Between Us and These Bones

12

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.
Sorry for being so slow in updating, I've been having trouble finding motivation with this story. I am working it out though.

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Fluorescent lights burned my eyeballs as I squinted, staring up at the ceiling tiles. Everything came back down to at once, my head pounding as images flashed in my mind. Stepfather dead. Mom is missing. Dad is in a coma.

I wished it was a nightmare, but I didn't seem to be granted the wish. My life is a fucking nightmare.

When the ceiling tiles became clear, a familiar face popped into view, hovering over me. "Tarryn, thank God," Carson said, relief in his eyes. "You're awake, took you long enough." He helped me sit up, cautious of the wires attached to my body, seconds later his arms are around me and my face is smushed against my brothers chest.

I let him nearly squeeze me to death before pushing at his arms. "Carson, let go," I mumbled, "you are suffocating me."

"Sorry, bub," he murmured, and pulled back, a soft smile on his lips. "Do you remember anything that happened?"

"Matthew loves me more than he lets on?" I grinned, vaguely remembering his voice, snapping and irritated. I remembered his voice, bossy and impatient as usual.

He laughed. "He's been a big pain in the ass, as usual. Security threatened to kick him out if he didn't stop harassing the doctors and nurses." I bet they threatened to kick the three of them out, but my brother would deny any misbehaviour on his part.

"Where are they now?"

"Getting food. They'll be back soon." His eyes burned with worry. "How are you feeling? Do you have chest pain? Your heart rate is evening out."

"No."

"No what?" Scratch that, Carson was just as impatient when he wanted answers, answers he deemed critical.

"No, I don't have any chest pain." Not much anyway. Not enough to report. My heart ached, like a continuous, dull throb, but it wasn't anything new.

Carson narrowed his eyes. "Don't lie to me."

"Why do you ask questions that you already know then?"

"You know why. You can't hide your symptoms, Tarryn. You know this and if you don't and it's missed then something more serious can happen and the doctors will keep asking questions and we'll be here longer than needed ... so save me the insanity of wondering and tell the truth."

I huffed. "A little bit, so what? I'm used to it."

"I mean more than normal?"

"Somewhat."

"Are you this unforthcoming with Dr. Webber?"

"Dr. Webber and I get along great."

"That's not what I asked."

I groaned. "Yes, more pain than normal. In my chest, my heart. What the fuck happened anyway?"

"Someone mixed up your medication."

"What?" I asked, thinking I heard wrong.

"Someone mixed up your medication," my brother said. "You didn't have your medications with you when you came to dads. I picked up your medications at the pharmacy myself, so that means someone got to them at the pharmacy..."

"You need to review the security footage." I tried to sit up, pain

"Stop moving and you wouldn't be in pain," my brother said.