Misery Business

Snap Out Of It

Sage didn't sleep the full night. She stayed awake on her sofa all night. Sometimes that happened. But it made it almost impossible to go to work that next day. Seeing those forty-eight missed called from her mother last night just sent her over the edge. It was like she wasn't only battling her mental illness, but her mother's mental illness also.

She then thought about Jon, and all his strange kindness that he offered her into his room. She didn't really know what the intention was behind it, whether he was after something or he really was just being kind after seeing she was clearly upset. Either way, she couldn't stop thinking about it… about him. And she didn't want that. She didn't want to think of him, no matter how nice he was to her. He shouldn't have been praised for asking if she was ok, but she supposed it was some improvement.

She got up from her sofa, forgetting all about last night's pills, and got showered for work. Luckily enough, she was able to work on little or no sleep, but it was a challenge obviously.

When she met Cass at their usual spot for meeting for work, she knew Cass immediately knew that she hadn't gone to bed. She'd been around her long enough to know at this point, and she immediately got ready for grief from her.

"You haven't slept." Cass pointed out confidently.

"Maybe." Sage nodded as Cass shook her head.

"Why not?" Cass asked.

"I've just got a lot on my mind. That's all." Sage said as they walked down the street.

"I know you do, but that's more so the reason to get some sleep." Cass nodded, "Did you get your phone last night?" She asked.

"Yeah." Sage nodded, "Burst into tears in the cupboard when I picked it up." She shook her head.

"Why?" Cass asked.

"Forty-eight missed calls that's why." Sage said, "And a bunch of voice mails that you don't want to hear." She shook her head.

"Oh, Sage how long is this going to keep going on for?" Cass shook her head, "Why does your mom act out like that against you? Doesn't she take her pills?"

"Sometimes, I guess." Sage shrugged, "She was never prescribed the right dosage in the first place, and she just chooses what days she wants to take them, which is maybe like… once a week." She shrugged, "She's always blamed me for the illness. That's her problem." Sage nodded.

"Shouldn't she want to confront it and… be open to helping one another out?" Cass shook her head.

"No. That's not my mom." Sage said.

"But you can't let her keep harassing you like this, Sage. It's not fair on you." Cass sighed frustratedly.

"What am I meant to do?" Sage said.

"Why don't you change your number?" Cass suggested.

"She knows where I live she'll figure it out and come find me." Sage said, "And I have to be there for her and dad during this trial." She sighed, "I just feel like I'm going nowhere, Cass." She sighed.

"We all feel like that sometimes." Cass assured her sadly.

"Jonathan invited me into his room last night." Sage told her.

"What?!?" Cass shrieked, pausing on the side walk.

"Not like that." Sage rolled her eyes, pulling her forward to continue walking together, "When I got my phone, I walked by him, he saw I was upset and said he was there to talk and I don't know I just… for a second I really wanted to go and talk to him." Sage shrugged.