Work Text:
Saturday nights were typically our date nights - Becky always had one thing or another that she wanted to watch, and I always agreed because I couldn't say 'no' to that goofy face. After spending roughly ten hours at work every day this week, the perfect crescendo to cap it off was this night. I was ready to wrap myself around Becky as she stroked my hair, the smell of her shampoo drawing me into her, watching a great movie. Well, that is when we weren't sneaking glances at the other. This rainy night was set up to be the perfect end to an otherwise stressful week.
So of course Becky came home yesterday with a mountain of paperwork to complete by Sunday.
I couldn't put my finger on why her bosses were so dead set on making her brain melt, but I'd never seen Becky so frantic before. She's been glued to the kitchen table since this morning, papers strewn about across the wooden surface. I made sure to move her coffee away from said papers, Becky's gestures of agitation - pounding the table top with her fist - coming close to knocking it over numerous times. It was a shame that this is what our Saturday had become.
"Can't take a break? The movie hasn't started yet."
I called to Becky from the couch, hoping that she would save herself some anxiety and give her eyes a much needed rest, if only for a couple of hours. Becky sighed heavily, her eyes rimmed with raccoon-like dark circles from waking up so early. Poor thing.
"Wish I could, Lexi. You're making it kind of difficult not to, with your legs all out of the blanket. Exposing yourself to tempt me - for shame, young lady!"
I looked myself over quickly, realizing that, as Becky pointed out, the blanket was barely draped over my legs, leaving a significant portion of them out in the open. It wasn't my intention to distract her, but I couldn't lie - it made me feel good that I was able to. I playfully rolled my eyes at her.
"Don't be a pervert."
"It's not my fault that your body is perfect. Just a picture of you under 'perfect' in the dictionary - right between 'Alexa' and 'Bliss.'"
I ignored the impulse to explain to her that dictionary's worked alphabetically. Becky always had a habit of coming up with these crazy compliments, and this one was right up her alley. Still, I could feel my cheeks heating up as I laughed off her response.
"Looks like I'll have to cover up then, since you're so distracted."
"Doooon't! I need a good view. Papers aren't doing it."
"Work first - play later."
"Alright, you tease."
"Now back to work, missy!"
After giving me a brief salute and a 'Yes ma'am!' Becky buried her face back into her never ending work. I felt bad for her - I know how much she wanted to spend the day together - but she didn't really have a choice. All I could do now was wait for her to finish, and make sure that she was disturbed as little as possible.
The sound of Becky's cellphone ringing made startled the both of us.
I cursed silently as I scrambled to pull the phone off of the kitchen table, tripping over my blanket in the process. Rather than ask Becky why on earth she still had the sound on, I turned the obnoxious device on silent. Noting the annoyed look on Becky's face, I decided to take a look at the screen myself to see if it was important enough to hand off to her. 'Charmander is calling,' the phone read. I held it up to Becky's face for her to see.
"It's Charlotte."
"Charlotte? That's weird."
The 'weird' part of it that Becky was referring to was most likely the fact that it was almost ten o'clock. On a Saturday night. We both figured that Charlotte would be out at this time, probably on a date with her own boyfriend. Becky walked into the living room as I pretended to not eavesdrop on her conversation. They'd probably find my name between the word 'stealth' in the dictionary.
Hey, I'm a curious woman, alright? Give me a break here.
I could hear groans and other aggravated sounds coming from Becky, who was pacing around the room trying to keep her cool. It seemed like whatever they were talking about was frustrating her, but I couldn't understand the conversation from only hearing one side of it. With one last irritated grunt, Becky gave Charlotte an order.
"Just… just don't move, got it? Keep your freakin' butt in that chair."
Becky finally ended the call, a look of sheer annoyance plastered on her face. She looked at me, then her paperwork, then back to me again. She shook her head before addressing me.
"Lexi, I need you to do me a huge favor."
"The last time you asked me for a favor, you spent my ten bucks on a box of chocolates."
"Okay, fair enough, but this is an emergency."
Becky's voice wasn't filled with the usual cheeriness I'd come to expect from her. This must really be serious, I thought to myself. I decided to quit joking for a bit and hear her out.
"I need you to go pick up Charlotte. I would go with you, but I seriously have to finish this work."
My eyes widened in shock, my head turning automatically to look out of the living room window. It was still pouring, and I could see slight flashes of light in the distance, signaling an upcoming storm. She had to be insane - more than the Becky brand of insane - if she thought I was going to drive in the rain.
"Becky. It's ten, it's raining - I'm not risking my life to go get Charlotte so she can tell you about her shopping spree or whatever."
"She's drunk, Alexa."
I raised an eyebrow at Becky, who continued to give me the same stern look. Charlotte was drunk? I felt like having a designated driver for these sort of things was a necessity, especially at night. I had no idea what she was thinking, but the only thing I was thinking of was avoiding the rain and staying inside.
"Where are Sasha and Bayley at? They can't go get her?"
"They left for their big London trip already. Won't be back for two weeks."
"Ugh, that was this weekend? Damn it."
I wasn't thrilled about having to drive in the bad weather, but Becky wouldn't stop looking at me, right into my soul. It was clear that this was the only option, what with Becky's incredibly timed work business to attend to. Giving one last look at the window, I could tell that the rain would not be letting up anytime soon. I groaned, holding my hand out to Becky.
"You're the best. I owe you one, cross my heart."
She dropped the car keys into my open palm, giving me a quick peck on the cheek shortly after.
"You absolutely do. I'll call you when she's safely inside the car. Can't guarantee she'll be dry."
Leaving the apartment, I was able to see Becky scurrying back to her position at the kitchen table. I wanted her to come with me, my skill at driving in poor weather nowhere near as good as hers, but I appreciated her dedication to her job. She was making sure that we could even afford this apartment, so if I had to pick up our drunken friend in the middle of the night, I would.
Why did it have to be raining, though?
The drive over to this random bar wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be, although, I did have to check the location Becky had texted me about a dozen times. It took twenty minutes, and even though the weather was as harsh at it'd been prior to me leaving, our joint car held its own fairly well. While it was definitely a hassle - I suddenly remembered that I hadn't paused my movie and screamed internally - it wasn't as terrible as it very well could've been. Charlotte better appreciate me a little after this. When she's sober, I mean.
While Sasha and Bayley invited me into their friendship circle with open arms, Charlotte wasn't as quick to hop on the 'Alexa Is Alright Now' train. Actually, I couldn't remember a time these past couple of months where Charlotte and I had any sort of interaction at all, aside from a glare or two thrown in the other's direction. I had soured her on my existence as soon as Becky announced that we were dating. I understood Becky and Charlotte's sister-like friendship - I understood and accepted it - but her overprotective nature made me want to destroy something pure every time we were alone together. It was maddening to think that someone could be this stubborn, a thought that accompanied me as I pulled up to the bar, and made my way inside.
Mine and Becky's shared experience with alcohol extended to wine, and even that was only on rare, special occasions. Stepping into an actual bar for the first time felt odd, mostly because it lacked the tough biker gang that I had anticipated greeting me by the entrance. Instead, the place was filled with average Joes and Janes - some in groups, some in dark, depressing corners. Talk about boring. However, closer to the entrance was the blonde woman that I came here to retrieve.
"Charlotte!"
I called out to her, hoping that she'd hear and spare me a trip further inside. When it appeared like that wasn't going to happen, I carefully made my way toward her, skipping and hopping over any suspicious muck or grime my eyes caught sight of. If she noticed my presence as I walked up to her, she didn't show it. Huh, she mastered the fine art of ignoring me while drunk too. This was real swell. I was finally able to get a good look at her.
She didn't look good.
Aside from the fact that she could barely sit upright, swaying gently from side to side, Charlotte's right eye was black and blue - swollen, fresh cuts adorning her temple. It was as if someone had punched her directly in the face, but that couldn't be the case. I tried my luck at calling her name again.
"Charlotte, come on. I'm here to take you home. There's plenty of time to pretend I don't exist tomorrow."
When she made no move to leave her seat, I tried to forcefully shove her off. I had no idea what did this to her, or why she was drowning herself in cheap alcohol, but I wasn't going to let her waste away in some bar across town. Whatever Charlotte was going through, she could talk about it with Becky later - she sure as hell wasn't going to talk to me. I continued to try and physically force her away from the seat, to no avail. Charlotte was stronger than I was, and the fact that she was filled with beer only served to strengthen her resistance. She was being a little less than cooperative, to say the least, causing me to stamp my foot.
"Go… awa-ay."
I let her go as she began to speak, slurring her way through just two words. I wasn't having any of this right now, my tolerance for drunken shenanigans at an all time low. I tried to remain calm - getting outwardly angry would probably provoke her. I took a deep breath and collected mysef. My thoughts went back to her black eye. I brought my hand to it, only for Charlotte to flinch and shift away from my touch.
"What happened?"
"I fell down the s-stairs."
I wasn't believing that for a second, unless her stairs suddenly grew a pair of arms and attacked her as she fell. Weren't people supposed to be truthful when they were drunk?
"Pfft. Please, Charlotte. Who do you think you're fooling? Stairs didn't do this to you."
A brief hint of anger flashed in her eyes - well, the one that wasn't swollen shut - before returning to their previous blank state.
"Just g-go. No… no one cares anyway."
"What are you talking about?"
Charlotte was the epitome of a woman that people looked up to. She was strong and confident, and it wasn't a shock that Becky considered her a 'sister.' She always looked out for the people she cared for, so it was strange to hear her say that nobody cared.
"Look. Look a-at… loooook at my face."
She leaned in a little too close to my face, her finger pointing at her swollen right eye. It looked even nastier up close, the cuts more prominent than I initially thought.
"My own… boyfriend did this to me. All b-because he was upset about his joooob. He doesn't care. Nobody cares. I'm alone."
I stood in shock, my hunch actually turning out to be correct. It made sense why she wanted to get drunk now. She picked up a half empty bottle of whatever she had been previously drinking and tried to down it. I reflexively snatched the bottle out of her hand, placing it out of her reach.
"Quit it with the drinking already. Your friends care. Becky was the o-"
"Becky? Be-eckyyy doesn't care. She had to send you because she couldn't even bother…! B-bother to show up herself!"
I didn't know what to say to that. I wanted to tell her that it wasn't true, but I doubted that she'd understand. Charlotte was a mess right now, and nothing I was thinking of doing or saying would change that. I knew how she felt - afraid, confused, alone. A lot of this was the alcohol talking, so I wasn't sure of what I should do, but the one thing that was clear to me right now was that I couldn't take her home to that animal.
"Look. I know you want nothing to do with me because I'm the devil incarnate or whatever, but... I'm here for you. I'm going to make sure you're not alone anymore, okay? But you have to come with me."
I motioned for another grab at Charlotte's arm before she pushed me away. Seconds hadn't gone by before she stumbled past me, and then broke into a run - her legs carrying her as fast as they could in her condition. I followed her out of the bar entrance into the cold, shouting her name all the while. She never looked back - she ran, and ran, and ran. I stood on the sidewalk, watching as Charlotte ran right into the middle of the street. Before my sight had fully adjusted to the nighttime darkness, a flurry of sounds assaulted my senses. The sound of a blaring horn, of skidding wheels, of a barely audible scream into the dreary night. The next thing I saw would be etched into my brain forever, leaving a permanent scar that would never go away.
Charlotte's frame colliding with an oncoming car - her body rolling over its hood like a rag doll.
My mind hadn't registered what happened, but my feet moved hastily of their own accord. I tuned out all outside noise - the driver yelling in disbelief, rumblings of thunder in the distance - as I knelt on the wet ground by Charlotte's unconscious body. My own tears mixed with the heavy rain cascaded down my cheeks, my fingers simultaneously fumbling with my phone, jitters slowly engulfing every inch of me. I swiftly dialed '9-1-1,' screaming and begging for them to hurry - that my friend was hurt and dying. Oh my god, this couldn't be real, this had to be a dream, this couldn't be real.
The next few minutes were a blur, the blinding lights of an ambulance drawing closer and closer. I didn't want to touch Charlotte - didn't want to breath on her - before they took her into the vehicle. I rode with her, my hand covering my mouth to prevent the sobs from escaping, but they found a way. Everything was happening so fast. Why did I stupidly let her leave? Why didn't I just try harder? We didn't get along great, but I never would've wished for this, never would've wanted to be a witness to this awful thing. Why didn't I stop her? No, this wasn't the time to feel guilty. I pulled out my phone one more time, from the back of an ambulance, preparing for the toughest call I'd ever make.
"Charlotte… Charlotte's hurt and I-I… I don't know what to do. You need to leave now, Becky."
The wait for Becky was agonizing, my hands trembling as I kept replaying the previous hour's events in my head. I still couldn't believe that this was real, but as I sat in the emergency room, cringing slightly at the sight of various ill patients, I began to accept that this nightmare wasn't a nightmare at all. I asked myself so many 'if onlys.' If only I had done this, if only I said that. I couldn't think this way - I needed to stay calm, for Becky's sake. I had to be her wall, and that'd be impossible if I were to crack. I told Becky about Charlotte's boyfriend - about her eye. If anyone deserved to know, it was Becky. Charlotte would want it that way.
A streak of bright orange lit up the waiting room's colorless space, Becky emerging from the entryway. She spotted me almost immediately across the room, jogging over once she did. I met her halfway, unable to control myself, arms enveloping each other in a tight embrace. It was easy to tell that she'd been crying, her eyes puffy and red.
"How is she?"
"She has a broken arm, but other than that, I really don't know. She's been unconscious since…"
I didn't have to say, Becky understood. Charlotte hadn't woken up, and two hours already passed. Becky looked as though she could break at any given moment.
"The nurse told me visiting hours are supposed to be over, but she said I could see her."
"Have you?"
"I figured it'd be better for us to go in together."
"Right. Right. Together. Together is good."
She grasped my hand in hers - she didn't ask, she didn't have to. Becky's grip felt rigid and tense, her body was shaking lightly out of nervousness. I lifted her the back of her hand to my face, my lips gently grazing over the skin - a soft kiss to reassure her. She gave me a quick 'thank you' before a nearby nurse led us to Charlotte's room. We braced ourselves, not expecting this to be a lovely sight in any capacity.
I could feel my hand being crushed by Becky's as we saw Charlotte lying still - her right arm in a cast, tubes connected intravenously to the left. Her eyes were shut, her breathing slow and rhythmic. Had we not been where we were, in the situation we were in, it'd look like she was taking a peaceful nap. She didn't deserve this - damn it, Alexa! You should've-
But before I berated myself for the umpteenth time tonight, Becky approached Charlotte's sleeping form slowly, taking me with her as we continued to hold hands.
"She looks like she's taking a nap."
It was no surprise to me that Becky and I were on the same wavelength, even in the worst of times.
"She is. Kind of."
"Not really the same thing, I guess. Most people just take NyQuil to sleep."
She was trying to put on a brave face, but I felt her shaking.
"You don't have to do that."
"Do what?"
"Make jokes. You can be scared. One of us needs to be strong, and it needs to be me."
On cue, Becky let the tears flow freely. I tried to remove my hand from hers - to give her room to fully wipe her face - but she refused to let go, instead choosing to cry without remorse or shame. I hated this, hated seeing Becky cry for anything. I felt angry because there was nothing I could do. I did have an idea though.
"You should talk to her."
"She's out, Alexa."
"Maybe she'll still hear you."
Becky seemed a bit skeptical, choosing this time to use her free hand to wipe her eyes. She gave me a nod, taking one step closer to Charlotte's body. Another step. And another. Then three steps back, shaking her head.
"I can't do this. This is a lot harder than I thought it'd be."
"Just say what's on your mind. No rush."
She gazed at me intently, expression full of worry.
"Are you sure this'll really help?"
'Of course not.' The words sat on my tongue, yet never left my mouth. There was no way for me to know if this would work, but I had to do something for Becky. She was starting to steadily lose it, and I couldn't be her wall if I was just transparent.
"My parents said that it helped when I was in the hospital. It doesn't hurt to try."
"And you won't leave?"
"Becky, I'm not going anywhere - ever. I'm always going to be right beside you."
"Don't let go of my hand, got it?"
The thought of letting our hands go their separate ways never crossed my mind for even a fraction of a second. She had nothing to fear there.
"Wouldn't dream of it."
"All right. Here it goes."
Becky resumed her walk back to Charlotte's bedside, taking slow, tentative steps toward the woman that she considered to be a sister. Charlotte wasn't just a friend, she was family, and nobody should ever have to see their family like this. Becky mustered up every ounce of her courage - taking multiple long breaths.
"Uh, hey. Charlotte. I'm not sure if you can hear me. I'm sorry about your accident. Alexa's here too, of course. We both want you to get better soon."
She turned to me, seeking my approval. I smiled at her, a smile that said, 'Yes, keep going.' She heard me loud and clear.
"Lexi she… she told me what happened. At your boyfriend's place. I would've given him a good beating for you. I mean - I still can, once you wake up. We'll talk about it first. Set a plan. Shave his head in his sleep, you know? Baby steps. So just… just wake up soon."
With nothing else to say, Becky stepped away from Charlotte. She tapped my shoulder, indicating that it was probably time for us to go. I didn't want to leave just yet.
"Charlotte. You and I don't get along well. Like, not at all, actually. But we'll fix that. I promise."
Becky was more than pleased with my words, her face beaming. With one final look at Charlotte, we let another nurse escort us out of this wing of the hospital. It was painful, extremely so, to leave Charlotte there, but for now, there's nothing we can do except wait.
The next five days were arguably the most stressful of my entire life. Becky was never able to finish her paperwork, and though her bosses were understanding - as any normal human being should be under these circumstances - it was a big setback. She came home every day with more work to do than the day prior, and now the kitchen became a second bedroom for her. She'd crawl into bed nearing midnight, if she was lucky.
Meanwhile, my own boss was consistently getting on my case. Tired and angry, I had too many arguments this past week with co-workers than I'd like to remember. My boss was always there to remind me, though, sometimes with threats of docking my pay - sometimes worse. The prospect of being fired didn't really affect me. Normally, I'd like nothing better than to shove that stupid face of his in the paper shredder, a much better look for him, but I just didn't have the energy to entertain the thought.
The worst thing of all was the sheer tension in the apartment since the accident. It felt like we were always one move from exploding at the other, but said explosion never came. Instead, the emotional release came out in bed, my walls slowly crumbling as Becky and I held each other close. She cried into my hair - I sobbed into her chest. The cycle repeated every night until we exhausted ourselves to sleep.
It was currently five in the afternoon, Becky and I both left work early, just a half hour every day, in an attempt to beat traffic. Rush hour would never allow us to get to the hospital before dark. These visits have become a daily 'tradition' now - a tradition of the worst possible kind. The nurses were familiar with us, able to address us by name. Being in and out of a hospital for such a long time that medical professionals knew my name.
It made me want to vomit.
We entered the hospital, ready to have a conversation with someone that couldn't respond to us, when one of Charlotte's regular nurses came up to us - Nat something? - voice brimming with cheerfulness.
"I was hoping I'd see you two today."
"Same depressing time, same depressing channel."
"I've got news that'll fix your sass, blondie."
"So spill."
"Charlotte's awake."
Our heads turned to each other so fast that I was sure our necks were going to snap. I was filled with so much emotion that I didn't know how to respond - didn't know how to form speech. Becky was the first to break the silence.
"When?! Is she okay?!"
"She woke up early this morning - we ran some more scans, and she's looking good. She's a lucky girl. She'll still need to spend a few more nights here to make sure everything is in working order, but other than an itchy cast, she'll be going home good as new. You two can go see her. I'm sure that's why you're here."
Without another word, we practically sprinted to the elevator, barely able to contain our excitement. Charlotte was awake - god, the words sounded too good to be true. But as we threw the door to her room open and saw her sitting upright for the first time in almost a week, it was true.
I couldn't believe it. It was true.
Becky was the first to throw herself onto Charlotte, the latter's phone slipping from her hands and onto the white bedsheets.
"Ow! Easy, woman! I'm alive. I was just about to call you."
"I'm sorry! I just - it's you! You're awake."
"Yes, it's me, it's me! Alexa, come take her before she makes my arm worse."
Despite Charlotte's light teasing, Becky was able to pull herself off of Charlotte of her own volition. I still wasn't sure of how to react. I didn't want to go full Becky and tackle her.
"You don't have to stand over there."
"I know. I uh… how much do you remember?"
She took a moment to ponder this question. Becky and I stared at her, mostly because seeing Charlotte with her eyes open was something that we wanted to soak in. It was something that we were so afraid of never seeing again.
"A lot. The fight, the bar, getting hit. Guess I wasn't drunk enough."
It was good that Charlotte was able make light of her own situation, but I wasn't feeling it. There was so much I wanted to say, with little idea of where to start. Becky solved that problem for me, spontaneously jumping back from where she sat.
"You can't go back home."
"You know?"
"Lexi told me. You have to stay somewhere else."
"She can stay with us."
Admittedly, I wasn't thinking very well when the proposal leaped from my lips. It was reactionary, but seeing Charlotte the way she was - the way she'd been beaten - it was the best option for her own well-being. Charlotte laughed.
"The offer to live in the nuthouse is tempting, but I already called my brother before you got here. He lives a few blocks down - should be an easy move."
"I'm sorry."
Charlotte gave me an incredulous look.
"For that? Jesus, you two have a this weird 'thing' with apologies. Stop apologizing."
"No, I mean - for this. I couldn't help you. Our conversation basically sent you running in the first place. I get it if you're mad."
Thankfully, though her mannerisms clearly suggested that she wanted to, Becky didn't step in - these were things that I'd discussed with her during one of our many sleepless conversations. Charlotte, however, had no problems shooing my concerns away.
"You're way off the mark. I was actually planning on saying thanks."
"Thanks? I don't think almost getting you killed is worthy of high praise or anything."
"Dummy. I meant for the talk. At the bar. You didn't have to try, but you did. So, thank you. For making sure I'm not alone anymore, sister."
Up until this moment, Charlotte had never referred to me as anything other than 'Alexa.' To hear her call me sister - a title that she had only bestowed upon Becky - was special. I was elated, the woman I couldn't befriend to save my skin at long last welcoming me as part of her family. I was sleep-deprived to the point where this could very well be a dream, but Becky's squeals of delight were so high-pitched. No one could dream through that.
"You guys are bonding! Has there ever been a better time for a group hug?"
"Hey - no. You've already touched my arm enough. Mmm… pinkies?"
"That'll work."
Becky and Charlotte shared subtle winks, before clasping their pinkies in a moment right out of a high school drama. They stared at me expectantly. They must have rehearsed this - it was so bizarre.
"Do you guys do this often?"
"There's usually two extra pinkies in here, but one'll do."
"You getting in on this, Lexi?"
With a shrug of my shoulders, I decided to join in. It was fine to be a little bizarre. This whole week was bizarre. It was a journey to get to this point, but our friendship, and her acceptance of me, were cemented on this day. As I wrapped my little finger around their's - the three interlocking in what I could only describe as a bonding of friendship - I thought about Charlotte, and about what I had told her before.
She wasn't alone - she'd never be alone again.