Generations: The Long Game

A Good Day

TW: mention or insinuation of potentially fatal illness

Two weeks later

As her eyes fluttered open, she reached out to the other side of the bed but found him gone already. Her hand grasped at the bedsheet. Cool to the touch. He was gone for awhile then. She let out a groan as she rolled herself over and hoisted herself up. It shouldn't be so hard for a thirty-nine-year-old to move under her own steam, but somehow today it was a little easier. She wasn't in as much pain, and her movements felt smoother and more fluid.

After a few laps around the room, her movements still hadn't seemed to alert anyone, and curiosity was getting the better of her. She made her way carefully to the top of the stairs. Barring the first day home when she descended them on pure frustration alone, Marjorie had been unable to navigate the stairs on her own. Not wanted to risk a fall Reece and Mia had opted to carry her up and down them.

She couldn't see or hear anyone downstairs, but she knew she couldn't be alone. She just didn't know who was there or where in the house they were. She gingerly stepped down onto the first step before deciding that maybe she would make it on her own just fine. Halfway down, she struggled to pull in enough air, but as she peered up the stairs behind her and then down the stairs, one path was easier, and she knew it.

Reaching the bottom, she smiled to herself. You did it, Marjorie. The thought left her mind quickly when she heard the familiar lilt. "Marjorie!" Standing in the kitchen doorway was the once girl, now soon to be mother.

"Carly my love." The tears burned at the edges of her eyes. After her reaction the night they had told everyone, they hadn't seen each other. They had talked on the phone when Marjorie had the strength, but she understood the decision to protect herself.

Carly moved as quickly as she could to the woman she saw as a second mother. They clung to one another both being careful not to put too much weight on the other. "You know Mia and Reece are gonna kill me when they find you downstairs."

They settled into the lounge. She could see Carly was struggling to settle Rory. "Give her to me." She pressed the small girl to her chest and began to sway side to side. "Mummy has you sweet girl. Everything is going to be ok." She realized in that moment that this was the first time in months that she believed that might actually be true.

Marjorie kissed the top of the girl's head and watched as her little eyes fluttered shut. "I missed this. You don't think you will, but you do. Settling her just now is the most normal thing I have done in two months. Watching her just now ..." The lump in her throat stopped her from continuing. "It's the first time I thought I might actually have a chance at beating this thing. Promise me something, Carly. Promise me that if things get bad again you will tell them I need my children. I don't think I have the will to fight without them. She is so tiny but has given me so much strength. So much more desire to fight. I need them if I am going to win."

Carly placed her finger over her lips when Reece and Mia came through the front door. She beckoned them with a wave to the lounge. When they turned the corner, they saw Marjorie fast asleep still snuggling Rory to her chest. "She came down the stairs on her own. She wants to be with the children. She needs them. They are what is gonna make her fight this thing." Reece was sobbing but looked to Carly with questions in his eyes.

"She's okay, Reece. It was a good day."