Staring at the ceiling, Eugene listens to the clock tick inside his room. "I want to go home." He mumbles as he counts the tiny dots on the ceiling. "You'll go home soon." The nurse finishes his vitals and pats his shoulder. his hoarse voice groans, "This isn't how I thought I would spend my Saturday." Eugene turns his head away from her.
"Hi, Eugene." You smile and push open the door, books in hand. "Morning, sweetheart." He smiles and watches you sit down beside him. "How's your morning?" You sip your coffee and open the book. Reading the book title, he becomes sweaty and anxious, not wanting to remember what he's been going through. Esther's favorite book...
"Do you uh- think they'll release me today?" He shifts. Placing the book face down, "I heard they might." You open the window, and he squints his eyes. "They told me you'll need pills for your cough and chest." Eugene watches the book, and Esther picks it up and starts reading it to him, 'Please stop. Please stop.' He closes his eyes and hopes to make her go away.
"I'm a free man!" Eugene runs out of the hospital. "Calm down, speed racer." You say, panting. He turns around and grabs your face, "Being cooped up in a hospital room is so shitty. I never want to do it again. Can I drive?" Eugene sits in the passenger seat, pouting. "Eugene, you'll be alright." Keeping your eyes on the road and parking on the curb next to his house. "I missed my home."
He inhales and falls onto the couch. Eugene looks up at you, "I was thinking about buying another house, like moving somewhere else but still in the city. Instead of this apartment where we can't do much, we can get a house." He says excitedly. And he stops whenever you don't respond, he gets up, "Somewhere we can call home." Eugene smiles.
A few weeks passed as you two moved into your new house. The night was tranquil and interrupted by Eugene having a coughing fit next to you. He quickly gets out of bed and heads into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. A few days ago, you two argued about him still smoking cigarettes. "Eugene." You knock on the bathroom door, and he responds with a 'hmm?'
"You alright?" You lean against the frame. "Does it fucking sound like I'm alright, Y/N?" You fall against his body as he opens the door. "I was just asking." You scoff. "The maid is coming tomorrow, and you must be here." He gets under the blankets. "Eugene! I have work in the morning, and I won't be here." You exclaim. "Well, I guess I'll just sit my ass at home." He turns over. "Yeah, you do that." Your back faces him.
Fixing your hair, you look in the mirror and watch as Eugene walks in the background. You stand up and straighten your uniform.
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Waiting for your coffee to heat up, you lean against the fridge and listen to the faint radio. Between pouring your coffee and humming along, Eugene finds his way to be wrapped around your waist, his head laid on your shoulder. "Morning, darlin'" His voice was almost gone. "Morning." You set his pills up and wait for him to take them. Checking your watch, you realize you're going to be late, "Shit! I'll see you later tonight, honey." A quick peck on his lips, and you were on your way.
10 IN THE MORNING
The doorbell rings and Eugene quickly opens the door, "Hi, My name is Edie, and I'll be your cleaning lady." She smiles.
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Eugene slowly gulps and lets her in. "uh- I'm Eugene." He shakes her hand and observes her closely, and she looks too much like Esther for him. "Just tell me if you need anything." He smiles. With her cleaning, he followed her... Almost like an obsession. He runs to get his camera and clicks a few pictures of her from afar. Rushing down to the basement, he lights a cigarette and pours himself a drink, pinning the photos to a corkboard. "Edie... Esther..." Eugene tries to put two and two together but has to run back upstairs, closing the basement door behind him.
Eugene still hears vacuuming and sits on the couch, waiting for her to be finished. Edie walks back up to him, "I'm all finished." She dusts off her pants and smiles. "Ah- Uh- Thank you. Here you are." He hands her the money, and their fingers brush. "You're shaking..." Edie looks up at him, and he gulps once again. "I- Uh- Just sick." He laughs it off and scratches his neck. She gives a little laugh and leaves. 'Oh my god. That's Esther.' Eugene starts to breathe heavily and leans onto the counter, "I thought she was dead." Eugene did everything he could to find that Edie girl and found out about her. He had his ways—all hidden in that tiny basement of theirs.
Slipping off your shoes, you sigh and rub your neck, tired from working with old people all-day. "Eugene! I'm home." You shout and head upstairs. Getting ready for bed, you strip down to your bra and underwear, hoping to take a bath. 'He must be working late.' You run a bath and wait for it to fill up. While it was filling up, you couldn't help but close your eyes for a bit, and you were exhausted. You quickly open your eyes and turn the bath off, getting into the tub, you sigh. "Have you eaten?" Eugene opens the door. "Nope." Your eyes still closed. "Well, I brought dinner." His voice very soft and calm. "Mhmm." Your focus was on his voice and how soft it was. "Y/N... It's gonna get cold. C'mon now, honey." He grabs you a towel and clothes. You liked this, you two weren't as intimate and passionate as you once were.
"How was work?" He sits next to you. "It was fine, a lot of giving old people food and playing bingo." You say slightly smiling. "That's good, I could tell they were being hard on you. How tired you were whenever I walked into the bathroom." He continues to eat. "How was the cleaning lady?" You look at him, and his mood changed. "She was good, cleaned pretty well." He responded. "Hmm, what she look like?" The fork drops from his hand. "I'm done eating." Eugene gets up and puts his plate into the sink. "Eugene, what the fuck?" You get up and go after him. "Why are you acting like this?" Pulling his arm wasn't the best move.
"Don't fucking push it, Y/N." He groans. "Okay, Mr. 'doesn't want to talk to his girlfriend'! You treat me like I'm fucking invisible! Fucking talk to me! What's your fucking problem?" You step in front of him and look up at him. "You want to know my fucking problem?! I can't get shit done without you being in my way! Let me live." He gets closer to you as he yells. "You have fucking issues, Eugene! I've been trying to take care of you but you've been brushing me off! What's next?! We break up?" You argue. "If it has to come to that, so fucking be it, Y/N!" Eugene goes into the living room and you go into the bedroom, slamming the door.
Eugene makes you want to pull out your hair sometimes but you love that man with your whole heart. Looking into the mirror, you watch as you cry once again. Shaky breaths escape you and you turn on the shower, letting it run before you get in, fully clothed. "I miss the old him... so much." The nightgown clings to your body, clings to the matching tattoo you got on your back, he was too busy in the past to see what he was right now.
