Open wounds

41

"You do not need to see that. That's the whole point of you." Marc told Steven who was resting against a wall. Steven punched Marc in the face and held his knuckles.

"The point of me? The point of me? What? To be your stress ball?" Steven said, "All this time I thought I was the original, but I'm just something that you made up."

"You've got to live a happy, simple, normal life. You understand?" Marc told Steven as he slowly got closer to him.

"But it was all a lie, wasn't it?" Steven said backing away as Marc got closer.

"So what? What does it matter? What? You wanna remember the truth? That you had a mother that beats you? That hated you? That made your life a living hell?" Marc said raising his voice a little.

"You're lying. You're just trying to upset me." Steven said his eyes watered a bit and so did Marc's.

"But you've gotten to live thinking that she loved you. That she was kind. That she's still alive!" Marc said with his eyes watering.

"What? What are you talking about? She's alive. I speak to her every day. What are you talking about?" Steven asked his eyes filled with tears and he stopped walking.

"Dad called me after all these years, about her Shiva, and I couldn't do it."
Marc told Steven.

"No, this is all wrong. This is... No, this is all wrong." Steven cried slightly.

"Steven, I'm sorry." Marc apologised and went to hug Steven but Steven clenched up and shut his eyes, "Oh, no, no, no. No, no, no. No, thank you. No. Let me out, let me out!"

"Calm down. It's all right. It's okay."
He heard someone say.

"Let me out, let me out!" He repeated and when he opened his eyes he tipped the glass of water and ended up soaking Dr Harrow, "God. I'm so sorry. Sorry... God. I'm so sorry. Sorry... You gave me a real start there. Gave you a bit of a wash, didn't I?"

"Steven?" Dr Harrow asked as Steven dried of Dr Harrow's face.

"Hold on a minute. What's this..." Steven jumped up and looked around.

"It's good to see you again." Dr Harrow smiled to Steven.

"What is this? Is this some kind of test? I recognize this place. What's this?" Steven asked turning his head to look around the room.

"Steven, I'm your doctor. Remember?" Dr Harrow said with a smile.

"You're my doctor?" Steven asked pointing to himself while he looked around the room.

"I'm here to help you." Dr Harrow replied with calmly.

"Dr. Harrow, yeah, is it? That's right. Oh, yeah, look at that." Steven looked and pointed at a certificate up on the wall, "Well... You've really gone up in the world, haven't you?"

"I was beginning to worry we might never speak again." Dr Harrow said ignoring Stevens question.

"It's so strange. The little haircut. Little silly 'tache there." Steven gestured to Dr Harrow's face, "It's very Ned Flanders."

"Steven." Dr Harrow said

"What's Taweret up to now?" Steven asked himself.

"It's my fault. I asked Marc to open up to you." Dr Harrow sat on the edge of his desk, "Did he get a chance to speak with you?"

"Yeah, well, he... He lied to me. That's what he did." Steven stuttered a little and looked at Dr Harrow.

"Mmm-hmm. And what do you feel that he lied to you about?" He asked Steven.

"Oh. Nosy." He replied with giving him a weird look.

"No, it's just... Steven, when you first came in here, I was worried you were never gonna be able to acknowledge Marc." Dr Harrow explained and moved around on his desk slightly.

"What do you mean we're not... I brought us here?" Steven asked

"After your mother passed." Dr Harrow told Steven calmly.

"Oi. Don't say that. That's not true. That's not true." Steven said pointing his finger at Dr Harrow.

"Oh, I'm so... I must..." Dr Harrow said slightly over Steven.

"You having a laugh as well? Because I don't wanna hear it.
" Steven's eyes filled with tears he didn't want to accept the fact that his mothers dead.

"Steven, I must be mistaken." Dr Harrow said calmer.

"My mother is alive. You say that again, I will freak out! I promise." Steven yelled a little.

"I must be mistaken. Okay? Would you like to speak with her? Why don't we call her?" Dr Harrow reached for the phone.

"You don't have her number." Steven said in his normal tone and the tears built up in his eyes.

"Yeah, we have it on file. Hold on, let me just get Dylan." He said while he dialled in a number.

"No, don't do that." Steven cried a little.

"It'll take two seconds." Dr Harrow put the phone next to his ear.

"Don't bother her." Steven mumbled.

"Hey, Dylan. Yeah. Could you call Mrs. Grant, please?" Dr Harrow told the man over the phone.

"She screens her calls. She won't answer." Steven walked up to Dr Harrow slowly, "She's afraid of tele salespeople."

"She'll wanna talk to you. I'm sure of it. She's getting the number." He told Steven with a smile.

"Don't do that." Steven said quietly.

"Okay, okay. Thank you." Dr Harrow said to the man over the phone

"Please don't do that." Steven mumbled

"It's ringing." Dr Harrow smiled

"Don't bother her, please." Steven repeated.

"Uh, hello, Mrs. Grant. Yes, this is Dr. Harrow. Mmm-hmm." Dr Harrow smiled and talked to the person over the phone, "Steven's here. She'd like to speak with you. Steven, would you like to speak to your mum?"

He held the phone out to Steven and multiple tears came from his eyes. "My mum..." Steven cried softly, "My mum is dead."