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108
Miscellany
‘Oh God, I’m so sorry!’ I rushed over to the white bed, bending
over my sister’s frail frame as I frantically ran my hands over her
stomach, ‘are you okay? Do you need me to get a doct–‘
‘I’m fine, stop it,’ Elaine weakly pushed my hands away.
‘No really, if you’re in pain you need to tell me. I–‘
‘Stop! Stop tiptoeing around me like I’m some sort of freak’ I
froze as Elaine squeezed her eyes shut, deep ridges forming along
her pasty forehead. The dark bags around her eyes deepened as she
opened her eyes and gazed wistfully out the window, ‘can we just
pretend I’m not sick… just for today.’
’
A loud groan reverberated around the living room as I lay, unmoving
on the carpeted floor. I rested my hands on my protruding belly as I
felt another bout of queasiness consume me.
‘Elaine,’ I wheezed out, hearing a muffled grunt in response, ‘I
think I’m going to puke.’
’
A fewmoments of silence passed as I felt the numerous types of junk
food protest against each other in my stomach. Elaine was curled up
in a foetal position, her arm extended out with a half-eaten stick of
liquorice sitting in her open palm. She reluctantly lifted her head to
look at me.
‘Please don’t do it on mum’s Persian rug.’
’
Mum and dad gave Elaine a reassuring look before closing her
bedroom door softly. I could tell something was wrong. For one,
mum and dad were almost never civil to each other, let alone
comforting. I held my breath, trying to make eye-contact with my
sister who was blatantly avoiding my gaze.
‘What is it?’ My words cut through the silence. Elaine shifted.
A
breath in, a breath out.
A car door slammed.
A breath in, a breath out
. I
scratched my neck. A breath in–
‘I’m sick, Grace.’
A breath out.
‘Sick as in with the flu? I’m sure you can get better if you go to the
doctor or take some medicine–’
‘No, really sick,’ Elaine looked away, her jaw clenching
momentarily, ‘I’ve been going to the doctor for months. I’m not
getting any better.’
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