Saving and Secrets

  • So many newbies lately! Here is a very important PSA about one of our most vital content policies! Read it even if you are an ancient member!
(Sounds good)

It was strange, but an icicle really did bring a smile to Caleb's face.. well... if you could call it a smile. A corner at the side of his mouth curled up slightly as he took a bit from the frozen colored water. Annabelle immediately scolded him for chewing on the ice inside of sucking or licking it.

It was around dinner time her foster mom came to pick her up, she had given her big brother one last hug and promised him she would be back tomorrow after church. Caleb wasn't much of a religious person, but her foster parents were and since Anna was so young she got dragged along, not having a say if she wanted to go or not.

When Anna left, it was clear that Caleb slumped in the hospital bed. It had been an automatic thing he did when Anna was around. He always pretended he was better than he actually was. It was an automatic switch he had or something.

Caleb sighed and looked out the window. He didn't want to be here anymore. A week had been long, but the doctors wouldn't let him go with the state of mind he was in. "They've been talking about putting me in a program." Caleb said softly and fiddled with his fingers. "It's basically a program if you're homeless and have drug issues. The doctor said they would send me there if I don't have a place to stay. I'll only be allowed to have visitors once a week, but I don't know if they'll allow Anna to come visit me." He said and looked at his fiddling fingers.

Caleb thought he screwed up his chance at April's who would want a recovering depressed addict on the couch? Certainly not after giving a suicidal scare. He had not other place to go. He just really didn't want to go to that program. He wouldn't see Anna for three months. Not that he wouldn't be allowed to see her now without a supervisor or something once he got out and found a place to stay. He had really fucked up with her foster parents.
 
April saw Anna off downstairs and had a small chat with her foster parents, where she learned something that made her stumble back a little bit. By the time she came back upstairs and stepped into his room, she saw he had sunken in his bed, likely letting go of whatever little masquerade he tried to put up for Annabelle. She took a deep breath and sat on the side of his bed, pulling her legs up.

"Well, you won't have to worry about that, then, will you? You have a place to stay. It might be a little small, but you have one. A bed and bathroom and everything. Besides, a program of that length sounds insanely expensive. You wouldn't want to push the Adams's generosity, would you?" She asked, a small smile crossing her lips as he turned to her, surprised.

"Mhm. You heard me right. Annabelle's foster parents are paying for your medical bills. Caleb, they don't hate you. It might be out of pity, but if pity pays the bills, then it's better than nothing. Church-going Samaritans for you." She chuckled. "Oh, and I did my research. The modeling company that I referred you to? They're not allowed to look through your medical records, unless it pertains to the job. Which, it doesn't. So you've still got a chance at a steady paying job." She beamed. April only hoped he wouldn't be overwhelmed by such a sensory overload of good news.
 
Last edited:
"What?" He asked her. The good news was a little overwhelming, he wasnt used to so much good news in so little text. Caleb teared up and covered his face slightly with his hands. Why did they do that? Sure he couldnt afford to stay in the hospital and the treatment he was getting, but he had expected it to just stack on top of the other ones that he already had, he had not expected someone to take care of them, especially not the Adams. he thought they didnt like him. He doubted they pitied him because they never had before, but for whatever reason they had, he was very grateful for them.

Also with the job... They wouldnt look into his police records, not in his medical files... It was just too much. He wasnt used to all of this. Good luck normally didnt come to the homeless and drug addicts. Maybe his life would turn around.

Caleb took a deep breath, getting himself back together. He was such a weakling, he had to become stronger, no one liked a cry baby. "Sorry." He said and wiped his face. "Thank you, April." He didnt know why he was thanking her, but she hadnt abandoned him or left and then she brought him this good news. It was not something he wasnt used to.
 
April breathed out a sigh and smiled, waving her hands in front of her to dismiss him. "Oh, jeez. I didn't do anything. I'm just the messenger. Just bask in the wave of good fortune. Remember, though. It doesn't get better. You just get better at dealing with it. Yeah, it's a little harsh, but it's the truth. May good vibes be ever in your favor." She told him, laughing. April stood from her spot and gave him a pat on the head.

"I'll be right back. I have to ask the front lady person if I can spend the night." She told him, waving him a fleeting good bye as she left. She sort of got a little lost, so it took her longer than she would've hoped, but they told her she would be allowed to spend the night. The woman just gave her a cautionary glance and told her that they would be under surveillance, so to not try anything funny. April nodded, wondering what 'funny' meant to her.

By the time she had come back, April found Caleb fast asleep in his bed. She smiled. "Of course." So, she did what any other sensible person would do: pull up a chair, lay her head down and fall asleep. She had, somehow in the middle of her sleep, taken Caleb's hand into her own, gripping it in a death hold.
 
(should we time skip to when he gets out?)
 
(yeah. this is like, a week later, though. A Sunday. It would be cool if you picked up where I left off though, like April falling asleep on his bed is a sort of routine thing that ends up happening. So like someone comes in to wake him up and stuff so he can leave.)
 
(I think I get what you're saying :P)
 
It had been another week at the hospital. April, just like Anna had come to visit him every day. April stayed every night since he had asked, but she would leave in the mornings to work on her art when he left for his therapy and support groups. Anna would come over after school and church while April would come around dinner time to spend the rest of the evening and night with him. Having those two girls around him made him a lot better, even doctors could see that. They got him to light up more and actually helped him to speak out at the support group meetings, which was great.

Didnt know when he could go home, the doctors hadnt spoken about the program anymore either, but he really didnt want to go away for three months.

It was Sunday morning when a nurse walked in and woke him gently. Caleb yawned, his hadn't staying in April's as she continued to sleep. The nurse told him the good news, that he could go home if he had a place to stay. He had completed the detox and they were all very proud of him for doing so. The nurse smiled and left, informing him that the doctor would do one more check up and give him some information before he could truly leave.

Caleb squeezed April's hand. "April, April." He said softly, trying to wake her up. "Guess what." He said. "I can leave the hospital." He said with a small smile. He was very happy right now. Maybe he could go surprise Anna after church.
 
The dynamic April had grown fond of within a week was encouraging. It didn't cost her any sleep and it was certainly better than monotonously spattering paint on a canvas, viciously sobbing or contemplating where she went wrong. Annabelle and April were both extremely proud of Caleb for picking himself up the way he did. She kept nudging him to speak up in group therapy, C'mon buddy, no one's gonna maul you for saying something. It'll be good for you. Trust me, she would say. April and Annabelle's visiting hours rarely overlapped, though, much to her disappointment, so she only got to see her for minutes at a time.

Presently, April woke with a sluggish groan, rubbing her eyes as she sat up, trying to focus her eyes to the sudden light. She suddenly gained the strength of 100 men, however, when Caleb told her of the news. For a moment, she simply looked at him and blinked, before she squealed and threw her entire body onto him, earning an exasperated 'oof," from him. She giggled into the nape of his neck and pulled back, beaming.

"Today? You're getting discharged today! This is wonderful! This is amazing!" She said, as excited as a child who's birthday cake had just been brought out. "Ah! We have to get your things together! Come on, we have no time to waste!" She urged him, getting up from on top of him.
 
Caleb let out a loud oof when he suddenly got jumped by April. That was not expected. He didn't mind it though. He liked her. It was nice to have people that wanted to hug you and that were proud of you.. He had really been getting better for the two girls in his life, they were all he had and he didnt want to disappoint them... At least not until he had a home for Anna to live in. Maybe somewhere all three of them could live, that would be pretty cool.

He chuckled when April bounced on him and suddenly said they had to hurry to pack his things. "No rush." He told her. "The doctor wanted to give me one more check up. He'll probably refer me to a therapist as well and give me prescription for the depression and whatever I have." It was a pretty long list actually. Depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts, voices in his head and something for sleep so he would sleep better during the night and not wake up with nightmares in cold sweats.

The doctor had come in and done exactly what Caleb though he would do. He didnt want to go to the therapist though. He couldnt afford it on his own and didnt want to owe the Adams family more than then already did. He knew they wanted to pay for it, but he would just feel bad if he couldnt pay off just a little.

It was around noon that he got out, now he just had to go surprise Anna at church, the girl had no idea he was released from the hospital. Church should end around 1 PM if he wasnt mistaken so they had an hour before they had to be at the church building. "Should we get coffee?" Caleb asked April. He was really feeling like actual coffee and food, not the gross stuff they served at the hospital, he was sick and tired of that after two weeks.
 
April had been absolutely ecstatic, from having received the news first thing in the morning to when they had chucked his belongings in the trunk of the car and gassed it. Considerably alarmed, Caleb had beseeched her to slow down before they hit a child. Earlier in the day, April had stolen a glance at his discharge papers and scanned the long line of prescription medicine and her eyes nearly boggled out of her skull. "Xanax, Zoloft, Klonopin, Ambien, Prozac... Depression is expensive, huh?" She had mumbled mindlessly.

"Yeah. Coffee and lunch sounds good. I'm absolutely starving," She stated, rubbing her tummy as she pulled into a quaint little coffee shop that she'd grown fond of over the years. They walked in, greeted by a kind young woman who seated them. April asked for a tea and 7 orders of pot stickers, to which the waitress looked at her like she'd grown a second head. Boy, did she love pot stickers. They had eaten and finished quick enough, with April paying and leaving a hefty tip. They had spent the 40 minutes exchanging jubilant chatter, laughing and chuckling like good old times.

"Agh, I can just imagine the look on Anna's face when she sees you." April chuckled, rearing up into the church.
 
Caleb hadn't ordered as much he had ordered a chicken and bacon sandwich and a large coffee, of course he ate some of April's pot stickers. They were really good. He couldn't eat too much though since his stomach hurt if he did. Having your stomach pumped sucked!

When they headed back on the road and went to church, Caleb got a little nervous. Anna would be there but so would her foster parents and he didn't really know what they thought of him. He wanted to thank them though, for paying for his hospital bills and the first round of medicine. He knew it wasn't cheap since he didn't have like Medicaid or any type of insurance for his health. He obviously couldn't afford it, so he was very grateful.

They reached the church and Caleb stepped out, he was super excited and nervous at the same time. The doors soon opened and people left the building, some still chatting and going to the building next to it to get some coffee and snacks and to catch up. Annabelle and her foster family soon stepped out as well, Anna was playing with some friends so she didn't notice him until someone called her name. Annabelle turned around and gasped. "Caleb!" She called excitingly and ran to him, jumping up and into his arms before she tightly wrapped her arms and legs around him. "I'm so happy you're out." She mumbled into his shoulder.

Caleb smiled and held her close. It was so good to hug her properly and to see her somewhere that wasn't the hospital.
"They prayed for you in church today." Anna smiled as she pulled back.
"Did they now?" Caleb asked her and kissed her cheek.
"They did." She beamed. "Im so happy you're out of the hospital. Does this mean you're all better?"
"I still have to take medicine, but i don't have to go into a program, so I guess I'm all better." Caleb still had to go to meetings and a therapist, but he couldn't really afford the therapist so just the group meeting would have to do. He didn't want to take more of the Adams family. He would rather have that they used the money for Annabelle.
 
April was leaning against the car when Caleb and Annabelle were having their joyous reunion, and she couldn't help but smile. She was so happy for them, it was hard to contain it all and keep from sprinting there, wrapping them both in a bear hug. Instead, she made the wary decision to have a small chat with the Adams.

"Hello, Mister and Missus Adams! I hope you're both doing well today. Caleb was just discharged today, so we're all a bit more excited than usual. He's doing well." She chirped, putting on her best well-mannered smile. The old couple shared a look, and then smiled back.

"It's nice to have him back. The champ's a lucky one to have such a good..." The father paused, glancing at his wife for affirmation. "Girlfriend." She finished. April shook her hand viciously and waved her hands dismissively. "We- we're not dating! We're friends. Really good friends. Ah, but- anywho! Would you two care to join us to the movies? It'll be good. Annabelle's choice." She said. It would be nice if could all enjoy something together; Caleb wouldn't get anywhere if he and Anna's foster parents could barely speak a word to each other without tension plaguing the air around them.

"Well. That would be nice, wouldn't it, dear?" The woman nudged her husband, who quickly nodded his head and cleared his throat. April had to hold in a laugh.

"Wonderful."
 
Caleb had always bumped with Mr. Adams so that would be very interesting if they would come along.

Caleb smiled and swung his sister around. Apparently her foster sisters had a birthday sleep over that she hadnt been invited to, so they weren't at church with them. Annabelle didnt care about that anymore though, she was hurt at first, but now seeing her brother made everything perfect. She was so happy. "I'm so glad you're home." She told him, not letting go of his neck. "Now I wont get to see you everyday though." She said, sounding a bit sadder.

Caleb rubbed her back and kissed her head. "It's going to be okay. You know why?" He asked her and smirked when she shook her head no. "I have an interview for the model job on Tuesday and hopefully I can save up a lot very quickly so we can be together every day. Does that sound good?"

Annabelle beamed and happily nodded. "I would like that very much. I miss seeing you every day."

"I know, sis, but it's going to get better now. I promise." He told her and put her on the ground. "Want to go see a movie with April and I? You can choose which ever one you want to see. April said she was paying for it."

"Can I have popcorn too?" She asked her brother with big eyes. They went to the movies sometimes but they didnt always have enough money for snacks. "We can share!" She reminded him.

"You dont share, you always eat all of it." Caleb said and lifted her upside down, making Annabelle squeal happily.

"N-No I dont!"

"Yes you do!" Caleb chuckled and walked over to her foster parents and April before he put his sister down.
"Can we have popcorn with the movie?" Annabelle asked. "Caleb and I will share, I promise." She told her friend before looking up at her foster parents. "I can go right? Caleb just got out of the hospital. He missed his Saturday." She knew very well that he foster parents didnt like Caleb and since today wasnt a Saturday day, which normally was Caleb's day, she really hoped she could go with her brother and best friend. She really liked having her brother around, but the best part was that he was smiling and laughing again. She had her big brother back and it made her very happy.
 
April giggled and bent down to Annabelle's height. "We're all going together, sweetie. Like a big giant happy family." She said, scuffling her hair. The Adams nodded at the girl's excitement. It was decided, after Annabelle's urgent insistence, that she would ride with Caleb and April, while the parents would ride in a separate car. Annabelle was so excited that she hit her head on the car door, much to everyone's panicked concern. "I'm fine! Just hurts a bit." She had told them.

When they arrived, April and Mr. Adams had gotten into a little squabble about payments, but he had played the elderly card, so April, being the excessively polite thing she is, had given in. "Well, fine, but I'm paying for popcorn." She had said, quickly shoving the money to the cashier. For herself, she had just gotten a drink. The movie Anna picked had been animated with a quirky, red haired main character and an equally outlandish cast. It had risen lots of chuckles and giggles.

"How'd you like it?" April asked everyone.

"I didn't like that lobster thing. That boy ain't right. Freaky eyes."

"He was the villain. That was the point."

"I liked that girl's eyebrows. Very fleeky."

"Please don't use that word in that pretense."

Conversation was jubilant as they walked back to the cars. Apparently, Anna had been scheduled for a dentist appointment, so she had to leave with her foster parents to the dentist office. She was getting braces.
 
The movie was great and Annabelle's smile made everything better. She was enjoying herself so much that it cheered Caleb up, forgetting everything that had happened the last couple of weeks. They chatted and walked to the cars, Caleb holding his little sister's hand. Once there and they had to say goodbye, Caleb crouched down in front of her. "You be good to your foster parents okay?" He smiled at her. "I'll see you again Saturday and we'll go have fun again. This time I really promise. Otherwise April might kill me." He said which caused Annabelle to giggle. "When you start working again and when you have money, you should take her out for a nice dinner." Annabelle said and hugged her brother. "I love you big brother."
Caleb smiled and hugged her back. "Bye baby girl. I love you so very much." He said and kissed her head as he held her just a little bit closer.
He watched them get in the car and waved at Annabelle as she left with her foster parents.

Tuesday he had the interview and hopefully things would go well and he could start working soon. He was actually really hopeful now, he wanted to do his best for her. He wanted to try hard and make a better living for himself and Annabelle. He smiled and turned around before he hugged April. "Thank you." He told the shorted girl. He was very grateful to her. "Thank you for not giving up on me." She might have given up on him maybe a little in the beginning or something, but she came back and then stayed with him every night. He never had someone do that for him. Ever.
 
April chuckled, leaning against the car as they all said their goodbyes. She waved a bubbly farewell to Annabelle, who nearly tripped (again) as she loaded herself and her exasperated foster parents into the car. It was when she was just about ready to part that she felt arms wrap around her and words of gratitude spewed out to her. April, a little surprised, but content nonetheless, smiled as she returned the comforting gesture.

"Yeah. Thanks for not giving up on yourself." She told him. Towards the beginning, she hadn't exactly given up on him so much as given up on herself. She didn't think she could do anything, she felt defenseless, unable to help him--and so unbearably lost. So far she was able to guide herself through most problems, no matter how difficult it was, but she supposed Annabelle lending her a bit of direction was acceptable. "Come on. Let's go home. I have art to do."

During the ride home, she had been a little out of it. Thinking. Thinking. Thinking. She had even tried to unlock the front door with the mailbox key, mindlessly trying too shove the thing into the slot to no avail. She laughed at herself once she realized it.

"Oh geez. Sorry about that." She said, rubbing the nape of her neck as she stepped inside and plopped onto the couch.
 
Caleb had his bag from the hospital around his shoulder. It was nice to be back at April's apartment. He didn't know if he could call it his home just yet, he had only slept here one night before the whole suicide attempt. Once April managed to open the door, they stepped inside and Caleb dropped his bag on the floor as she plopped down on the couch. "I thought you said you had art to do." He teased and went to sit down next to her.

He had to find a way to stay busy until the interview. He didn't want to fall back into the deep dark depression and the therapist had told him to stay active so he wouldn't relapse.

Tuesday was his interview. He didn't have any pictures to show but he hoped the found him handsome, if he was handsome enough for a career in modeling. It had never really been on his list of things to do.

"April, can I ask you something?" Caleb spoke up. "Do you think I'm handsome? I mean-" he quickly got in. "-you know.. for the whole modeling thing and what not." He didn't know how he would respond if he failed at another job after just getting himself back together.
 
April heaved an over-dramatic sigh as she sprawled herself over the couch, her head finding a comfy spot to rest on Caleb's shoulder. "Ahhhhhhhhhh! But it's been such a looonngg dayy, Caleb. I'm tired. Let a gal rest." She joked, sitting up once he began to speak, suddenly perky and attentive again.

She had to hold in a giggle.

"Caleb, you're beautiful. I wouldn't doubt for one moment that they would hire you. Plus, young girls absolutely eat up the bad boy aesthetic. If we dress you up in a suit and tie, slick back your hair.. ah! I can just imagine the glory! The magnificence! You'll be the cover of Vogue!" She gushed, squealing in her seat. "Oh how joyous Tuesday will be." A mischievous giggle.

She paused her jubilance for a moment. Before this, April really hadn't given a second thought to how Caleb looked. Sure, when they first met, she thought he was a pretty cute dude, but a person can't help but notice such a thing upon first impressions. Slowly, April edged closer to him, leaning her face in an alarming proximity to his. She reached a tentative hand to his cheek, staring intently into the flecks of color in his eyes, the curvature of his bone structure, the angle at which his eyebrows arched. It was all too easy to get lost in.
 
Caleb thought about it. April seemed really confident that he would get the job because of his... badboy look- whatever that meant. He was nervous for Tuesday. If it didn't work he didn't know what he would do then. He had already failed so many times, he didn't want to fail again. Things were supposed to turn for the better now, he didn't know what would happen if this didn't go through.

He suddenly watched with big eyes when April grabbed his face and got dangerously close. He could feel her breath on his skin and he blushed furiously. What now? What was he supposed to do? What the hell was she doing? He had never seen her so close though, it was the first time he noticed she had very light freckles.

Everybody thought they were a couple, he had never though of her as a potential partner, but she had the looks, the personality, the smile. Now would be a perfect moment to kiss her, but he didn't even know what she thought of him. Probably just friends which was probably for the best. It wasn't like he was a good role model or anything. He didn't even know if he had any good traits besides his looks.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom
Back