Sneaky

Chapter 43

Eve's POV

My hand's still shaking and it will be for awhile, but that's alright. It's never as bad as it used to be. Maybe some day it'll be gone.

Inhaling a long deep breath, I collected the scattered cards in my lap, reshuffling them to fully distract myself for a few seconds.

I haven't had an attack so bad in years. In the last few years it's been several close calls but...this time everything I know and use to deal with them flew right out the window.

I've been handling them on my own for so long, it's strange for someone else to actually know what to do.

I looked to Hershel, "Thank you"

"There's no need to thank me. I trust you know at least a few of your triggers?"

I nodded, running my tongue over my dry lips.

"It seems you have things well in hand, then. Come on, girls. Let's let them rest." Hershel stood, motioning at his daughters.

I quirked my eyebrow as the three of them shuffled out, closing the door behind them.

I glanced at Daryl and his expression is almost identical.

Wait, don't tell me they think....

Awwwwkward

I shook my head, clearing my throat. Whatever, it doesn't matter.

Daryl shifted, laying back down with an uncomfortable pinched expression. I'm gonna take a wild guess and say he's in pain from sitting up.

I raised my cards and resumed our game, in hopes of erasing awkward tension. And, may also be to avoid the assault of questions that usually rains down after an attack.

Can we please skip this part, just this once?

"How long you been...?"

Damn

"Having panic attacks? A while."

So close. If the tension had been just a little more awkward, he probably wouldn't of said anything.

"They always like that?"

I sighed, resigning myself to this conversation. "More or less. They haven't been that strong in a while though."

"..." Daryl nodded, looking back at his cards and rearranging them in his hand.

...Is that it? That's all he wanted to know? He's not gonna ask why I have panic attacks, or what they're about, or— well I guess he already knows what they're about.

What the Hell. I'm not usually one for this, but this time, I'm not gonna look a gift horse in the mouth, and just take the win.

-

I rolled my shoulders and stretched my back, popping my spine. That's what you get for sitting in the same position for a solid hour without so much as turning your head.

My shoulders hate me. Not as much as my thighs, or my heels for trudging around all day but still, I've had worse. I'd gladly take sore muscles over broken bones any day.

"In a lot a ways, I'm grateful for being in that house."

Daryl looked at me like I just declared I'm gonna blow up Batman's girlfriend, after proposing to a lawn gnome.

Think I just remembered why talking is tiresome. What was I trying to accomplish by telling him all this again? Whatever it was, I think I missed. By a long shot.