Page 24 of Deliria

Clean and effective.

But that isn’t what I want. She’smywife. She deserves a different fate to that. Especially after everything we’ve been through this past year. Everything we’ve endured.

I pull the plug, taking far more care than she did to dry herself and then I put her in a pretty pink slip, tucking her up in the thick covers, ensuring she’s warm.

She’ll be out for hours, all night if I’m lucky.

But I’ll come back later. Once we’ve spoken with the doctor and confirmed everything, I’ll make sure she’s safe.

Alexander

They’re all standing around.

My father, my mother, the doctor, and to my surprise, Rafferty too.

I throw him a glare as I stalk across the room.

I don’t know why he keeps showing up here anyway. It’s not like he doesn’t have his own home, and it’s not like he hasn’t made it clear where his loyalties lie.

Our mother makes some comments about retiring for the evening, and she gives me a gentle hug before leaving us to it. Iknow this is all exhausting for her too. She’s as caught up in this drama as we are.

It’s why I let her comments slide, why I don’t lose my temper with her when she wants to deviate from the plan.

She’s been through enough, suffered enough, she deserves some leeway. She also deserves some damn comfort in her old age.

Once she’s gone, I turn my attention back to my brother but the way he stands, the way he folds his arms tells me he’s not going anywhere.

Has he had a change of heart? Does he actually want to help now? Well, it’s too bloody late. Far too bloody late.

“How is she?” The doctor asks.

I shrug. “Worse than yesterday, but better than the day before.” It’s pretty much the same thing I said last time he came. She spirals. She suddenly rallies, becomes a functional, coherent person, and then it’s like her brain snaps. She turns frantic, manic. She starts fighting, and there’s no reasoning with her.

He nods, “Well, it’s to be expected. I did tell you the medicine has side-effects.”

“Is there anything else she can take?” My father asks. “Anything to stop her being so damned combative all the time?”

“What’s the matter dad, I thought you liked them feisty?” Rafferty says in a low, pissed off voice, but we all hear it.

“If you don’t want to get onboard with the program then you can fuck off.” I snap, jabbing my thumb to the door. I’m past caring about niceties. I’m past caring about my brother at all. As far as I’m concerned, he can fuck off.

It’s alright for him. He comes and goes as he pleases. He has zero responsibilities beyond his own dubious business activities. But us, the rest of the family, we’re here, stuck in what was our home, watching it slowly turn into the scene of a horror movie.

The doctor looks between us before deciding to act like he didn’t hear my brother’s words. “There isn’t much. She’s already on the maximum dosage.”

“The paranoia is out of control. Every other day she tries to escape.” I state.

He pulls a face. “Like I said, it’s to be expected…”

“We don’t pay you a small fortune to come here and just waste our time.” My father growls. “If you can’t fix this then perhaps we need to find a doctor who will.”

“I doubt you’ll find anyone willing to cooperate with you on this.” The doctor smirks. “Considering the ethical implications…”

“All things you were more than happy with ignoring, considering the way you wanted payment.” I cut in. No fucking way he gets to play the moral high ground now. That ship sailed a long time ago, and he was more than happy to be onboard then.

He huffs, drawing himself up. “How about I talk with her? Reassure her. Convince her that she really is ill and that being here is the best place for her?”

That could work. That could be enough. I glance at my father and he pulls a face like he thinks that could solve it.

---