Gym Junkie

“What are you doing?” I frown.

She peers through the peephole. “He’s coming back. You need to be quiet.”

“Huh?” I whisper. “Who’s coming back.”

“Black jacket, black jacket.”

I stare at her. “What are you talking about?”

“I didn’t see anything.” She begins to pace. “I didn’t see anything.” She shakes her head, puts her hands over her ears, and begins slapping herself on the head. “Know nothing, know nothing,” she repeats over and over.

“I frown as I watch her. “Meredith, are you feeling all right?” Jeez, I think she’s having some kind of psychotic episode. I don’t know what to do. “Have you taken your medication today?” I ask.

She starts hitting herself on the head again. “Know nothing, know nothing.” She is pacing back and forth and can’t stand still.

“Meredith, how about I take you over to your mother’s house?” I’ve gotten to know her mother and she’s not as bad as I first thought. She handles Meredith a lot better than Callie and I do, anyway, especially in circumstances like this.

Her eyes widen. “Yes.” She runs into her bedroom and begins ripping her drawers open quickly. “Black jacket, black jacket,” she repeats over and over.

“Yes, bring your black jacket.” I say, jeez…. what’s going on with her?

I don’t think I should tell her I’m going away while she’s like this. I don’t want her to have a meltdown.

She runs to the bathroom and picks up her whole toiletries’ basket. She runs out and tips it upside down into her suitcase. Things go flying everywhere, and then she runs back into her bedroom.

“What did you eat today, babe?” I ask carefully. “Did you have any blue food colouring?”

She runs out and looks at me, her eyes wild and wide as if she’s having a sudden epiphany. “Yes. Blue Lemonade.”

I wince. “Blue Lemonade? That doesn’t sound good.” I walk to the fridge. “How much did you drink?” I ask.

“Four litres.”

“Four litres,” I repeat as I pull the two two-litre empty bottles out from the inside shelves of the fridge door. “What the heck?” I shake my head. “Don’t drink this crap, Meredith. It will make you feel bad.”

She nods. “Yes. I feel bad, very bad. I need to go to the hospital now.”

“What?” Oh hell. I need to get her to her mother’s as fast as I can. “It’s okay, sweetie, grab your things and we will go over to your mother’s.”

“Yes.” She runs from the room. “Mother’s, then the hospital.”

“Maybe you should stay with your mum for a little while,” I call.

She runs back out and stares at me through widened eyes. “Yes. Good idea.” She nods. “Know nothing, know nothing.” She runs back into the bedroom, and I follow her, noticing how all of her furniture has been pushed to the door. “Why did you move the furniture, honey?” I ask.

She begins to shake her head as if really frantic about something.

“It’s okay, it’s okay.” Shit, should I call an ambulance or something? “Give me your suitcase and we’ll leave now,” I say calmly.

“He’s coming back,” she whispers, clearly petrified.

“Who’s coming back?”

“Black jacket.”

What the fuck is she talking about? I lead her out into the corridor by the hand, down into the elevator, and she looks so scared that it breaks my heart.

“Baby, it’s okay.” I put my arm around her shoulders to try and comfort her. We get into my car and she looks around frantically. It’s as if she scared of something she can’t see.

I pull the car up at her mother’s soon after. Meredith gets out of the car and runs inside, as if she’s being chased.

I hate that she has to go through this. Her mother comes out. “What’s going on?” she asks, confused.

“I don’t know, I just found her like this.” I shrug. “I didn’t know what to do.”

“Has she missed her medication?” her mother asks.

“I’m not sure. She had a lot of food additives that may have made her nervous.”

“Okay, thanks for taking care of her, dear.” Her mother gives me a sad smile and goes back inside, leaving me to sit in my car for a moment.

I really hate that she has to go through this. Why was she so frightened?

It’s one thing to have a friend like Meredith, but to see her in like this is heart breaking.

I slowly start my car and blow out a deflated breath. I turn the corner to head back to my house. Brock will be there at any moment to pick me up, and tonight, I get to meet his family.

I’m so nervous.

My phone alerts me to a text and the screen lights up.

SIMON: I’m at your house. Where are you?

My eyes widen. What the fuck?

Chapter 17

Oh my God, oh my God. They’re both going to be turning up at my apartment at the same time. I put my foot down on the accelerator and begin to speed up. I can’t have them meet like this, and what the heck is Simon doing back from London, anyway? He’s supposed to be gone for another three weeks at least. I mean, I knew that he would come back to see me when he returned, and I always anticipated that he and Brock would one day meet, but I didn’t expect it to happen now.