Fix My Feet When They're Stumblin'

Chapter 72

     With a sigh of relief, Tana closed the dishwasher and dried her hands on a brightly striped towel, lost in swirls of anxious ruminations: Brandon, the boys, school, therapy...Brandon, Brandon, Brandon. Always.

    The smallest suggestion of a smirk twisted her lips at the thought, though she often found herself wishing there was a magic 'Reset' button, so they could all return to their lives in peace. She shook her head ruefully, slipping through the kitchen doorway into the hallway beyond. Time to go back to my favorite person.

    "Oh!"

    Tana drew to a halt, stunned. Brandon sat far down the darkened hallway with his legs drawn up to his chest and his head tucked down into his knees. He cradled his skull with a hand that seemed nearly translucent in the dim light, his skin ghostly pale. What's he doing in here?

    "Brandon?" she called softly, lingering by the kitchen doorway to watch her husband. He offered her no reaction, so she approached him carefully, then raised her voice and tried again.

    "Hey - honey, are you okay?"

    Brandon jumped in surprise, jerking his head up suddenly to stare at her with wide eyes, his shoulders stiff. Abruptly, all the color drained from his face and his eyelids fluttered woozily. His skin took on a sickly green cast and he dropped his head back to his knees with a soft groan, wrapping his arm around the base of his skull.

    Alarmed, Tana took a few more steps toward him, fighting the urge to run, to touch him.

    "Shit, shit - Brandon, baby, are you okay?"

    He grunted, waving his hand weakly in her direction. "'Kay. Moved too - t-too f-fast. Just...s-sick. Hurts. S-Sorry. M'okay," he whispered, the words barely reaching her ears.

    He sure doesn't look okay. A little knot of guilt formed in her stomach and she wavered, stepping backward.

    "I'm sorry, honey. I didn't mean to scare you."

    He didn't reply this time, and Tana hovered a few feet away, nervously shifting her weight back and forth. Leaning against the wall, she watched and waited, wishing with all her being that she could hug him. Several long minutes passed before Brandon's shoulders visibly relaxed, his torso rising and falling with a heavy sigh.

    "Brandon?"

     He raised his head again at the sound of her voice, much slower now than before. His eyes skimmed the hallway until they found her face, and a shiver ran down her spine as his glassy eyes finally met hers. He needs to go lie down for a bit, he looks awful. He looks done.

    "What'cha doing in here, Brandon? I left you in the living room a few minutes ago."

    His eyes left her face and moved slowly around the darkened hall, skittering over the family photos on the walls. Tana narrowed her own eyes, studying her husband's slim figure closely while a cloud of confusion settled over him, drawing deep wrinkles on his waxen face.

    "I...um...I d-dunno," he finally whispered. His tone rose at the end of the sentence, making it sound like a question. Closing his eyes, he leaned back against the wall. "Dunno."

    Tana sighed, taking a small, tentative step toward him. "Come on, Brandon. I left you in the living room to try some reading. What are you doing in the hall? Did you need something?"

    "I don't know," he repeated more deliberately, emphasizing each word, a jagged edge of irritation bleeding through. "I-I don't - I d-don't know." He sighed, then bit his lip, squeezing his eyes shut even tighter.