Bloom

47. needle hairs

Zephaniah

"This is so bad, Zeph. This is so, super bad." Mum sighed, stuffing some more chocolate cake into her mouth.

My eyes squinted lightly, I had to laugh. Feet were moving around in circles, raising into the air as I was lying down onto my stomach, my elbows propped upon my parents' bed. I swallowed down some chocolate cake as well, watching mum. She was seated against the headboard beside me, the box of chocolate cake on her lap.

"But it's so good. So, super good. Isn't it?" She gave me a soft smile, I returned it, nodding my head slowly. "Cravings are bad, but at least it isn't pickles with whipped cream or ice cream. That's a weird one."

"Pickles with whipped cream?" I frowned, taking a bite off my fork, licking my lips after that. I didn't understand what she meant, who on Earth would eat pickles with whipped cream? Whipped cream was supposed to be served with desserts, an exception was fruit. Until there, I'd go, but further, no way.

Mum chuckled, she stared at me. "Some pregnant woman have the strangest cravings. I just want sweet things. Or pizza, that would do too."

"Maybe it tastes like sour cream." I said quietly, reaching for the box that mum was holding. I looked up at her with questionable eyes, waiting for her consent to take more. She nodded her head, but her eyes were narrowed.

"Sour cream? Why?" She questioned.

"Pickles are sour, whipped cream is cream? Sour cream." I frowned, a little unsure to her question. Wasn't it obvious what I meant with it? Stuffing more cake into my mouth, I felt her hand gently stroking my cheek. I didn't really react to it, too occupied with the food.

Dad was going out for dinner with uncle Sam, they hadn't properly spoken in a while. Mum and I would be alone for the evening, she'd wanted to cut my hair, but I didn't feel like it, knowing how much I disliked the certain feelings of it. I knew I didn't really have a choice, though. She had said before Amsterdam, after all.

Which was soon. Too soon. Just a few days.

Looking down at Cooper, I felt the pain I had gotten while hearing the news coming up again. Before getting the meltdown at University, I had had a lot of shutdowns. Dad said it had been hard to get me out of them. I just couldn't get used to the news.

I wondered when he would die, would it be soon? Did I need to put him down to save him from his pain? The vet had said that he would be doing okay for now, but it could get worse eventually. I didn't think mum and dad had ever wiped away some many tears off my cheeks.

Slipping off my parents' bed, I lied down beside Cooper on the floor, observing his eyes. He seemed calm, his eyes squinted when he saw me. Smiling slightly, I pressed my lips to his snout, wiping the wetness off after that.

"Will the baby be born when I'm back?" I wondered, glancing at mum, who was already staring at me.

"Would be a about three to four weeks later, Zeph. But who knows? It could be earlier." She gave me a smile, closing the box where the chocolate cake had been in. We had finished it, I felt bad for not saving any for Dad, but mum made me feel less guilty by telling me he'd order a fancy dessert, anyway.

Nodding, I sat up, wrapping my arm around Cooper's neck. "Not healthy for- for the baby. If it's earlier, I mean."

"It would be fine. You were three weeks early. You came out pretty handsome." She teased, it made me laugh, but think.

"Is that why I have epilepsy, maybe, uhm, the autism?" I frowned a little, looking up at her. Things weren't fully developed when you'd be born a few weeks early, maybe something had went slightly wrong in my brain.