Ineffable - S.REID

41

・゜゜・．THREE WEEKS LATER .・゜゜・

"Pen," Clara called the second she walked into Penelope's office, instantly shutting the door behind herself. She, in that moment, secretly wished that she had the key for the lock. She didn't know who else to go to at this moment, she needed her best friend more than anyone else in the world.

Pen turned in her chair the instant he heard the tone of Clara's voice, brow furrowed deeply in concern. "What's wrong?"

"I think-" she cut herself off with a deep inhale, attempting to steady her voice and the jitters in her leg as she sat down on the chair kept in that room especially for her. "Can you play some music? I don't want anyone to overhear."

Penelope watched the panicked movements, the hyperventilation and the panic with her eyes grow and instantly took both of her friends hands in her own. "Clara deep breaths," she whispered.

Clara forcefully made her breaths regulate with the technique that Sam taught her when she used to have panic attacks in the hideaway. But she couldn't get the words out. They stuck to her tongue like a thick toffee that wouldn't leave no matter how much she wanted them out. So she looked up from the floor, furrowed her brow and tried desperately to tell her with her eyes. Garcia watched in confusion for a moment, trying desperately to understand what she wanted to tell her. Then, her face lit up in the best way possible as she gasped. "Oh Pumpkin!"

"I- I don't know, I haven't checked...I haven't had a period for two months, I thought it was stress or because of my surgery. I was told it wasn't really even possible. But I mean, lack of period, morning sickness, craving for tomatoes and buttercream."

She frowned, brow furrowing, "Together?"

She grinned instantly, "Yes, together! It sounds so good, no?"

"Right you stay here, i'll lock the door and go get one. Play minesweeper or something, it'll be five minutes," Garcia spoke hurriedly as she stood and grabbed her purse.

"Minesweeper?" Clara echoed in bewilderment, wondering how such a game could be played at this moment in time. She felt her breathing rate pick up once again, her heart thrumming in her chest with dozens of emotions that she didn't understand.

"Clara. Breathe. I'll be two minutes."

-

Garcia walked through the door ten minutes later just as Clara finished a game of solitaire on one of the screens whilst another displayed an unfinished chess game. She first pulled a tub of tomatoes and a tub of premade buttercream from her bag, handing it to Clara with the slightest disgust within her eyes. Clara instead grinned and ripped open the packet, finding the combination so incredibly satisfying that she momentarily forgot the other thing in the bag. Garcia laughed softly as Clara picked up another tomato, "Honey, I don't think you even need a pink strip."

After she had realised herself and the nerves had settled in again, they both hurried to the nearest bathroom and placed the bin in front of the door so anyone attempting to enter would be stopped. Clara went into the stall whilst Garcia walked back and forth, her heels and slight humming hiding any noise. Once five minutes had passed, she asked, "What's taking so long?"

"I was reading the instructions," Clara responded from the stall, the sound echoing around the tiled room.

"You've never done one of these before?"

"Once but that was a different brand. I didn't know if they were different." It was easier to lie hidden behind a bathroom door, where Garcia couldn't see her tell. Some things just had to be kept secret.