Chapter Text
"MICHELLE, he doesn't respect you. He just called you and left that voicemail to freak you out and force your hand." Katie rambled on, facing her vanity as she applied some mascara. With one of her oldest friends, Michelle, laying on her back against the hardwood flooring of the apartment. Katie's zebra print rug ruffled up to the side so that Michelle could sprawl herself across the flooring in peace.
"I don't know, he sounded sincere— and scared. I've never heard him like that." Michelle replied, staring straight up at the popcorn texture ceiling. The room could use some major remodeling but that wasn't Michelle's place to point out given how many times Katie had let her crash on the couch.
It wasn't like Michelle and Bryan fought frequently…but more so than usual lately. Michelle didn't mean to start so many fights with him but it was like he was purposefully being dense at times to avoid bigger issues.
"I'm telling you, he'll be calling you by morning saying that he was over reacting and everything's fine." Katie chastised, not caring to be delicate. The blonde was an amazing friend but she didn't care for Bryan and Michelle's relationship.
Michelle hummed noncommittally, a habit she picked up from her boyfriend, no doubt. The silence that followed gave Michelle time to think and the more she thought, the more concerned she became. Replaying the same voicemail over and over before deciding to just call him back. Just to check, checking couldn't hurt? She headed over to the phone mounted on the wall with a huff as she heaved herself off the ground.
She paused as her finger pads met the top of the keys before taking the hurriedly scribbled note out of her jeans. Slowly dialing the number, to make sure she didn't missclick. Michelle was met with the voicemail of some baritone, farmer from what it sounded like.
Any semblance of an argument that she had built up in her mind died in her throat.
"Okay Brian, you made it sound like it was an emergency. That's the only reason I'm still waiting." Michelle rushed out despite her worries, just so he was aware that she was still cross with him.
"Please pick up the phone, okay? This was a truly scary voicemail. You make it sound like you're having a problem. If you can hear me, come home, okay? Just come home." The words tumbled out as the anger in her bowed down to her more caring side the more she talked. However, the girl bit her tongue before a pathetic 'please' could dare leave her traitorous lips. After waiting a few more desperate seconds in pure silence, Michelle hung up the phone.
"….Drive me to the hospital?" Michelle asked Katie suddenly, eyes fixed on the floor as she heard the dial tone of the phone still by her ear.
"Why? Is the baby coming?" Katie panicked, spinning around in her vanity seat and stumbling a bit to get up. Hand fumbling around the coat hook for a weather repelling garment.
"What? No! I'm barely even at the half way mark. I just—I wanna see where they sent him."
"Your kidding?" Katie replied flatly, not amused in the slightest despite what her words had suggested.
"Peace of mind, Katie. Besides…stress isn't good for the baby." Michelle blatantly attempted to persuade the blonde girl.
Katie opened her mouth to protest but ended up grabbing her keys within the next five minutes.
"How do we know he's not just getting absolutely smashed at a bar?" Katie asked Michelle, not taking her eyes off the road. Katie was always the more cautious of the two when it came to driving.
"Bryan is a lot of things but he's not evil. He wouldn't do that to me. Not when he knows we're in such a—"
"fragile place." Katie cut in expectantly. "Yeah, well. Betrayal doesn't come from enemies." The blonde muttered, sounding bitter under her breath.
"Left up here." Michelle directed instead of acknowledging what Katie had mumbled.
The clicking of the blinker was drowned out by Michelle's anxious thoughts. Her knee bouncing as she tapped it with her fore finger. After twenty minutes of failing to find a parking spot that wasn't another fifteen minute walk to the hospital entrance. They made their way inside and went to the help desk. The clerk looked particularly grumpy that evening.
"Uh hi, I'm Michelle— my boyfriend- Bryan Hodukavich came here to make a delivery?" Michelle patted the desk top and the woman shot her a nasty look. Thinly veiled contempt on her face as she took a pen and scooted Michelle's hand off the freshly cleaned counter.
Seeing the distressed look on Michelle's face, Katie gave in and decided to lend a helping hand. "About this tall," Katie raised her hand a bit above her own head but not by much. "Irritating? Looks like he hasn't done laundry in a week? Insistent—"
"Oh that fella? Yeah. He left a few hours ago. Had an schedule A delivery." The clerk informed the two relentless women.
"To where?" Michelle eagerly prompted, hands grabbing hold the ledge of the Clerks desk. The woman behind the desk merely gave an irritated look before replying, "Usually I can't say but I want you to leave so Raccoon City General."
"Fuck that's far," Katie swore instinctively.
"I'm gonna try and uh- call him again?" Michelle spoke uncertainly.
"Right, cause that worked so well last time." Katie muttered under her breath while she went to look up the directions to Raccoon City on her phone. She knew Michelle well enough to know what was going to happen next. Michelle would spend twenty minutes dialing his number, straight to voicemail each time. It wouldn't detour the woman as they headed back to the car.
"We're driving to Raccoon City General aren't we?" Katie frowned, hands at ten and two on the wheel, a tight anxious grip.
"Take a left up ahead."