⁴𝐒𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐄𝐃, 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧

009-the bathroom scare

ONCE THE SUN STARTED TO PEEK THROUGH THE WINDOW, CARLA GOT UP.  

Ultimately, Steve managed to calm Carla down enough and the two returned to the couch, the Harrington holding her close. He ended up falling asleep, but the Wheeler didn't even close her eyes. She still didn't want to risk falling into a nightmare, or risk something happening to Max when they were all out. 

She tried to keep Steve's words up front as she sat in silence, using the steady sound of his heartbeat to try and keep her grounded. Steve didn't think she was a burden. Steve loved her. Steve wouldn't let anything happen. 

But, when the sun came up, the Wheeler decided it was best if she just got up and tried to distract herself instead of suffering in her own pity until everyone else awoke. 

She needed something to distract her from thinking about how today could be her last day alive. 

Carla walked up the stairs as quietly as possible, cringing as the door slightly creaked. Peeking her head through the door, the scent of freshly made coffee wafts in the air and her brown eyes meet Karen standing by the coffee maker, a mug in her hands as she pours herself a cup of coffee.

"Good morning, honey." Karen looks at her eldest daughter as the tall girl comes into the kitchen, offering a warm smile. She's unaware of the turmoil that's taken over Carla the past day and a half. "You're up early."

Carla shrugs, "Couldn't really sleep."

"I don't know how those boys sleep down there all the time." Karen amusedly shakes her head, setting her own mug down and grabbing another from the cabinet. "Coffee?"

This could be your last morning with your mom.

 Carla tries not to show her despair. She offers a weak smile. "Sure."

The Wheeler crosses over to her mother, taking the hot mug the blonde woman poured for her. She'd never been a huge coffee drinker—if she's honest, Steve was the one who got her into it, as he made a pot practically every morning—but today, she felt it. She was fucking exhausted.

Carla takes a sip of the steaming liquid, holding the mug with both hands. As she does so, Karen studies her daughter's face. Karen always thought Carla looked most like her. 

"You look exhausted, Carla." the mother snips, brows raising. "Are you sure you've been sleeping good?"

"I'm fine, Mom." Carla pulls her mug away to reply, brushing off her mother's concern. "Just a lot of late night assignments from school. But Steve always reminds me to sleep when it gets too late. I sleep fine." 

Karen smiles sadly at Carla. She'd grown up over the past four years—she barely lived at home anymore. She had a job, she was writing college essays, she was staying with her boyfriend majority of the time. 

"I need to trust that you take care of yourself." Karen states, "I'm not always gonna be here to do it for you. I mean, you're already living away from home..."

Carla frowns, setting the coffee mug down. Little did Karen know she'd be here a lot longer than her daughter—

"I love you, Mom." the Wheeler girl blurts out, looking at her mother. She didn't plan on saying a final goodbye to her mother, but....what if  Vecna got her today? What if she never spoke to the woman after this. "And I'm sorry about how much worry I've caused you over the past few years. Really sorry."