Finally

Part 38: Let's Start Over

It was honestly probably one of the scariest things I've witnessed.

It was bad enough I woke up and she was gone, though I figured she was in the house somewhere.

But finding her in that blank state—that freaked me out.

When I first found her, I thought nothing of it.

But periodically I would come up and check to see if she was sleeping or reading—something- but there she was.

Stuck in that frozen state.

Just staring.

Vincent was crying and Luna wasn't exactly quiet either- but she didn't move at all. It wasn't like she fainted or even blacked out- she would've been on the floor in that case.

She was just...gone?

Sitting eating dinner I made, I don't touch my food as I watch Helen carefully poke and nibble at the soft caramelized carrots and mashed potatoes that I put with meatloaf.  The  only sound that fills the home is that of forks slightly tinking off the China and the occasional grunt or coo from Vincent in his motorized swing.

Even Luna seems to sense something is going on with Helen. She too looks to her every so often- her own curiosity. Distracting her from her food.

"Max?" Helen finally breaks the silence and all I can do to pretend I wasn't staring her down, I spoke several carrots and shovel them into my mouth to rapidly chew them.

"Hmm?"

"Nothing."

"No, what?" I ask softly as I swallow.

"You were just...staring at me for a while...is all." I can feel her sense of awkwardness.

Bashful?

Maybe?

Then again- anyone would feel weird being stared at while they eat.

"I'm sorry. I was just thinking..."

"About?"

Poking some meat, I pop it in my mouth and wish for this conversation be done.

"Earlier." Is all I can say and she sighs.

"I told you, I'm alright. Don't worry about it. You seriously need to just accept that I enjoyed our first...snuggle...since the first..." Cutting herself off, she takes a long sip of water and watching her swallow nearly half the glass- leaves her looking pained as she does so. "Sorry..."

Apologizing, he covers her mouth with her hand before setting the glass down and picking her fork back up.

"Baby?" Looking her over from across the table, I can feel something is not right. It's that sharp twisting in my gut that I felt when Georgia was bleeding out in our bed. Pushing off the chair a bit, I go to stand and she just watches me closely.

"Max? What's wrong?" Her voice cracks and I'm just frozen in a half standing, half sitting squat position. I just watch her closely as she tries to moisten her mouth once more- before grabbing her glass to take another big sip. This time, she too seems to notice something off.

Whether she knows it's her.

Or.

If she thinks it's me.

Is an entirely different question.

I watch.

Closely.

To every detail of her.

And just when I think that maybe all is well and I'm just paranoid- she pales slightly and her skin seems to become clammy. Her body seems to slump ever so slightly in her seated position and she just keeps eye contact with me.