Blue Eyes

52

//Emilia did this amazing photoshoot and I feel like it has such Ella Shelby vibes. Loveeeee it

            That night the couple busied themselves with getting the twins to bed. Both were almost a bit relieved that Ezra was fussing so much. It gave them an excuse to not address their earlier conversation.

It wasn't so much an argument as just a misunderstanding. Or perhaps there was just no answer to their situation. And neither of them really liked having no answer.

"Go onto bed, Alfie, I'll take care of him," Ella said as she rocked Ezra in her arms. The toddler wailed and kept an iron grip on his mother's hair, willing her to stay the night. Luckily, Sofia didn't seem to mind much and was already fast asleep.

Alfie hesitated but nodded. It wouldn't do much good if they were both in there. "Alright." He lingered at the door for a moment before heading to their bedroom with Cyril at his heels.

Ella finally got Ezra settled and had him sleeping in his cot. By that time, Alfie was asleep on his side, facing away from the door. She noted that he must've been exhausted if he managed to fall asleep amid all the crying from down the hall.

As quietly as she could, she got dressed for bed and slipped under the covers. She moved closer to her husband, draping an arm over his waist and pressing her cheek to his shoulder. She stayed there for a moment, listening to his steady breathing mixed with Cyril's snores from the foot of the bed.

Despite the lulling sounds that had become so familiar to her, she couldn't nod off. Instead, she gently brushed back Alfie's hair, trying to smooth down all the little pieces that stood up in all different directions. As she grazed her fingers down his temple, she noticed his skin felt rough to the touch. Ella frowned and propped herself up a bit to see better. There appeared to be a slight discoloration but it was hard to tell in the dark.

Concerned, she got up and turned on the lamp to see better. The light disturbed Alfie and he grumbled in protest. "El? What're you doin', love?"

"What's this on your face?" Ella examined the angry abrasion on his skin. It flaked a bit but it looked so much more painful than any rash she'd seen before.

Alfie felt her fingertips graze the mark on his temple. He'd known about it for some time. Considered it more of an irritant if anything. He wasn't one to visit the doctor very often, if he wasn't too busy then he just didn't want to go. It wasn't that he was afraid of needles, he would just rather not bother with them if he didn't have to.

However, the only reason his wife hadn't noticed it was because his hair had covered it for the most part. So that was that.

"Just a rash or somethin'." He mumbled and tried to close his eyes again, hoping she would be satisfied with the answer.

"You sure?"

He simply grunted in response.

"Have you tried to put something on it?" She sat back on the bed, puzzled by the new discovery. Even more, so that he hadn't told her about it.

"Like what?'

"Well, I dunno. Guess you should see a doctor, they'd give you something." She shrugged and tried to manage her thoughts about it. Part of her was so ready to explode at any little thing. Almost as if she'd been trained to react so violently towards inconveniences or threats. The other part of her just wanted to chalk it up to a skin condition. Nothing serious, something treatable.