𝑌𝑒𝑎ℎ, 𝑀𝑒 𝑇𝑜𝑜 (𝑂𝐶 + 𝑃𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑘𝑒𝑟)

hallucination?

4 hours later...

"DAD DO WE HAVE ANY TYLENOL?!" I yell from the kitchen.

"YEAH IN THE CABINET NEXT TO THE STOVE?" His yell muffled by his closed bedroom door.

I tear around the spices and the boxes and bottles of my moms old meds.

Why haven't we thrown these away?

Oh right my Dads playing pretend. That my Mom isn't really dead. Just gone.

I sit down on the floor, leaning on the side of the cabinet for support. I run my hand through my hair resting it on my soft cheek. I close my eyes trying to combat the pain in my head.

It's hard enough to not have a parent present but having the other ignoring you is practically unbearable.

I get up shakily, searching the cabinet with renewed determination. Trying to find the dumb drugs so my headache can go away and I can sleep.

It was another night of me preparing cold food and leaving some for my my Dad. Knowing he will barely touch it. I can't even make my Moms food. It's really what I make best. He won't touch it if it's her recipe. So badly made lasagna it is.

Soon I found the holy grail. I quickly open the small red bottle. The pills shaking around alerting me that my headache will soon go away. I quickly pop one in my mouth.

I wash my face and brush my hair quickly deciding against a shower. I was just too tired to get in. I walk sluggishly to my bed anticipating the calm when the pills take over.

Laying in the dark, I can feel my body relaxing and my headache ease and give away..

                      ___________________

Sometime that night

I woke up in a cold sweat shivering. I quickly sit up in my bed, trying to calm the sudden shivers going down my spine. I get out of my bed to find my shirt sticking to my back. I clumsily stubble down the short hallway to rest in front of my Dads door. Not having the energy to yell or knock, I slump down in a mess of limbs.

Am I dying?

I don't know but it sure feels like it. THIS HEADACHE CHRIST. It feels like each of my cells are burning.

"Dad." I croak desperately.

I feel the door open slowly behind me. I feel myself start to fall back. My Dad sees my state and quickly assess to catch me. I lean back into his embrace for the first time in months.

"Wait, Lucy what's wrong." I grimace at a particular nasty round of pain. The genuine concern in his eyes making me sad knowing he hasn't shown me concern in so long.

My Dads medical training started taking over. Situating me into a more comfortable position. At times like these, I'm glad my parents are nurses. Well we're anyways. Its great that my Dad works the night shift. Now I think his profession is... flawed.

"Alright, can you tell me where it hurts?" He asked kindly.

everywhere

I point to my head and lower body.

"Okay, now let me get the thermometer." Resting me against the doorframe.

I start to whimper. The pain in my head was getting worse. It feels like someone took and axe and just started hitting my skull and lower body.

He checks my temp. The small beeping noise definitely didn't help my headache for sure.

"You have a fever of 103. That's way too high. If it goes higher we need to go to the hospital." He says. I feel is both tense at the mention of visiting the hospital.