Everything hurt, his limbs felt heavy and his eyesight was blurred, but Liam knew he was alive. He could tell from the pain that he wasn't dead, because if he were dead, he wouldn't be in pain. He couldn't really move much, but he was able to look to his side and see, sitting in a chair by his bed, a woman reading a book. He coughed a little, and she lowered the book, revealing herself to be Beatrice, who then smiled at him.
"What...are you doing here?" he asked. "I'm your emergency contact," Bea said, "I guess you never changed that." "I...I guess not. Sorry to drag you out of your lair," Liam said, groaning as he adjusted himself and felt his body ache. "Try not to move much, you really did yourself some damage," Bea said, touching his arm and then bringing the blanket up over him more, tucking him in a bit before sitting back and sighing, asking, "...why did you do this? I mean, I figured you missed him, but-" "This doesn't have much to do with him, as it has to do with you," Liam said, surprising her as he added, "I broke you as a person, and I don't deserve to live if I'm going through life damaging others." "Liam that's ridiculous," Bea said, "Don't believe-" "Just...don't," Liam said, "I'll make sure to take you off my emergency contact." And with that, Liam rolled over and went to sleep, leaving Beatrice there to watch and wait. She couldn't help but feel like maybe she wasn't the only one who'd gotten hurt by the fallout of the shows end, and perhaps she'd been focusing on herself a bit too much. Sure, Liam had been the thing that brought it all crashing down in a way, but it also never would've been without him, and she often forgot that. *** Michelle set her hammer down and stood up, stretching, taking a puff from her inhaler as she stepped back and admired her work. She smiled, feeling good about her progress, and knew that she was, for the most part, done at this point. As she headed up the stairs and into the bathroom to wash her hands and face off, brushing the sawdust off her clothes, she heard a knock at her front door, and went to answer. As she pulled the door open, she saw Delores standing there. "Oh, hi," Michelle said, "What are you doing here?" "Can I come in? I have some things to run by you," Delores asked, and Michelle stepped aside, letting Delores in. Delores set her coat and briefcase down before turning around and adjusting her rings on her hand, smiling the whole time. "What's up?" Michelle asked, grinning nervously. "So," Delores started, "how has working for David been going?" "It's been, not very challenging, thankfully," Michelle said, "I mostly copy things for him, or do course work correction. He's been very accommodating." "He's been a friend for many years, so I'm glad to hear he hasn't become a worse person," Delores said, "His cousin was very ill for a long time, so I figured he'd know how to work with someone who was also somewhat disabled." "Thank you, Delores, I really appreciate it," Michelle said. "Are you taking any courses outside of that, like we talked about?" "Um, not currently, no, I've...I've been kind of busy with a personal project," Michelle said, rubbing her arm nervously as she walked around the couch and sat down in the loveseat. Delores shrugged and sat down on the couch, setting her briefcase on her lap and popping the lid open. "Well, I'm here for a very specific reason," Delores said, "I want you to know that I've found something a bit more interesting than just being David's gofer. There's a startup company interested in original streaming content for families and children. You said you wanted to work in entertainment, didn't you?" "I...did, yes," Michelle said, surprised Delores remembered this. "Well," Delores said, pulling a manila folder out and unclasping it, sliding out some papers and handing them across to Michelle, adding, "these are their applications, and with my help, they'll absolutely take you. All we have to do is make sure we get it in before they open up to a more public crowd." "How did you find out about this?" Michelle asked, taking the papers and flipping through them. "A friend I know who works in entertainment is part of it, her mother is anyway, and she's helping her mother get it off the ground seeing as she's the more tech savvy of the two. When she told me about it, I immediately knew it'd be perfect for you." Michelle was surprised at Delores's kindness. She'd always been helpful, but between David's part time assistant gig and now this, she was going somewhat above and beyond as an unemployment social worked, for some reason Michelle couldn't even begin to fathom. Sitting there flipping through the papers, she couldn't help but take note of the letterhead at the top, noting the company name: CLEAN. This name struck her as somewhat...straight forward, but Delores had said they were invested in bringing family entertainment and content to children, so it did make some sense. "Delores, this is...this is a bit overwhelming, but I'm definitely interested," Michelle said, "Could we maybe meet at your office this-" "Forget my office, meet me at Gayle's, you know that small coffee shop near the office, and we'll plow through these together this weekend, okay? But no later, because as soon as this offer opens up to a more public job searching group, you're not going to have time." "I understand," Michelle said, smiling, "Thanks, Delores." "You feeling okay, sweetheart?" Delores asked as she packed her things back up and, clicking the locks back shut on her briefcase, looked at Michelle concernedly, adding, "How's your breathing?" "I'm okay, Delores, it's just been a...a very strange week, hah. I just need some time to recuperate and relax," Michelle said, "My breathing's been fine. I've just been finishing a personal project and it's taken a lot out of me, physically. I just...I'm not mentally there enough right now to focus on this." "Completely understandable," Delores said, standing up and heading to the door, putting her hand on Michelle's shoulder, smiling as she said, "...you take care of yourself Puffin, we'll get this done this weekend." Michelle rose from the couch and followed Delores to the front door, an eyebrow arched, a smirk playing on her lips. "Puffin?" she asked, "That's an odd term of endearment." "It's because your hair is so black but the rest of you is so pale, except your eyes. So vibrant, so full of life. You really smash the ridiculous idea that sick people aren't capable of anything," Delores said, standing on the porch and looking at her address plates, picking at them, "These should be replaced, you really shouldn't let them get so worn out." "Okay, I'll make sure to put it on the list," Michelle said. The women hugged, and Michelle watched Delores head to her car. As she watched her drive away, Michelle couldn't help but feel like she had an adult in her life who really genuinely cared about her, and now it was time to show an adult she really cared about them. It was time to show Beatrice the basement. *** "You sure you don't want to do something?" Lexi asked, pulling her backpack straps up around her shoulders as she and Keagan stood out in the back of the restaurant while Keagan smoked a joint, but Keagan just shook her head. "Nah, I'll be okay, I have to run some errands anyway," Keagan said, walking Lexi to her car. Lexi pushed her long, perfectly bleach blonde hair back behind her ear and smiling as she looked at the ground in front of them as they walked. "You know," Lexi said, "You could come over after your errands. Lord knows I got nothing but time." "Shouldn't you be studying?" Keagan asked, and Lexi shrugged. "Eh, I'll do it on the weekend," Lexi said, stopping at her car, hand on the roof, her piercing green eyes looking at Keagan, "Come over. I'll order something totally awful in to eat and we'll just hang out. It'll be nice." "Aren't your mom and sister-" "She took my sister to another town for the weekend for a Lacrosse game, she's going to root from the stands, which will surely embarrass my sister which is great, because frankly she could stand being taken down a peg," Lexi said, making Keagan laugh. "So I see, you're all alone and you're creeped out, so you don't want to be alone?" Keagan asked, squeezing the tip of the joint to save it for later before stuffing it in her back pocket of her jeans. "Puh-lease, I don't get scared. I watch horror movies for fun," Lexi said, "I just thought it'd be cool to do something." Keagan was rarely invited places by other girls she had been friends with, and to be friends with Lexi often surprised others when they found out that the rather perfect aryan girl with her beautiful alabaster skin and her perfect bright eyes and her perfect blonde hair was friends with the frizzy haired black girl, but Lexi was nothing if not racist. Lexi opened her car door and tossed her backpack on the passenger seat, then leaned on the door, her arms crossed on the top as she rested her chin on her arms and smiled. "I guess I could come over," Keagan said, "I just need to run a few errands first." "Great!" Lexi said, "I'll see you soon!" Lexi got in her car and backed out of the lot, pulling away and honking at Keagan, who headed back inside to clear out her timecard, lock the place up and head to do her errands before going to Lexi's. Keagan first stopped at a drug store and picked up some toothpaste and mouthwash, along with a few packs of tooth whitening gum before heading to a bookstore to return something. She then finally headed to Lexi's. Having never seen the place before, she was humbled by the quaint apartment complex Lexi and her family had been made to move into after losing all their assets, and she parked in the guest parking before heading to the apartment she knew was Lexi's. As she knocked, she could hear Lexi tell her to come in, so she did, only to find the place completely dimmed and only lit by candles. Keagan stepped inside and shut the door quietly behind her, confused. Was the power out? Nah, couldn't be, because she'd seen the lights on in neighboring apartments. Could they not afford their power bill? As she put her bookbag down and looked around, she couldn't help but feel confused, until she noticed a fire was lit in the faux fireplace, and then Lexi stepped out from the kitchen in a silk bathrobe. Keagan stopped and looked at her, still confused. "What's going on?" Keagan asked, "Are we gonna hold a satanic ritual?" "God, if only," Lexi said, approaching Keagan, "No, I just wanted things to be perfect." "What?" Keagan asked, backing up until Lexi had her pinned against a wall, smiling at her. Lexi reached up and touched Keagan's face, then ran her soft fingers down to her chin and lifted her face gently, before pressing her own lips against Keagan's, taking her completely by surprise. Keagan didn't fight it, she was much too shocked to fight it, but after the kiss ended, she was still standing there in complete shock. "Uh..." Keagan said, "Um, what...what is this?" "What does it seem like?" Lexi asked. "Seriously?" Keagan asked. "Are you not-" "No, I mean, I don't know," Keagan said, "I never...I never really thought about it, I guess, but I...uh..." "I'm sorry, I just assumed that..." An awkward quiet fell over the room, and both girls looked at the floor, avoiding shame. Lexi finally walked around to the couch and buried her face in her hands, crying. Keagan finally stirred enough to follow her and sit beside her. "God, I always do this," Lexi said, "I always meet someone, and then I just...I assume they're like me, and they never are and then I never hear from them again. I've had to change jobs so many times since dad went under because of making this mistake. Heterosexual people, they never have to assume, they just usually ARE correct in their assumptions. But me? God forbid I think someone might be like me." "I...I didn't even know you were-" "What? A lesbian?" Lexi asked. "I just...you're so...perfect, I just assumed you were straight." "Yeah, you'd be surprised how many guys say the same thing. That's the problem with being a femme queer; they think to be a woman who likes women you have to be this...this weird butch woman who wears combat boots and looks like she lost a fight to a pair of scissors." Keagan chuckled, which made Lexi smile a little, as she sniffled and wiped her nose on the arm of her silk robe. "Please don't cry," Keagan said, "I don't want your eye makeup to run, it's not a great look." "How can I not cry? Look at my life, Keagan, look at the mess that it is," Lexi said. "I...I know, but I just...your life isn't the only one that's a mess. You should see this friend of mine I'm working on something with," Keagan said, "She's not much better. Nobody our age is doing much better, to be quite honest. Besides, I never said...I wasn't..." Lexi looked at Keagan, who looked at her hands in her lap. "I just...I guess I never really thought about it, honestly," Keagan said, "And, like, especially with you, because you're so pretty, how could you like me of all people." "Don't say that about yourself," Lexi said, "You're the one who's beautiful." Keagan smiled and looked at Lexi, who reached forward and pushed some of Keagan's hair back, running her hands through it. Keagan shut her eyes and enjoyed this feeling, sighing softly. Lexi edged closer and took Keagan's hand in her free hand, gripping it softly before pressing her lips against Keagan's neck, making Keagan gasp a little. "Stay here," Lexi whispered, "Just stay with me." "Well how can I say no really," Keagan said, falling back on the couch as Lexi crawled over her and pinned her wrists over her head to the arms of the couch, chuckling, "Just...don't take it personally if I freeze up, I'm kind of new to this." "I understand," Lexi said, "Just let me take care of you." And she did, and she didn't regret it. *** Beatrice was exiting her apartment complex, heading out to her car when she heard a car door shut and looked up to see Michelle crossing the street, dragging her wheeling oxygen tank behind her, the tubes from it attached to a mask around her face. Bea stopped and looked at her as she struggled to pull the oxygen tank up onto the curb. "Miss Burden," Michelle said, "I hope this isn't weird." "Not any weirder than showing up before," Bea said, smiling slightly, "What can I do for your Miss Helm?" "I really need to show you something," Michelle said, "Please come with me to see my basement." "Hah! Uh, forgive me if I'm a tad hesitant to take a near total stranger up on that offer," Bea said, opening her car door before turning back to look at Michelle again, "...Miss Helm, I have some things to do today, would this take long?" "No, I promise it'll only take a few minutes, but I've spent the last year working on it, and I need to show you," Michelle said. This piqued Bea's interest. A half hour drive later they were heading inside Michelle's rented house, with Bea helping her get her oxygen tank up over the porch and over the door threshold, back into the house. From there she followed Michelle to the basement door, which Michelle opened and, after disconnecting the tank and taking a few puffs from her inhaler, began heading down. Beatrice exhaled, shook her head and followed her, unsure what it was exactly she was walking into. As she descended into the dark basement, she could hear Michelle moving, but she couldn't see a blessed thing. Only after Michelle turned the lights on, and her eyes finally adjusted, did Bea raise her hands to her face in shock at what she was looking at. "Oh my...god," Beatrice said, stepping off the last few steps and further into the basement, "You...built this?" Michelle nodded, grinning from ear to ear. Beatrice was staring at what boiled down to essentially the main set of her show, recreated in perfect replication down to the very last detail. She walked past all the things Michelle had built, like the small gazebo and the fake plants she'd bought and installed, running her hands over the wooden textures. "This is..." Beatrice started, then finished, "...insane." "Wh...what?" Michelle asked, her smile faltering. "This is insane," Beatrice said, turning back to face her, "Why would you do this?" "Be...because, because growing up this was the place that felt the most like home to me," Michelle said, "Aside from the hospital, which no child should feel is a home, and my home certainly wasn't a home, but your show...your world, your home...that's the place that gave me that feeling of warmth that a home should give a child. I know it was just a set, but it...it felt real to me." "...I just...I can't..." Bea said, struggling to find words as her head whipped around at this fever dream of a creation, "...why did you bring me here?" "Because...because people took it away from you, and I wanted to give it back," Michelle said, "because you, of all people, didn't deserve to have your home ripped from you the way it was. I know it isn't exact, I know it isn't the same, but I did my best to make it like it was, and...and after finding you, I just wanted to show you what you really meant to the world." Bea looked around again, her breath caught in her chest until she finally looked back at Michelle and started weeping, falling to her knees. This surprised Michelle, who knelt and put her arms around Bea, who pushed her head against Michelle and sobbed. "Thank you," Bea said, "Thank you, thank you." "Of course," Michelle replied, "Thank you for giving it to us in the first place. I see now what kind of beauty can come from a place built by multiple people. That's what a real home should be. Nobody should ever feel they don't have a home. Especially a dog." She wasn't sure how long they stayed there like that, but Michelle was willing to give Beatrice all the time she needed to accept this act of kindness. After all she'd given Michelle - even without knowing it - Michelle had finally repaid the debt. And she was right, after all. No dog should be homeless.
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Beatrice Beagle follows a young woman obsessed with a defunct pizzeria and kids show featuring a dog mascot. As she uncovers more about its mysterious past, she becomes sucked into the life of the woman who played the mascot, they both discover just how much they need eachother. Archives
April 2024
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