knew he wasn't up for talking. "I'll just go to bed, then." She said softly. Rose wanted to touch his hand but wasn't sure if she should but David gently squeezed it. "Thank you." He said sincerely glancing up at her. She smiled and went to bed.
David sat there feeling emotionally and physically exhausted. It felt like weights were piled on his shoulders as he slowly removed his suit jacket. Unable to cry anymore he just lay there on the soft couch in the dark before falling into a dreamless sleep still hearing Casey's happy giggling in his mind.
The next morning David woke up to the feeling of a blanket on top of him. He felt groggy and his clothes stuck to him as he pushed it back. It took a minute to remember he had fallen asleep on the Rose's couch.
He groaned sitting up and heard the sound of Rose typing at the dining room table. She noticed him and stopped typing to check on him.
"Hi." She said sitting beside him handing him a glass of water. "Hi." David said softly glancing at her and noticed her thin black framed glasses. David sipped his glass and gestured at her eyes. "I didn't know you wore glasses." Rose blushed remembering she had them on. "Yeah, they help see me see the screen easier."
David nodded. "You look pretty in them." He said. She smiled slightly. "How are you feeling?" He shrugged. "Same as I always do when this happens…horrible, defeated," David answered honestly. He scoffed briefly removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes. "I swear, you think it gets easier but it doesn't."
He lowered his eyes. "She wanted to be a clown when she grew up." David muttered.
"Casey?"
David nodded. "That's how we bonded," He smiled sadly remembering when they first met. "Casey, didn't like me at first, well, she didn't trust me. She didn't trust any doctor, really." Rose just watched him and listened. David swallowed tearing up a little. "But one day I caught her in my office going through my drawers and she found my rubber clown noses." He paused before speaking again and smiled thoughtfully. "She thought I was going to yell at her instead I suggested she try on the blue clown nose and I placed it on her…and she smiled."
"I bet she was cute." Rose said giving a teary smile. David sniffed and smirked. "She was she really was." He exhaled. "I can't believe she's gone."
Rose squeezed his hand. "I may not understand what you're going through but I know it's rough." She carefully rested her head on his shoulder. "I just wish I could make it better."
He glanced at her smiling a little. "You're here, that's enough." "I told you I would be." She said. "I know it's just after the way I've treated you I was surprised you even opened the door." David admitted.
"For you, always." She replied softly. He looked at her. "Yeah?" Rose smirked slightly. "Yes." David studied her eyes briefly then unexpectedly kissed her hand. She smiled at him hugging his arm.
After about a minute she glanced at his watch and said. "Are you going into work?" David nodded. "Yeah." "Are you sure?" Rose asked concerned.
"Yeah, I need to be there," He sighed. "Besides I like to keep busy when…" His sentence trailed. Rose just nodded patting his hand and slowly stood. "Would you like anything to eat?"
He shook his head quietly.
Rose touched his shoulder before going to the kitchen. David briefly glanced at the ceiling then felt something on his wrist. He looked down and saw his bracelet retied on his wrist. David gently touched the careful braiding realizing Rose must have tied it back on while he slept. He smiled slightly before getting up off the couch.