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The Watson family has been very successful as of late.
Amelia Watson, an extraordinary detective, travels for interviews and to serve as counsel, famous for her many cases of worldwide significance. Walter Watson has been doing well at school, having a blooming friendship with his good friend Mori Clara and stellar grades to go with it.
Even the family dog, Bubba Watson, seems happy, in good health, and with enough food and love to keep any pet happy.
Yet, Ina’nis Watson can’t help but feel a profound sense of loneliness. While Bubba is always a comforting presence, Ina sits alone in her room, scribbling away at her drawing tablet. Ina misses having bonding moments with Walter, or even the excitement of first dates with Amelia.
Ina chastises herself for being selfish. Having a job to work in the comfort of her own home, with friendly, agreeable clients, making decent money off of her work. Who was she to feel unhappy? Mounting pressure on herself to deliver more art, Ina works harder. Complex, detailed drawings, shorter deadlines, more hours. Her wrist grows sore, slow, cracking with each movement, but she continues to draw nonetheless.
That night, at dinner, Walter gushes about his newest science project.
“We added mentos to the soda and it shot everywhere. It was awesome!” Walter’s sky-blue eyes go wide with excitement. His beige trenchcoat, white shirt, red tie, khaki pants, and ruffled purple hair bounce with his excited fidgeting.
“That’s soda-lightful, dear,” Ina smiles, picking haphazardly at her food. Ina’s hair flaps lie stagnant, her squishy orange-purple hair unfazed, grey-blue eyes vacant as she mopes in her dark nightgown.
“Ina, are you feeling okay?” Amelia asks. Blonde hair swishing with a cock of her head, Amelia’s sky-blue eyes gleam with concern. Wearing an ensemble similar to that of her son’s, it doesn’t take a detective’s deduction to know that something’s wrong. Normally, Ina’s the discussion leader, excited to hear about her family’s days and plans, coming up with terrible puns based on their stories.
Now, Ina sits, zoned out and mumbling to herself slightly.
“I’m fine, Ame,” Ina yawns, before her hands are seized.
“Ina, your hands are red and swollen!”
“...so?”
“So, that’s not healthy! We need to see a doctor tomorrow,” Amelia decides.
“No.”
“Ina…”
“No, Ame! So what if I’m hurting a little? You’re working your fingers to the bone as a detective, and Walter’s doing fantastic at school! I need to be better, I don’t deserve a break,” Ina snaps.
“What about sick days, Mama?” Walter interjects.
“Walt’s right, Ina. The two of us get breaks all the time. I’m about to use one of them."
“Ame…”
“I love you and you need some time to yourself. Tomorrow’s going to be a personal day for me, we’re going to take you to the doctor and find out what’s wrong. Then, we are going to spend the whole day together and get you plenty of rest. Got it?” Amelia orders.
“Okay,” Ina sighs.
“Now, finish your food! You need energy,”
“I’m not hungry,” Ina pouts.
“Sir, would you be so kind as to collect our dishes?” Amelia chides.
“Certainly!” With a big grin, Walter collects the dishes to be washed as Amelia guides Ina back up to their room.
The next day, the two meet with a doctor only for Ina to be diagnosed with tendinitis, most likely from exhausting herself by working too hard. Prescribing ice and pain relievers, the doctor emphasizes that relaxation is the goal.
On a pleasant day, Ina and Amelia go on a walk in the town before stopping at a local coffee shop. Finally changing out of her old nightgown, Ina wears her favorite purple beret, cute wire-rimmed glasses, a striped blouse, a black skirt, dark gray socks, and black shoes. As sweet as Amelia is, and as enjoyable as their time together is, Ina’s mind can’t help but wonder.
Walking the empty streets, Ina can’t shake the feeling that people are working, something that she ought to be doing. Stopping at the coffee shop, Ina orders herself a small cup of tea before Amelia has the idea to buy fun pastries and snacks.
Seeing her wife hand over her hard-earned money, Ina only feels like a waste of time.
Explaining to her customers regarding her injury, most are kind and understanding, happily accepting delays in anticipation of her finished work. However, a particular one-star review on one of her most recent works catches Ina’s attention.
“Lazy artist, don’t bother.”
Lazy? Ina will show them laziness! Sitting down by her desk, Ina takes her inflamed wrist and begins to scribble furiously, desperate to prove the critic wrong. Then, her wrist seizes up, and Ina falls over in her chair with a loud crash.
“I’ve got some popcorn and some dumb rom-coms~”
“Ina!”
Dropping the snack bowl on the floor, Amelia helps the crumpled woman off of the floor before wrapping her in a tight hug and carefully running a hand through her hair. Looking down, Amelia only sees a drawing tablet littered with angry, jagged lines.
“Ame, why am I so useless?” Ina chokes.
“Ina, you’re not useless, you’re hurt! You can’t help that,” So Amelia sits to comfort Ina as the tortured artist sobs into her shoulder.
After the initial fall, Ina grows distant. Hardly leaving her bed and barely eating, Ina seems content to wallow in self-pity, disgusted with how reliant she’s become on others. That is until she hears a light knocking on the door.
“Mama?”
“Hmm?” Ina groans, dismayed at the thought of how sad and pathetic she must look to her son. Walter Watson’s sky-blue eyes show no sign of judgment, only worry.
“...Clara had a fun idea that we could make a drawing together to try and make you feel better!” Walter’s voice wavers with a bit of nervousness as he passes Ina the sheet of paper.
Walter Watson depicts himself in a sharp, angular style similar to that of a manga, with Bubba Watson at his right hand.
Beside him, Mori Clara draws herself in a round, friendly style similar to that of a Saturday morning cartoon. With short, pink-cyan hair, the girl’s pink eyes seem to glimmer with excitement, wearing a cute little white dress waving to Ina.
Amelia Watson draws herself as a small, chibi-style character with simple lines for eyes and a little smile.
IRyS draws herself in a classical, almost Renaissance style, with black horns, long, ruby-red hair, detailed pink and blue eyes, tan skin, and a long, flowy black-white dress.
Gura draws herself in a scribbly, almost storybook sort of style. The blue-and-white-haired, sea-eyed shark poses her shark hoodie in a dramatic style, her smile beaming with sharp teeth.
Mori Calliope draws herself as a muscular emcee, with a black baseball cap and pink ponytail, black shades, gold chain, red-black coat, sweatpants, and sneakers.
Next to her, Mori Kiara draws herself in an effeminate style almost like that of a barbie doll, with long, orange-cyan hair, hot pink eyes, and a stunning red dress.
The picture is labeled “Get Well soon, you’re an Ina-spiration for all of us!”
“Do you like it?” Walter asks meekly, twiddling with his thumbs.
“It’s beautiful!” Ina sobs, as streaks of water begin to pour from her eyes. Hearing the commotion, Amelia and Walter run to join Ina in a group hug as Bubba hops up on the bed and licks the tears from Ina’s cheeks.
“Thank you for letting me draw this creativity from all of you!” Ina giggles, as Amelia and Walter roll their eyes.
So the family frames this drawing over Ina’s desk, hoping that she never feels purposeless again.