Alone but United

Chapter 13

Mathew unlocked the front door and held it open for Tyson, who was followed by Stephanie and Carter.

“Watch your feet!” Stephanie worned.

Mimi barged through Tyson’s and Carter’s legs, nearly swiping both of them off their feet. Tyson set his stuff down on the couch then started to play with Mimi.

“How old is she?”

“She’s a 2 year old labradoodle.”

Stephanie cuddled up to Mathew,”Yup, Mathew got her for our first year anniversary.”

“Neat.”

“You want to see where your room is?”Mathew asked.

“Sure.”

They all went to the hallway following Mathew into a room filled with weights and other exercising equipment on one side of the room, and a bed on the other. The bed had perfectly pressed sheets with a snow white pellow at the head, with Tyson’s things from the apartment on the floor by the foot of the bed.

“I placed your things in my at home gym, I figured you wouldn’t mind sharing a room with the equipment.”

Tyson sat on the bed wrinkling the sheets,“This is great. Would be ok for me to use the equipment?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Thanks…”Tyson turned to face Mathew,”Where is Mom?”

“She’s in my office. It is a bit of a tighter squeeze, but just enough to be comfortable.”

Tyson gave an understanding smile to Mathew,”Ok, would you guys mind leaving me to unpack my things?”

Mathew herded everyone out,”Yes, we’ll see you for dinner.”

Just before shutting the door you could hear Tyson saying,”Thanks again.”

Carter flopped onto her bed, hoping to get some sort of rest for the night. When slipping into her covers she couldn’t stop thinking of the cover that Tyson was pulling over everyone else's eyes. He could be in serious trouble from himself and the demons in his head.

She knew if she were to tell anyone or confront him he would run and find anything to end it quick. If she did nothing Tyson would gain everyone’s trust and his freedom, then soon squander it. The darkness and shapes on the back of her tired lids formed the hanging body of her brother. Carter pressed hard on her eyes trying to rub the figures from her lids, but this only added the red to complete the image. The blood everywhere.

Even on the tips of this blob that her mind had scrambled out to be her own hand,”YES! What of the blood that will be on your own hands. This is your fault,”her mind told her.

She started to toss and turn, never finding a good position to ease her mind,”Your blood runs through him, that means it’s your fault.” Carter raked her nails though her hair, pulling the hair tie that had her perfect ponytail up. She had hoped she just needed to relax more; maybe her hair was tied too tightly,“Your FAULT!” 

Carter sat-up in her bed and barred her face in her hands. She started to think hard on what she could do to calm herself. Going into the kitchen she microwaves a glass of milk for herself. Letting it beep twice she then grabbed the glass. Carter took the cup to the couch and sat. Slouching a bit she sipped the milk, letting the liquid run down her throat.

After the fourth sip she took a deep breath through her nose. Letting her brain recognize the warmth of the milk. She gazed at the plant on the coffee table. It seemed just as fragile as her. Mathew was never any good at caring for plants. It seemed that it hadn’t been watered enough, and from what Carter has heard Stephanie was too. Except she had always over water the plants.

Carter took another sip of her milk, trying to wash the question away and close her eyes, but the shapes had formed a pitcher that wasn’t filled with enough water and the another with enough water to drown the plant.

“What pitcher will you pick?”