Our Sick Inheritance (editing)

Chapter 31 - Let The Games Begin

Cuddled under his covers like a two-year-old, Colin watched an old comedy that he hadn't seen in years. It was when he had heard the New Year's midnight countdown that he fell asleep only to be woken by cramps and vomiting in a bag next to his bed two hours later.

Too exhausted to do more than lift his toothbrush, Colin cleaned himself up and took two of his pills, so he didn't feel worse when he woke. He flicked the television off then crawled like a bug right back into bed. Sleep messed with his mind on and off with nightmares that he couldn't recall for few hours more.

Not feeling like he rested much Colin gave up on trying to sleep once his eyelids flipped open, so he dragged himself out of bed and started his morning. The shower didn't do much to take the soreness of his body away because he still felt as if he had swum forty miles after climbing the statue of liberty. He had stretched and massaged every muscle he could reach but to no avail. He knew that every nerve in his body couldn't cause as much irritation as what the exhaustion of his muscles was doing to him. He felt nauseously sick which didn't help the pain at all, but at least he was clean.

The inside of the giant establishment was warm with two of the fireplaces going and so was Christine. She had already set the table where he had planned to eat as if she had read his mind before he did. He hated to think that she could because it always made the guilty sins in his heart skip much too fast and way too many times. He also contemplated if Christine ever slept, or if she had implanted a device under his skin while he slumbered deeply that alerted her when he moved. He loved Christine and was so happy that she was moving her entire family to the island with them. She was the type of mother he had always envisioned for Anna. Christine's husband was a lucky man, and Colin felt even luckier as it was his family she waited on as if they were her own. With a welcome hug from Christine he settled in at the table as he awaited Anna's visit.

It was unfortunate that his brain had decided it no longer wanted to relax even though his body still begged for it because he could have at least stolen a couple more hours before his Anna got up. Colin told himself that he really didn't want to sleep because he had a list of stuff he wanted to get finished before they left for their permanent trip. He had only a week to box up his private things and figure out what to do with them while he was under Anna's watchful eye.

The regular list Colin liked to make was displayed in his planner but underneath the pad was a private list he wrote in code. He liked lists and this one awaited his attention like a lover.

After Christine set their nook table full of fruit, muffins, oatmeal, coffee and juice, Chef Caesar made sure he placed donuts, cheesecake, and taffy candy on little plates around him. Colin loved Caesar's homemade taffy. After assuring them he didn't need anything else, Christine and Caesar went out to box up the truck that was leaving to the shipping yard the next morning. The early breakfast wasn't doing much for Colin's stomach, but the scents and colors were comforting.

The house was barely alive with the swishing sound of morning slippers in the distance as Colin relaxed and looked out over his property. Every part of the house had a view that was well worth the nine-million-dollars he paid for it. The picture of the glorious snow that covered the landscape of his valley was gorgeous and one could never tire looking at it. The nook off the library that faced their giant garden was breathtaking as well, but there was something serene from the view of the kitchen nook with all the little houses spread out below that made him feel like a King.

Dressed in sweats, Colin had planned for a relaxing day with Anna until he turned on the television screen attached to the wall to watch the local news. He was beginning to feel sick again but wasn't sure if it was his stomach trying to hold the food down or because of the information he was watching on his TV.