Childish Tendencies

Kiss Me

Chapter 6- Kiss Me

Mia

The sun fell around the inhabitants of the asylum as they played in the 'Hospital Commons'. The room was filled with chatter, clatter and laughter as the inhabitants, aging three to ninety three years carried out their daily games. People sat in corners playing cards, scrabble, pictionary, connect the dots and tictactoe. Dinky cars and toy trains were sprawled across the floor. The purple carpet was covered in dolls wearing a selection of different colors.

Mia sauntered into the room, her face stricken with paint. She blinked, revealing the blue paint on her curling lashes. Her bare feet padded across the carpet towards the white cabinet that held the game. Mia licked her bottom lip, swiped her hand into the cabinet, pulled out the game on the extreme right of the second shelf, tucked the box under her drab hospital dress and rushed out of the room just as the first bell rang, marking the end of play time.

&

A flustered Alia walked into Mia's hospital room to the smell of Kleenex, men's perfume, old toys, sweat and the undeniable stench of wet paint. Alia's sunken eyes widened as she approached Mia. Mia's hair was tied into a messy bun, the back of her neck covered in purple paint slopping down to the sleeves of her hospital dress, she sat cross legged in front of the canvas. Mia hummed a low tune as she brushed a stroke of celeste across the canvas. Alia gazed at the canvas with awe. Mia had painted a wall. On the wall was a brass window with a balcony in front of it. The details in Mia's painting amazing Alia. The curling designs on the handle of the balcony, the wood on the pane of the window, the glass of the window half way open, the couch with the flower pattern beyond the window, the dark television, the tall girl with black hair sitting in front of the television, were all so inciting that Alia couldn't break her eyes away from the painting. A flash of familiarity grew in Alia's eyes as she recognized the house.

Mia turned around, facing Alia after she finished up the wall below the window. Mia's eyes bore into Alia's looking for appreciation, awe, approval, disapproval, disgust, anything but all Mia could see was confusion because in that moment all Alia could think of was Mia's pink lips and all Alia wanted was to brush her lips across Mia's.

"Do you hate it?" Mia's voice was strained with the tension in the room. Mia watched Alia lick her bottom lip, biting down on the edge of it. Suddenly, Mia ached to press her lips against Alia's. She clenched her fists to prevent herself from slinging her arms around Alia's neck.

"It's beautiful," Alia breathed finally. When Alia spoke, Mia saw the change in her. Something was wrong. Mia looked into Alia's eyes, pulling her onto the floor in front of her. Her almond eyes were filled with regret, confusion and hurt. Mia stopped herself from pulling Alia into a hug and letting Alia fall to pieces around her.

"What's wrong?" Mia whispered, seeming almost mature to Alia. Her face was inches from Alia's.

"It's just Fae.." Alia flicked her hands above her head, spacing out.

"Who's Fae?" Mia asked softly.
"Uhm, she's my girlfriend," Alia's eyes flickered with surprise as if she was doing something wrong. She pulled back. "She's my girlfriend! My girlfriend!" She said again. "I don't have another canvas, but I can run and get one so you can paint with me today." Alia got off her feet.

"No, no, no," Mia said shaking her head. She went to the bed, lifting the mattress with one hand. Under the mattress was a black book, a purple dress and a game. Mia pulled out the box of Operation and set it on the floor. "I already painted so I can play with you. I missed play time because I was painting."

"But I'm here to teach you art,"

"But I like playing with you," Mia said quietly, dropping her head. Alia was unable to stop the chuckle that left her lips at how cute Mia was.

"Okay, let's play...Operation?"

"It's the best game," Mia's voice rose with excitement, "It really is!" She sat down, tapping the floor near her indicating that Alia should sit next to her. "We have to remove all the teeny weeny things with this," Mia lifted the stick with a metal pick in her hand, "and if you touch the side of the board it goes beep beep and then it's the other person's turn. And whoever gets all out the fastest wins." Mia put the board down, "I start!"

"Hey! That's not fair! Why do you get to start?"

Mia smirked, "Because I'm smaller,"

"Really?" Alia laughed, "How old are you?" Mia lifted five fingers and pushed them into Alia's face. Alia laughed again. "What is that, three?"

"No! It's five. See," She used her other hand to count her fingers, "one, two, three, four, five,"

"No, that's six, see," Alia pointed to Mia's fingers, counting backwards, "ten, nine, eight, seven, sex!"

"No!" Mia laughed pushing Alia back. Alia fell onto her back with Mia on top of her, giggling like crazy. "I am five." Mia giggled.

"No no, you're two,"

"Nooooo," Mia said shaking her head slyly, "YOU are two,"

"Ha ha no I'm not. I'm twenty-two!"

"And I'm five!"

"No you're not!"

"I am! I'm these many," Mia lifted five fingers again.

"Three?"

"No," Mia stuck her tongue out at Alia.

"You are three!"

"I am five, I am five," Mia chanted. Alia covered Mia's mouth with her hand, cackling. Mia quieted down and Alia let go of her mouth. As soon as Alia let go, Mia planted a peck onto Alia's lips.

Alia got on her feet with Mia right at her heels. She groaned at Mia burying her face into her hands, her finger shaking with nervousness.

"What?" Mia asked her, "Don't worry, you won't have a baby! Only a girl and boy have a baby when they kiss!"

Alia looked up at Mia, grabbed the at she had got with her, spun around and left Mia's room without a word.

Fae

"Ms. Richard," the doctor pursed his lips and pushed his glasses up his nose, "I'm afraid we have some bad news. You see.."

"Arthur," Fae said sharply, "You treated my mother and Rhea until they died of the disease, just please tell me what it is. I don't want any extravagant speech."

"It's getting worse. Much worse." Arthur replied, pressing his lips together.

"Well I knew this was going to happen eventually."

"Yes. So if you want to have that baby you were talking about, I suggest you do it fast."

"I agree with you. I trust you have the sperm ready?"

"Of course, there's just one thing," he said, "I trust you know that you will not be able to hold the baby after you do the IVF because we don't want the baby dying with you,"

"Yes," Fae sighed, "I'll have to think over it and I'll get back to you tomorrow. Tell me again how bad it is?"

"Fae, why do you put yourself through this torture?"

"It's easier to know."

"Well, the cancer is growing, rapidly. At the most, three months. And I believe that you still stick by your decision to deny treatment?"

"Arthur, my ovaries are tired." Fae laughed lightly, "So, yes."

"But.."

"I watched my mother and half-sister go through this. I'd rather die at home then at the hospital feigning hope."

"Alright. You must make a decision about the baby, it'll take time to choose the healthy embryos and implant them in the mother."

"Yes, of course." Fae's voice broke, "I'll see you tomorrow."