Read Online Between Now and Goodbye by Hannah Harvey - Free Book Online
Authors: Hannah Harvey
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a little busy at the moment, can you ask them to wait or come back later?' I call back, while mom groans in pain. 'Oh, and can you bring me some of mom's painkillers please, the ones we keep in her room.' I add. I look down at my mom as she stops retching and leans her back against the bathtub.
She looks weak, and there's a streak of vomit down the front of her nightdress, and some in her hair where I didn't pull it back quick enough.
'I'm sorry Charles.' Mom sobs into her hands, 'You shouldn't have to deal with this.'
'Don't worry about it.' I smile, even though I don't feel much like smiling. She's getting worse, I can see it and there's nothing I can do to stop it. 'Think of it as payback for all the times you took care of me when I was sick.' I reply, 'Now, I'm going to go and get you some clean clothing.' I stand up as I hear Katie coming with the painkillers. I turn to take them off her and instead of seeing my sister, it's Libby smiling with concern up at me. Only it can't really be her, because she's in New York.
I blink a few times and she's still there, holding out her hand to me, offering me my mom's pills. I look from the pills back to her face, and she's smiling at me, a smile that's tinted with concern.
'Katie asked me to bring these to you. She's a bit...shaken.' Libby say and it really is her, her voice, her smile. She's here.
'Libs?' I shake my head, 'You're supposed to be in New York.'
'Long story.' She gives me a look which I read as her saying she'll tell me later. 'What do you need?'
'Nothing, I'm fine.'
'Char,' she puts her hand on my forearm, 'what do you need?' Her voice is soft and caring, but has a slight insistence to it, which lets me know that she's serious about helping. A weight lifts from me and I let out a thankful sigh.
'My mom needs some clean clothes, and she'll need help changing because she's too weak.'
'Ok,' Libby nods, 'you go downstairs and get her some water, and I'll get her changed.'
'Libs I can't ask you to...'
'Hey,' she shakes her head at me, 'I'm happy to help, besides, 'she smiles at me and then my mom, 'I'm sure your mom will probably feel more comfortable with me helping her into new clothes. Does that sound about right Mrs P?'
'She's right.' My mom nods from the floor.
'Ok, yeah.' I nod, feeling dazed. 'You're really home?'
'Really, really.' She smiles and then heads off to my mom's room to find some clothes. I stay with my mom until Libby returns. I use the time to wash the vomit from her hair, and then I leave Libby to help her change into something clean. Before I go though, I make them both promise to call me to help her back to her room, because Libby's strong and my mom is small now, but I'd still feel more comfortable if I could help her myself.
My body feels heavy as I make my way downstairs, out into the kitchen and to the fridge to grab a bottle of water.
I don't head straight back upstairs because I know that Libby will have things under control, and I also trust that she won't try and move my mom on her own. So I sit down at the kitchen table and rest my elbows down, head in my hands as I force deep breaths to keep from crying.
Ten minutes later Libby's calm voice floats down the stairs and I spring to my feet, pick up the water and sprint up the steps to meet them.
My mom is now dressed in a loose fitting lilac shirt, and a pair of black pajama bottoms. Her hair has been properly washed, combed and braided and she's looking quite a bit brighter, even though her skin is still so pale it's practically translucent.
'Libby has kindly offered to show off what she's been learning at camp, and cook us dinner tonight.' Mom smiles up at me warmly, and I smile at Libby. I know better than to tell her that she doesn't need to do that. I know she will anyway, and I also know that even though she can't really afford it, she'll buy all the ingredients to make something.
Her family isn't wealthy by any means, they used to have the same income roughly as my
She looks weak, and there's a streak of vomit down the front of her nightdress, and some in her hair where I didn't pull it back quick enough.
'I'm sorry Charles.' Mom sobs into her hands, 'You shouldn't have to deal with this.'
'Don't worry about it.' I smile, even though I don't feel much like smiling. She's getting worse, I can see it and there's nothing I can do to stop it. 'Think of it as payback for all the times you took care of me when I was sick.' I reply, 'Now, I'm going to go and get you some clean clothing.' I stand up as I hear Katie coming with the painkillers. I turn to take them off her and instead of seeing my sister, it's Libby smiling with concern up at me. Only it can't really be her, because she's in New York.
I blink a few times and she's still there, holding out her hand to me, offering me my mom's pills. I look from the pills back to her face, and she's smiling at me, a smile that's tinted with concern.
'Katie asked me to bring these to you. She's a bit...shaken.' Libby say and it really is her, her voice, her smile. She's here.
'Libs?' I shake my head, 'You're supposed to be in New York.'
'Long story.' She gives me a look which I read as her saying she'll tell me later. 'What do you need?'
'Nothing, I'm fine.'
'Char,' she puts her hand on my forearm, 'what do you need?' Her voice is soft and caring, but has a slight insistence to it, which lets me know that she's serious about helping. A weight lifts from me and I let out a thankful sigh.
'My mom needs some clean clothes, and she'll need help changing because she's too weak.'
'Ok,' Libby nods, 'you go downstairs and get her some water, and I'll get her changed.'
'Libs I can't ask you to...'
'Hey,' she shakes her head at me, 'I'm happy to help, besides, 'she smiles at me and then my mom, 'I'm sure your mom will probably feel more comfortable with me helping her into new clothes. Does that sound about right Mrs P?'
'She's right.' My mom nods from the floor.
'Ok, yeah.' I nod, feeling dazed. 'You're really home?'
'Really, really.' She smiles and then heads off to my mom's room to find some clothes. I stay with my mom until Libby returns. I use the time to wash the vomit from her hair, and then I leave Libby to help her change into something clean. Before I go though, I make them both promise to call me to help her back to her room, because Libby's strong and my mom is small now, but I'd still feel more comfortable if I could help her myself.
My body feels heavy as I make my way downstairs, out into the kitchen and to the fridge to grab a bottle of water.
I don't head straight back upstairs because I know that Libby will have things under control, and I also trust that she won't try and move my mom on her own. So I sit down at the kitchen table and rest my elbows down, head in my hands as I force deep breaths to keep from crying.
Ten minutes later Libby's calm voice floats down the stairs and I spring to my feet, pick up the water and sprint up the steps to meet them.
My mom is now dressed in a loose fitting lilac shirt, and a pair of black pajama bottoms. Her hair has been properly washed, combed and braided and she's looking quite a bit brighter, even though her skin is still so pale it's practically translucent.
'Libby has kindly offered to show off what she's been learning at camp, and cook us dinner tonight.' Mom smiles up at me warmly, and I smile at Libby. I know better than to tell her that she doesn't need to do that. I know she will anyway, and I also know that even though she can't really afford it, she'll buy all the ingredients to make something.
Her family isn't wealthy by any means, they used to have the same income roughly as my
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