To heal is to feel

Life of The Party

"I was sweeping."

"You sweep?"

"I do enjoy a little sweep once in a while. How else would messes be cleaned up?" Messes like my life.

"Lanna..." Glenn's eyes flutter closed for a few seconds, as if thinking of a way to go from this.

Guilt, I'm guilty.

"The brooms stick, it was too heavy and stretched out.i fell, the broom stick fell on top of my face." I shrug , as if it wasn't a big deal and I'm not guilty.

"Lanna" Glenn repeats my name another time. For a second it feels like we are the only ones in the room. The cake in my stomach about to come up my throat and out my mouth. And not just because it was the first thing I've eaten since... some time.

"Maybe you shouldn't sweep that much anymore." Glenn's says in a tone I've never heard from him. It was a hurt, distant tone. It made my eyes start to burn.

I blink a few times, "I know. It was just a big mess Glenn." I chuckle, masking the lump in my throat with humor.

A small, twitch of the lip is directed towards me. It makes flame feel safe, secure. So secure that when a familiar looking hand clamps down on my shoulders, I don't tense.

"Lanna, introduce me." Mama says, a slight slur already taking over her voice. A deep I breath goes through my being,

"Mama, this is Glenn. He's one of the people that I came in with." I watch as mam practice leans over my head to hold out a limp hand towards Glenn,

He switches his eyes from me to mama a few times with something of shock masking his eyes.

"It's nice to meet you..." he sends her a fake , happy smile. He won't voice his opinions about mama . He just a that kind of person.

"Elizabeth, but my friends call me Liza." She tells him her name. The room fills with awkward silence.

"Well, I should probably go find my wife. I just came to bring Lanna some cake." Glenn's starts to get up, show casing his calm demeanor by keeping his fake smile and calm hands.

"I already told you that when you eat cake this late, the next day you wake up like a balloon." She chuckles. It sounds like a taunty, arrogant chuckles that I have to switch my head to the side with an eye roll.

However, when I do, I am met with the sad eyes of Glenn's at the open doorway. I'm about to give him a smile but he had already left in an angry stride.

Mama takes my shoulder and walks me out the kitchen and to the refreshers. She grabs a big bottle of something red.

She fills two glasses to the edge, with shaking hands.

"I hope one of those isn't for Lanna." I hear Rick says, boldly, from behind me. I go to turn around but jerk back when I notice Carl at my side.

I couldn't even feel him there.

"I don't mind." Mama shrugs, I watch as she struggles to not spill then with her hips swaying drunkly.

"I do." I feel the back of my head sink into his lower stomach.

"Who's the parent here?" Mam laughs, lowering one to my level. I take it without hesitation. I know how easily irritated mama can be when she's had a few.

"If you are going to call yourself a parent then act like one." Rick starts to hiss. Something like a rolling ball of heat go around my chest.

However, I don't see it directed to rick. Surprising. The ball of heat becomes blazing fire as I see the look mama has as she stares ragers back to ricks own.