Watch Me Drown

6. Blood

TW: blood, mentions of throwing up

(Abby's point of view)

Julien convinced me to go to urgent care a few days later, given that the state of my health had not improved much. She drove, and I stared out the passenger side window anxiously.

I strongly disliked going to any form of doctor. After what happened with my grandmother, every trip felt like it was all happening again. Like I was losing her again.

The doctor, once we got out of the damn waiting room, said that I would live and, just like Lucy had guessed, it was all from my period. Julien didn't seem convinced, but if I was strong enough, I would have skipped right out of the building.

"Was it like this last month?" Julien asked as we walked to the car. I always forgot that she was touring the month before.

"Not this much," I said. "I was super nauseous. But I didn't get sick."

"So it was kind of leading up to...this?"

I shrugged. "I guess."

She shook her head in disbelief. She told me once that her periods had gotten better as she aged. For me it was the exact opposite. I was already worried about the next month.

***

By the end of the week, I was pretty okay. My nausea had disappeared.

What hadn't disappeared was the exhaustion. Going to bed early, sleeping late, and many naps didn't do much. At that point I was used to it. I continued plowing through the day until, inevitably, I was too tired and had to nap.

I was doing just that when I woke up from a strong tickle in my throat. I was sprawled on the living room couch, and Julien was doing something in the office; I could hear HARDY through the closed door.

I cleared my throat, ready to go back to sleep. But the tingle didn't go away. I coughed, sharp and gasp like. Oh; I probably had something stuck in my throat. So I got up with a groan and stumbled over to the kitchen to grab a paper towel. After a bit of hacking I decided I was okay. Right as I was about to throw the paper towel away, I caught a glimpse of it.

"What the hell?" I muttered, squinting at it. "Oh, fuck."

I rushed over to the office, then knocked impatiently.

"You can come in!" Julien yelled.

When I opened the door, I found her sitting on the floor, guitar in hand. She was strumming random strings, eyebrows pulled together in concentration. But when she saw me she stopped.

"Why is there blood on your lips?" She asked.

"I think I just coughed it up." I whispered, too scared and shocked to speak at a regular volume.

"What?!" Julien exclaimed.

"I woke up and my throat felt weird and I thought something was stuck in there but then I coughed and-"

"Woah, woah, woah. Hold on a minute. Don't forget to breathe, Abby."

I sucked in a breath, but it caught in my throat. Julien was in front of me now, her hands on my shoulders. I turned out of her grasp and ran back to the kitchen to grab another paper towel. She followed me, and watched in horror as I spit small amounts of blood into the sink.

"What the fuck?!" I squeaked.

Julien disappeared into the bedroom momentarily, and came back holding a pair of my crocs, her own shoes already on. She placed mine by my feet, then grabbed her phone from the office.