Entangled and Locked Out

3. I need to tell you something

In a dark burgundy room, Walter White sits and listens to a doctor telling him he has inoperable lung cancer, he understands this, but he can only seem to focus on a small stain of mustard on the doctor's white coat next to his tie. It seems unprofessional and it bothers him tremendously. It's one o'clock, so it must be from lunch, otherwise, this is not a sanitary establishment, if the doctor can't even wash his uniform. Walter hears his name being called and turns his focus back to the doctor, who asks if he has understood what he said. Walter tells him that he has and retells everything the doctor said, and when he's done, he informs the doctor of the stain that had been distracting him.

. . .

Another day had come, and it was almost gone. Eli feels that nothing has happened today, she has just been reading, hanging out with Junior and debating whether or not she should text Sam one of the many messages she has written, saved but never sent. Skyler has been on the phone with the credit card company for almost forty minutes now.

Walt walks in through the door, and Skyler finishes up with the credit card company. She puts the phone on the kitchen counter and greets her husband, who's at the fridge now.

"Did you use the MasterCard last month?", Skyler asks, scanning the bill until she finds the purchase she is looking for. "15.88 at Staples?"

Eli gets up from her seat in the living room since she does not want to get caught in there, in case her parents have a fight. Even though her parents don't fight often, it's just better to be on the safe side. She walks into her room and shuts the door behind her. As she looks around the room, she starts to wonder.

Do mom and dad want me to move out? She believes her parents want her to move out. She doesn't think that it is something they are consciously thinking about, but on some level, she's certain they want her to leave. Her mom is pregnant with her third child, and this house only has three bedrooms. It's not a problem now, or even for another year or two, but when the baby grows up, they'll need privacy. Not to mention her parents need privacy. She feels guilty for staying, but she can't afford to leave, and her parents don't have money to move or even just expand. She looks around the room, that will be her little brother or sister's room. She imagines a crib in the corner instead of her bed, a rocking chair instead of a desk by the window. She sees the walls painted beautiful with flowers and stars. She sees herself holding her baby-sibling in her arms as she moves back and forth in the rocking chair. They need this room more than she does.

. . .

"Thanks for your help, sweetie", Skyler says and kisses Eli's forehead as she finishes wiping down the last plate. "I am exhausted, I think I'm gonna go to bed".

Eli plans on going to the bar again tonight, she'll just have to wait until her dad goes to bed. She glances out the window to the backyard and sees her dad still sitting in the patio furniture looking at the pool. Eli folds the dish towel and places it on the kitchen table, and walks out the door to the yard. She wonders if something is bugging him, he was pretty quiet at dinner now that she thinks about it.

Walt doesn't notice his daughter until she is standing right in front of her. He throws a lit match into the pool and turns his attention towards her. She switches between which foot she's leaning on and her arms are embracing her abdomen.

"Dad, are... uhm.. is something wrong?", she stutters. She creases her eyebrows and bites the inside of her mouth. She doesn't like seeing her dad upset.

"No, honey, not at all. I just needed a little bit of fresh air", he says and gives his daughter a tight smile, that he's trying to pass off as a genuine one.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, don't worry about me, now go inside. You're not wearing a jacket or shoes".