Bad Liar

Chapter Twenty One

~Mick~

It all began falling into place like a hundred pennies dropping simultaneously, the illusion we were coping had just been shattered by what should have been the happiest of news. While it was the happiest of news, it was news that made Linda confront reality and lay herself bare in a way I'd never seen before - she was completely vulnerable and exposed in a way that caused so much pain to tear through us both.

Gently, I walked round the bar and held Linda in my arms. I didn't stop her crying I let her carry on, it gave me time to think of what to say. It had always been the elephant in the room, that at any moment we could loose Alice but, like any scared family, pushed it away into the darkened corners refusing to accept the reality of our little world. Now, Linda - whether she realised it or not - had dragged it from the corner kicking and screaming and we were being forced to confront this ugly monster we'd tried to hide. We'd been forced to confront the ugly truth.

"We'll fight. We will fight for our impossible girl. Even when she gives in, you and I will fight for her. We'll give her every scrap of courage she needs to just go on one more day, and we'll do that until she can lift her head up again. We will carry her through this for however long it takes to get her through to the other side." With Linda's head tucked protectively and delicately under my chin, I let my tears fall. I let the waves of relief begin to wash over me, I let them replace the crushing waves of sadness and fear that had been all consuming and drowning us ever since this all began.
~~~

~Alice~

The shrill buzz of my alarm cut through what light sleep I was having and with a faint sigh I pushed myself up in bed and grabbed my phone. Something felt different this morning, something felt off but I couldn't pin point what it was. Shaking off the odd feeling I grabbed my things and headed to the shower, singing away softly as I washed.

Soon after I pulled my uniform on I plonked myself down at the kitchen table and began devouring a slice of toast. Dad folded down the top of his newspaper, peering over the top his glasses in a quizzical manner. 
"How you feeling Al?" Followed after a brief moment of silence.
"I'm okay, actually." I finally worked out what the feeling was. My heart didn't feel as heavy, my head not as foggy. I didn't feel as empty, I felt almost full - whether that was the toast or not is up for debate.
I smiled across as at dad, and I felt it I actually felt it, the warmth and the love that my smile was trying to communicate.

"Shall I mark the calendar?" I nodded over at dad and he marked the date. Sarah told us to mark my episodes on the calendar, depressive, neutral and manic to work out the vague ebb and flow of my mood swings, to see how long each state lasted so we could have a better understanding of if the medication was working or not.

"I said to Bex I'd walk with her today instead of getting the bus so I need to go or I'm going to be late." I jumped up after seeing the time, briefly hugging dad goodbye I rushed an 'I love you' grabbed the rest of my stuff and headed out to meet Bex. It was 8 am, the Sky was a dusty grey and the moon was beginning to fade. I pulled my jacket further round me as the chill hit my skin, up ahead I heard a door slam and saw Bex' round face smiling at me - a smile I gladly returned.

"Remind me again why were walking to school in this? It's bloody freezing." I quipped, we began walking down the road heading out the square and once I knew we we're safely out of sight I lit up a cigarette.
"That is why we are walking thank you. Not my fault you like to smoke before school but are too scared to do it at the bus stop." Jokingly she nudged me with her elbow and I let out a sputtering laugh that filled the cold morning air and that Bex caught quickly.

We laughed the whole way to school and once we arrived I found myself sat in the heads office, waiting for Mrs Murphy to arrive from staff briefing.