(19) Five Body One Sink Problem

(19) Five Body One Sink Problem

One second the living room of the house was empty and serene. The next everyone had collided back in their own chaotic ways.

Saint and Riley were first, with Saint hot on her tail, not giving her even a minute to be absolutely done with him. He was loudly asking her to tell him what he was wrong about at the tea party.

     Bliss came in through the front door. At the same time Lou fell through the upstairs stairwell door, ass first and under duress, with Ash at the wheel.

     Saint and Riley had to jump back to clear out of the way. Ash finished pushing Lou all the way through the door. He closed it and braced himself against it, blocking it with his body. But Ash was already onto the next task. From his place holding the door closed against Lou who was desperately trying to claw his way around. Ash waved his finger at Saint.

     “How about screw you, man. I heard you from the stairwell. Maybe you don’t talk to her that way.”

     Saint turned and was absolutely ready to go with Ash. “Screw me? Screw you. How about you stay in your lane?”

     Ash gave Saint a look that said if he wasn’t holding the door with his arm dangling grossly out of its socket that he would show Saint exactly which lane was his.

Riley was focused on the bigger issue. She reached around Lou to take hold of Ash’s good hand. Both Saint and Ash stopped and stared, unsure of this new development.

Riley told him, “It’s not worth it.” Then she let go, and took a couple of steps towards Bliss. “Were you outside?”

Behind her Ash looked overly pleased, and Saint was momentarily humbled. Very momentarily.

     Bliss opened her mouth in shock. “What are you saying?” She took a couple of steps forward, a little stiffer than normal. “I got a hug earlier, and now you think I went outside? What’s that?”

     She laughed, but she didn’t reach out to Riley instead shoving her hands into her pockets. Riley eyeing her cautiously.

     “No, I wasn’t outside. I was coming from the kitchen. The doors in this house, right?”

     The way Bliss emphasized the word doors, made Riley flinch. She looked at Ash, who shook his head. It was unclear if Riley really believed Bliss. But it was clear there wasn’t time to dwell on it.

     Everyone’s attention had finally turned to Lou who had begun grappling with Ash in earnest. It was taking a lot of Ash’s effort to respond with his increasing urgency.

     Riley held her hands out to Ash. “How can I help?”

     Ash tossed his backpack with his good arm past Lou and into the room.

     “There’s rope in there. I think tying him down is going to be our only way to get a moment’s peace.”

     Even Saint who would happily fight Ash over an overly toasted piece of bread had to agree he was right. Riley pulled the rope out and she and Saint worked together to get Lou strapped down to a high back chair. It took them both hauling, holding and even then it barely contained him.

     Once they felt confident he was secure Riley was able to ask, “What is happening to him?”

     Ash shrugged, and shook his head. “I wish I knew.” He watched Lou for a minute. “That’s a lie, I don’t need to experience that too.”

     Ash started trying to test out the shoulder that was clearly not currently attached, like an idiot, which quickly led to making himself wince. Riley watched this in fascination, until she broke and told him, “Ok. Stop, please.”

     She forced him to sit politely on the couch for her to check it out.

     “It’s out of the socket. Not completely but still.”

     “Yeah, I noticed.”

     “So, you need to go see the doctor?”

     She asked it as if she already suspected the answer, which was confirmed by his look and answer. “Not happening.”

     “I’m guessing you aren’t going to agree to just put it in a sling either?”

     “You seem to know a lot about this.”

     Riley shot a look to Saint that somehow both said ‘help me’ and ‘you better keep your mouth shut’.

     “Maybe I do. And?”

     Thankfully for Riley, Ash’s goal wasn’t information about her right now.

     “So, you know how to put it back.”

     Riley rolled her eyes. “It isn’t like you think it is. It isn’t like I yank your arm back into the socket and everything is all better. I can walk you through maybe putting it back in, but it’s still going to be basically useless for a while.”

     Ash pointed to Lou, and everything. “Riley, we don’t have time for anything else.”

     Riley motioned, “Ok. Fine. Lay down on the floor on your back.”

     Ash complied, and Riley walked him through the process of reaching for his other shoulder, slowly working the misaligned joint back. It looked like he was trying to dance while laying on the floor.

     Lou was still fighting his binds trying to get to the door but everyone else watched in tragic fascination at the performance. For all of Riley’s kindness in guiding the process there was a distinct moment when the bone snapped back into place. Ash let out a choked yell, and for just a moment he was at peace.

“Shit, shit, shit. No, I’m ok. Shit.”

     Bliss looked like she might get sick, and let out a sympathetic grunt. “Shit man.”

     Ash sat up slowly with concentration on his face and looked at her, before answering in an unintentionally husky voice “Shit is right.”

He cleared his throat and tried to shake off the memory of the sound of his own bones sliding together.

     They nodded at each other for a moment, and Riley sat between them in awe.

     And then Ash turned a really odd shade of pale. He said, “Oh shit.” And they all heard that wet choking sound that happens before somebody throws up. Ash went running into the kitchen and everyone else, even Lou tied up in the chair, checked the veracity of their gag reflex.

     Riley steeled herself for a moment of bravery. She pointed to Lou and told Bliss and Saint, “Watch him. I mean it. If you want to be really helpful maybe figure out what is going on with him?”

The endless house felt too small for all they had brought with them. And with a sigh Riley followed Ash through into the kitchen.