Solitude || Evan Buckley [1]

chapter six

painting the clearer picture

The door bursts open at the Grant residence catching Athena's attention from the kitchen after washing up the dishes from breakfast that morning. She circled around the corner to see her niece in a sluggish mood as she walked down the stairs. The slightly pale skin tone spread on her face to the hand placement upon her stomach seemed to be causing the aching pain clearly shown.

"Sue gave me the day off because this little bean hates me." Sasha explained before covering her mouth. Her morning appeared to be bright until the morning sickness hit her drastically. "God, I'm going to be sick."

Athena sighed, already ushering her niece into the hallway like protocol whenever the kids got sick.

"Go ahead into the bathroom, and I'll bring some ginger ale to your room."

Sasha murmured out a thank you to her aunt as she raced to the bathroom.

Once Sasha finished in the bathroom, she retreated to her bedroom where ginger ale had been placed on the nightstand as promised. She took a sip before exchanging out of her work clothes into the comfort of a t-shirt and sweatpants. Eventually, she sunk into her bed underneath the white comforter.

Her hand consciously laid on her stomach as she frowned in dealing with one of the most horrendous days of morning sickness. She had been optimistic about the symptom soon leaving at the end of her first trimester.

Athena emerged into Sasha's bedroom for the fifth time that day to check up on her. After giving her some ginger ale to settle the nauseous feeling, she produced a hot bowl of soup to eat something throughout the day.

Other times in which the worrisome aunt went to peek into the bedroom, Sasha was in deep slumber in the midst of having a Bachelor binge watch playing on the tv screen.

"How are you feeling now?"

Sasha turned her head on the cushioned pillow to see her aunt taking long strides inside the bedroom. She sat up and scooted to make some room for her aunt to sit.

"A little better between chugging down the ginger ale and getting some rest. Thank you for taking care of me."

"Of course, baby. I'm glad you're feeling better." Athena caressed Sasha's cheek then kissed her temple softly. "I'll be heading out to pick up May and Harry from school. We're going to be out for groceries and be back after. Think you'll be okay alone?"

Sasha nodded with a small giggle, "I think I can manage, aunt Athena."

"Good, give me a call if you need anything." Athena warmly smiled and rose on her feet to head out. "Oh, I bet you that man will give his last rose to that girl." She pointed out the blond haired woman in a blue silk dress.

With the anticipation of the last rose between the bottom two ladies, he indeed handed it to the one Athena picked.

"Of course, she knows everything."