Myocardium

Part 4

When I return from my shift, drained and ready to sleep, I make sure to waste no more time and quietly stop by the door to Sasha's room, so I can check on him. My mind is foggy and my eyes almost fall shut as I'm walking, so all I do before hopping into bed is check on my little sister, chug down a big glass of water and change into some more comfortable clothes. Ew, it's almost as if I can still feel the tight seam of the itchy outfit from earlier cinch in my waist to a point that's almost painful.

My alarm's set for 10:30 a.m., so the three of us can have brunch together and I can prepare our late lunch while they're playing. Usually, my weekend afternoons are spent resting too, as it is as necessary after such nights as one would expect. However, even though my body would be in dire need of more sleep, I always try my best to make some time for my siblings. 

Sometimes I feel guilty because I can't spend more time with Sasha and Daisy than I am.  Even the sacrifice of my afternoon naps for more quality time with them doesn't feel remotely like enough. After all, I can't let them know how messed up and tired their big brother is most of the time. 

Hours after my system finally shuts down and I find myself sleeping soundly, I'm already woken up again by Daisy, who quietly opens the door to my room and curls up into a ball next to me, on top of the blanket I'm sleeping under. I can't even be mad at her for walking in on me like this, it's way past ten already.

"Good morning, sweety. How'd you sleep?" I yawn and stretch out my limbs like a cat, proceeding to rub my eyes and sit up straight, trying to get my pupils to adjust to the brightness. Next to me, Daisy unrolls and sits up too.
"I slept well. Where were you last night?" she asks me and looks at me with puppy-eyes that break my heart. I can't tell her the truth but lying straight to her face doesn't feel all that great either.

"Why are you asking? Did you need something?" I try deflecting but she doesn't seem to let go of it, shaking her head vigorously. 

"Are you sleeping somewhere else? What are you doing so late at night, Eli?" 

Tiredly, I let out a deep sigh, "I'm working, Daisy. And because I'm at school like you during the day, I work at night, while Sasha and you are sleeping."

"Where do you work? Are you a cook?" she continues questioning me, driving the dagger deeper and deeper into my heart.

"No, I'm not a chef, honey. I...entertain people and make them feel good...like a clown or a magician, you know?" I try explaining my profession without screwing up her innocent mind. 

A tiny gasp escapes Daisy's now O-shaped mouth, her face lighting up as if she'd just seen Santa Claus. "Eli, you're a magician? Wow, that's so cool!"

"Well, it's a bit different than that. Are you hungry?"
Finally, I manage to change the topic, getting an excited 'yes' as an answer. I pinch her cheek, get up and walk into the bathroom, washing my tired face.
"Sasha, you up?" I shout, only to get a tired, kind of annoyed answer. 

"Yup, I'm doing homework. I'll be out in a sec." My brows furrow as his response is hardly audible for me, but once I figure out what he was telling me, I nod and shrug my shoulder while I join my sister in the living room. She's sitting on the sofa with one of her pink dolls cradled in her arms like a baby. 

At first, she's grinning at me, but it doesn't take a second until her smile turns to a frown as her eyes dart down my body. "What happened to your arm, Eli? Doesn't this hurt?" 

A flush of chills overcomes me and my stomach begins churning as I follow her gaze and spot the big, purple bruise that has formed from the injection. Nervously, I scratch the back of my head. My arm, I bend and rest on my shoulder as to shield her from the sight, chuckling, "Oh, don't worry, girl. I walked into a doorhandle at school yesterday. It doesn't hurt all that much, your big brother's just a bit clumsy."