Off One's Rocker - Lashton

Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

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The loading sign on the computer span round and round waiting to get signal allowing a face to pop up on the screen.

Alex sat and waited nervously, fiddling with his fingers whilst millions of thought whizzed through his head. Just looking in the mirror this morning he felt as if he'd aged drastically. Whatever colour that was left in his hair had turned completely grey and wrinkles were becoming more noticeable on his forehead. Alex was stressed.

He'd never found his job hard before, maybe challenging but not hard. That's half the reason why he took Luke on. Yet he never expected him to be this difficult.

Being in the psychiatric ward for nine days the blonde had only remained fully conscious for two of them which was not how Alex had planned it. By now he had hoped the anorexic had understood the concept of his eating disorder and accepted that he was anorexic.

Yet Luke found himself refusing to eat when conscious and being attached to multiple machines yet again.

"Alex," a women's voice spoke as he stared endlessly into space thinking of his next steps.

"Liz," he replied adverting his gave to the women who had the exact ocean blue eyes as her son.

"I hope you don't mind me saying this but you look dreadful," she smiled sadly at her old friend.

"Your son is a difficult one," he chuckled sadly empathising how hard this situation must be for her and their family currently.

Sighing the blondes mother nodded. "I know. You don't have to keep going with him if you want, there are other places I hear-"

Alex cut her off a little downhearted that she didn't believe he could help her son. "No, I promised you I get him to love himself again and get up to a healthy weight and I won't break that promise."

Silently Liz thought. She spoilt the blonde as he was the youngest and he always usually got his own way. He was stubborn and would not do something is he did not want to.

"How is he?" she said her voice slightly quieter and a hint of sadness. Her eyes were now glossy as if something emotional suddenly hit her.

The grey haired man sat for a while in silence, opening his mouth and trying to speak but didn't know how to phrase things. "I'd like to say getting better but that would be false information. Honestly, he's gained weight but he's not taking it well."

"You got him to eat?" Liz spoke a hint of hope in her tone. However, judging by Alex's lack of enthusiasm she sunk back into the couch at her home.

"Not exactly," he pulled a face of sorrow. "I know you asked me not to force feed him however I had no other choice."

She let out a huge sob as she covered her face with her hands. Alex's heart shattered knowing he went against her only wish. If he could he'd fly all the way to Sydney to be with her yet he had to look after her son and other patients.

"He was refusing to eat Liz, what else was I supposed to do? Let him die!" he said with a raised voice. He was angry, not at her but with himself.

"That's what he wants," she mutters knowing now that her son has not been happy with life for a while. "I thought I was a good mother," she admitted remembering all the things she had done for her three sons she loved dearly.

"You are," Alex promised to look at the woman. "Luke's just going through a tough time in life."

"The others didn't," she pointed out and then became to sob again as the grey haired man just about made out the "It's all my fault."