Exotic

XXI

Sydney

I'm bed ridden, yet again. It's been a few days since I went to the hospital for my knee and Mum put me straight back to bed. It's getting really annoying. Especially since I was almost healed. Almost.

Kath hasn't been staying at my place. Sure, I'm a little bummed about it but I don't want a repeat of last time, although, she ensures me it won't happen again, as I didn't need surgery and she didn't see my blood... So yeah, things are a lot better this time around.

One thing that I have noticed though, is that Kath would blush profusely whenever she looked at me. It's like if I walked up to her, slapped her face about eight times per side and then complimented her. That's what she looks like. Shock mixed with shyness. And I know that Mum as noticed too, because she'd always smirk at Kath and give her a drink. Speaking of drinks, I'm thirsty.

"Mum!" I shout. When I get no reply, I roll my eyes and shout even louder, "Mum!"

Eventually, she stumbles into my room, her hair is a mess, her face is red and her clothes are a little dishevelled, she looks at me with an expectant face, "What?"

"I need a drink!" I whine.

"Is that really all you called me for?" she huffed, "Besides, Kath is coming over soon to relieve me of my duties. I want an uninterrupted day with my girlfriend but you're making that very impossible."

I was a bit taken aback by her mood, she's not normally like this, "I'm sorry."

Mum sighed and came to sit on my bed, "No, I'm sorry, Sheila. I know this is not your fault. And you can't do much right now. I'm just really frustrated."

"But if I hadn't put my weight on the bad leg, I wouldn't have dislocated it and I'd still be walking."

"Sydney, it's not your fault. You were just... Well, I don't know what happened. You must have forgotten about your bad leg or something. You can't have done it on purpose. But... What did happen, Sheila?"

"Well, I was hugging Kath and we were getting really close. So-"

"As in like... About-to-kiss kinda close?" Mum raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know because the next thing I knew was that I felt a painful pop and then I was on the floor. Christina carried me to the car and we went to the hospital. The doctors drugged me up and got an X-ray and that's all I remember really."

"So you don't remember cuddling with Kath while watching Bluey?" Mum pressed.

"No... We did that?"

"Yeah," Mum chuckled, "It was cute."

"Kath is cute, isn't she?" I say, feeling myself smile a little bit.

"Do you like her?" Mum asked.

"Like her as in, a friend or...?"

"No... Do you have a crush on her?"

"Uh..." before I say anything, I think. I know that I like Kath, even though I've denied it to Mum and myself. So if I deny it again, I think Mum will see right through me and now I'm lying. It's sort of disturbing how well she can read someone, "Yeah." I finally answer.

"Right. And do you plan on asking her out?" Mum pushed.

"I mean, I would if I knew for certain that she liked me too. And confident that she was ready for a relationship." I shrug.

"Hmm." she hummed and patted my leg, I winced becuaee it was my bad one. I heard the front door open and Mum got up, "Kath's here and I think she's brought one of her older sisters to give her a hand. You're her responsibility now. I'm going to Dewey's place for the day. So don't bother me."

"Okay, Mum. I love you. Have fun with Mama." I wave as she walked out, she paused and looked back at me with a look of shock.

"I will. I love you, too." and then she slipped out of the door. Kath soon came in with a drink and a box of pain meds, something she's done because she doesn't want me to be in pain.

"Hi," she smiled at me, "I brought you some water and some pain meds if you want them. My sister's downstairs getting a debrief from your Mom." she chuckled.

"Thanks," I smile as I take my bottle from her, "Which one of your sisters is it?"

"Apollo. It's one of her days off and she heard that I needed some help and tagged along. Her wife and kids are at my parents' place, having the time of their lives." Kath shook her head, "How you feeling?"

"It's not too bad today, thank goodness, but I'll be glad to start walking around again. Mum said I could try at the start of next week."

"That's good. I missed you at school." she smiled softly at me.

"Did you?"

"Yeah. I miss you most of the time, to be honest." she said quietly.

"I miss you, too." I respond. There was a slight pause and I felt like being mischievous, "Do wanna help me get downstairs?"

Kath's head shot to meet my gaze. She smiled and nodded. She got my crutches and helped me stand up. Walking wasn't so bad and it actually helped to move around a little. I was getting sore in places I didn't know I could. Kath helped me hobble down the stairs and sat me down slowly on the sofa.

"You wanna watch a movie?" she asked me. Before I could answer, Abigail shot straight into the room and onto the sofa next to me with a big smile on her face.

"Hi, Syd." she giggled.

"Hey, Abs." I smile back.

"Are we watching a movie?"

"Yeah, we are." I nod.

"Can I watch?"

"Sure."

"Yay!" she exclaimed, "What are we watching?"

We decided on a firefighter movie. It's about a gay firefighter who always puts herself in danger without being told to and then she gets paralysed in an accident and finds love and whatever. It attracted Apollo's attention and she sat down next to Kath. She would commentate every so often, especially if something in the firefighter's protocol was wrong or if their technique was incorrect. Like right now, she's shouting at the TV, meanwhile Abigail and I are giggling quietly and Kath is trying to shut her older sister up.

"They're not supposed to ventilate! They don't need too! No wonder she had an accident, they're doing all the wrong things and killing everyone." Apollo argued.

"While this all sounds like wonderful advice, Apollo, we just wanna watch the movie. So, be quite." Kath said, her hand on her sister's arm.

"Okay, sorry, Kath." Apollo whispered to her.

"Thank you." she whispered back.

Siblings.