The Dysfunction Of Evan: Books 1-3 Collection

55. Turning Point

*(Holly)*

I sighed. She'd told me not to tell him, but it had been three days and she hadn't gotten out of bed for anything else but to pee. The twins were down for a nap, and I was staring at my phone.

"He should know." I said out loud. Bobby grunted in my lap. I pulled up his number and let my finger hover over it. I knew I'd be overstepping, I knew she'd be pissed, but he needed to know.

Her reasons for not telling him were valid. He was busy working and needed to stay focused, but she wasn't planning on telling him she'd been pregnant or that she was having a bad episode. I'd hear her on the phone with him, and she'd act like nothing was wrong, then after they hung up, she'd cry. She'd canceled her appointment with Frannie, and wasn't planning on keeping the next one.

She wouldn't let me in the room except to collect milk she'd pumped. She wasn't eating. I'd brought in some bottles of water while she was sleeping, but as far as I could tell from the doorway, she hadn't touched them. I highly suspected she'd been cutting herself, but again, from the door way, I could only see so much. The few times I had tried to go in and check on her, she'd screamed and started throwing things at me. As much as I loved and cared for her, I was here to help with the twins. I wasn't equipped for this.

I was about to hit the call option, when I got a text from her. She was asking me to bring up Bobby. I sighed again and collected the dog from my lap.

"Mistress Manic wants to see you, buddy." I said standing up. I let my phone drop onto the couch cushion. I carried him upstairs to her bedroom.

"Astrid?" I said, cracking open the door.

"Come in." She said quietly. I opened the door and stepped in.

The room was a mess, and had a very weird smell. Bobby sniffed the air and huffed, clearly not wanting to be in there. I didn't blame him. I walked in and put him on the bed, he jumped down and ran out of the room. Astrid whimpered.

"Stupid dog." She muttered.

"Have you showered?" I asked her.

"I don't have the energy." She replied.

"Well, you need to find it. Maybe open a window or two, change the bedding." I suggested. I wasn't even trying to sound friendly. She was depressed, she was angry, I got that. She was also a grown woman and a mother. She had responsibilities not only to herself, but her children as well. I was just Uncle Holly, there was only so much I could do.

"It's too cold to open the windows." She said. "The bedding is fine."

"It's really nice outside, Astrid. Why don't you take a shower and I'll change the bed sheets and air out the room a bit." I tried again.

"Maybe later." She said. She laid back down and turned on her side.

"No, not later." I said firmly. "If I have to drag you into the shower myself, I will."

She popped her head up and glared at me.

"Don't make me do it, Astrid." I said.

"I asked you to bring me the dog, nothing else." She shot.

"Yeah, well, it reeks in here, he didn't like it." I shot back.

"It does not smell." She rolled her eyes. I sighed.

"Have it your way." I said, leaving the room. I left the door open.

I went back downstairs and grabbed my phone. I walked back upstairs and stood a few feet from her bedroom door. I hit the call options under Tom's number. I got his voicemail.