Palimpsest

14

Frowsy 14

Frowsy ~ having a slovenly or uncared-for appearance

♠️♠️♠️
Henry Zapatero

As I walked into the house. The girls were cuddled up on the couch. The tv was running but they were noticeably asleep.

Andrew was in the kitchen, haunched over the sink with a stack of dishes. He was zoned out looking at the girls. I tapped his shoulder.

"Andrew, I don't think they'd appreciate you ogling them." I poked his shoulder. With a small smile on my face. I know today was a hard day for everyone. I was hoping to lighten the mood.

"I'm not ogling, I'm concerned. Katie lost her dad today, Henry." He sighed shaking his head back and fourth. "How am I supposed to feel when the most out going, happy, appreciative girl I know is struggling to see the light? The one that always know's, dosen't have a clue."

I was confused. I'd heard on the radio on the way home that Jesse Robertson passed away in a wreck in which his daughter was the passenger. Wait...

"Schnitzel crackers" My eyes were wide. It clicked. "She's Katherine Robertson?" Andrew was momentarily amused.

"Yeah, that's her." Andrew ran his hand through his mop of red hair. "I don't know how to take care of her. I don't know how to be there for her. She never let me see her cry before. Veronica has barley seen this before. It's safe to say I'm terrified to speak."

I simply nodded my head.

"Her mind works in amazing ways. Her kindness towards everyone is unreal. The way she simply exists it's like she's on another level of life than us. The way she's not afraid to be herself, her choice of clothes. This girl is nothing but positive happiness. Seeing her like this is absolutely heart breaking." He began to wash the stack of dishes in front of him.

I blinked, looking in his direction.
I watched him for a moment.

"How long have you cared about her like that?"

"Forever." He sighed. "I let her go when I needed her most."

I looked at the girls curled up on the couch. I can agree, Katie dose have this positive outlook on everything this odd understanding with everything. I've never seen her upset. Not even as kids when I'd stay with V's parents did she ever cry for anything. Aside from the time when Veronica broke her wrist and she thought it was her fault.

"What happened?" I asked him quietly. In disbelief that I'd let the words slip out of my mouth. Their relationship was never my business. "Sorry, that's not my buis-

"She wanted to see what it would be like to be single or something like that. It makes sense. We've been together since we were seven. I can't even think about another girl. I thought I liked Veronica for a while but refused to test the waters and when Katie broke up with me I was terrified of what I might do living here. I considered moving back home. But then I realized going home wasn't the answer I had to deal with it. They're still my best friends. I guess when that guy started hanging around. I realized how different my love for Veronica was from my love for Katie." He let out a low sigh "I'm kinda of stupid." He laughed a little and went back to washing the dishes.

"It's my night to cook right?" I questioned.

"Yeah, it is." He nodded.

"What's her favorite food?" He seemed surprised but saw where I was going with it.

"I don't know what it's called but I'll call her mom and get the recipe and make sure we have everything." He nodded and smiled. "But for some kind of desert or something you can make chocolate chip cookies but with a variety of chocolate chips, size wise, and different flavors."