The ringing of a phone woke Rachael up. Turning over to grab the offensive item and look at the numbers on the screen told Rachael it was only two in the morning. Carl's turning and stretching in the bed next to her drew her attention.
Rachael felt a heated blush burn in her cheeks as she remembered what they had just done. She looked down at the phone as it rang again in her hand with gratitude this time. At least she didn't have to deal with Carl right away.
Rachael climbed out of bed as she pressed the button to connect the call. "Hello," she said in a low voice hoping to not wake Carl.
Her hope was in vain as he got up and started dressing while she talked.
"Hello, is this Rachael?" the voice on the other side of the line asked.
"Yes, who am I speaking to?" she responded. She looked at her bedroom door as Carl closed it behind him. She frowned as she realized he hadn't spoken to her at all. While she was relieved she didn't have to deal with the fall out from her first time right away, it struck as cold and uncaring that he wouldn't say anything.
But she was on the phone and maybe he just didn't want to interrupt, she thought returning her focus to the call, "The Rattlesnake Bar, got it. Yeah, I'll be there in ten minutes to pick him up. Thank you for calling me."
She disconnected the call and got changed into her clothes. Stopping in the kitchen she left a note telling where she was going in case any of the others woke up in the night and continued out the door.
The bar was dark when Rachael arrived but the door was open. She went inside and immediately found Patrick at the bar. With several empty cups in front of him. She nodded to the bartender as she walked over to Patrick.
"Patrick," she called. Then louder when he didn't respond the first time. "PATRICK!"
"Not tonight Patrick. Let's go home." she said helping him to stand. She leaned him against the bar as she went to settle his bill with the barkeep.
"Need me to call you a taxi," he asked returning her change.
"Thanks. That would help," Rachael said looking at the unsteady footing Patrick displayed. And he wasn't even walking!
A cab ride later and Rachael helped Patrick up the stairs and into his room. He was soon fast asleep on the bed. Rachael started to leave when the empty bassinet caught her eye. She walked over to it and brushed her fingers across the bedding.
Her mother had said that all her children, including Rachael, had slept in that bed as babes. Soon River was going to be released from the hospital and she would be sleeping here.
River had been prematurely delivered with a c-section, but it was that or lose her altogether. She had been kept in the neo-natal ICU so she wouldn't get any infections and could gain weight before they brought her home.
One month later and the doctors had finally deemed her fit enough to come home. They were doing some last tests and exams and in two days Rachael would have to get her from the hospital.
A snore from the bed jerked her attention back from its dark turnings and Rachael tiptoed from the room.
As she started to drift back into sleep Rachael realized that she had already started to assume responsibility for her family. Patrick wasn't able to now and by the time he might be ready to she would be an adult anyways. Head of the O'Malley's at 16, who would have thought it possible? she asked herself as she fell asleep.
Random Ramblings
So this one seems a little shorter to me.. yeah it's shorter, but it's a good place to stop here. The end of the chapter so to speak.
For those that play, River has been with my family since before the mom died but she's just been kept out of scene. I have halted aging so that I can take all the screenshots to my hearts content (and to be able to tell this story). I'm hoping I will be able to turn aging back on soon but I have a couple more chapter ideas where I might need River as a baby so aging stays off.
I have a paper for school due within the next week so I won't be able to play anymore until it's done. Boy does that make me want to cry :(
So no updates for a week or two. BTW "neo-natal ICU" I don't know the technical real world term and I'm too lazy to look it up so I'm leaving it as is, it's the place premature babies are kept before being released to go home.
Ah...I misspelled Rachael's name last comment...sorry! I really like her. She's totally shaping up to be a great heir.
ReplyDeleteNo worries. I'm not even sure if that's how I spelled her name in the game or not, but I like it better for the story. I feel bad for her though, I made her so young (not yet 17) for her whole world to be put on her shoulders, but sometimes that's the way it happens.
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