His Heart's Desire

39

Nicholas

"Mommy the medicine you gave me is making my bones shake," I tell her walking into the living room.

"Why are you downstairs? You were supposed to be asleep an hour ago." My father yells standing up but my mother tells him to sit back down.

I watch as my mother stands up and my father turns back to the TV.

Mommy grabs my hand and leads me to the kitchen.

My head hurts and my tummy hurts too. Mommy always gives me cough medicine. But we call it my sleepy medicine so I don't bother them at night.

I stand by my mom as she reads the bottle.

"Oh oops. This was the old heart medicine your father needed a year ago. Guess I gave you the wrong one." She shrugs and begins to walk away. I didn't understand why mom was leaving.

"But I don't feel good can you bring me upstairs?" I open my arms hoping she will pick me up like Nelson's mommy does.

She looks down at me. "You're almost six you can do it yourself." She pushes my back toward the stairs and I fall on my knees from the force.

"B-but it's dark up there," I say sadly gripping onto my small tattered blanket I still slept with since I was 3.

"Oh scared of the monsters?" She taunts before leaving the room.

I go up the stairs one at a time and make sure I keep my eyes open for any monsters.

By the time I'm upstairs I run into mommy's room and hide under her covers. I hope she's not mad I want to sleep in their bed tonight. My daddy can hurt me, he can hurt those monsters.

The next day I woke up on the ground next to their bed.

~~
Alice

I've been awake for a couple of hours. Without my medicine, I can't sleep. But I didn't tell Nick that knowing him he'd probably stay awake with me. I wanted him to sleep. I felt bad knowing he had to take care of me for hours.

Nick's dark hair was ruffled as he slept. I stared at his ceiling as his arms were tight around me. I felt so at peace in his arms. And he let out cute little snores every now and then and I awed every time. He's so cute.

God, I need a shower.

I think back to earlier.

He did say his parents were gone. And that I could use whatever I needed. Does that include the shower or is that creepy? He did say I could use it...

I could be quick. I don't know when I'll be able to use one now that I have no place to stay. Just the thought makes my eyes water again.

I sigh and try to pull Nick's heavy arm off my waist.

"Ugh." I groaned trying to roll off him but his arms only tighten.

"Nick," I say and he only shakes his head no and I roll my eyes at his childish action.

He starts to kick his legs as his arms tighten around me.