TRUCE
"I think you are taking the state of your injury, TOO FAR" Lily said with her arms akimbo, as she stood at the front of my room, scanning the length and breadth.
"And what do you mean by that?" I asked, like I had no idea of what she was saying.
"Your room is a freaking mess Martha. When last did this floor receive the soft caresses of a broom or a proper washing?" she asked, stomping her feet on the floor hard.
"Stop being a mum Lily. I have been strapped to this wheelchair and I barely can do nothing. Do not blame me girl" I said.
"Whatever! I was coming to see how soft your bed would feel beneath me but it seems that would be postponed"
"Yes, Literature student. It would" I said, teasing her for making melody of her words.
She walked to my window and tore the curtains wide apart and the sun streaked in, flashing on my face.
"First things first, some proper ventilation" said Lily.
I wheeled myself closer to the bed as she shifted some clothes on my bed so she could have room to sit.
She pulled off her boots and placed them close to the desk cabinet that held my nightstand.
She picked up a pair of baby blue trousers and threw them at me to fold. She began to put my shirts in their hangers as she selected my trousers and skirts for me to fold. When she was done, she carried the shirts to the cloth rack and hung them. Next she changed my green bed sheets to a royal blue one that had prints of books on it. She adjusted the side of the bed sheet where pillows rested while I fixed the side where our feet would stay.
Next she swept the room before properly vacuuming it. At the end of the clean up, she was sweating and a part of her partitioned hair was stuck to her forehead.
"So freaking tired" said Lily.
"I am so sorry for stressing you" I said
"I bet you are," she said as she drew a finger across the side of her face to put away a drop of sweat that was trickling down.
"Pizza for your troubles?" I asked.
"Don't forget some Alpine juice" she said and I could only shake my head. Pizza could definitely get anyone.
"Martha, Michael, I'm home" my dad called from downstairs.
"Your dad?" asked Lily.
"Yes my dad. Trust me, he doesn't bite" I said and Lily gave a look that said 'definitely' in a mock form.
As I came out from my room, Michael was also coming out from his. I did not know how to tell him to carry me down because Lily had a hard time helping me up the stairs the other time because I had to rest most of my weight on her.
Sensing the mood, Michael walked over to me and picked me out of the wheelchair, carrying me bridal style. I latched onto his neck due to the force he had used to pick me up.
"Such a caring brother" Lily cooed from behind us as they walked downstairs.
I looked at him and my eyes were on his jaw and I noticed that he was gnashing his teeth. He was definitely angry at me and I deserved it. He definitely didn't deserve what I said and I didn't deserve to be carried.
"I'm sorry Michael" I said to him in a voice only he could hear.
"Yeah" he replied curtly and subtly.
I dearly wish at that moment that I had the ability to read minds, so I could know what he was thinking.
"I know I stepped on a line and I am really sor…" I started but was cut abruptly.
"You need not be" he said looking down to me and then back on the stairs. I wanted to speak up again but he was already at the base of the stairs. Lily immediately drew the second wheelchair that was downstairs to Michael and he placed me on it before going to join my dad and Seth in the kitchen.
I could only watch him as he left, lost for words.
"Are you and Michael having issues?" Lily asked as she squatted down by my side. She is a very observant person, she must have noticed that the air between Michael and I was stiff.
"It's nothing. Can you please push me to the kitchen so we could greet my dad?" I asked to distract her mind.
"Definitely!"
She came behind me and began to push the chair towards the kitchen. We were close to the kitchen when we heard the voices of four men. I recognized my dad's Michael's, Seth's and…and Marcus. Marcus! Marcus is here?
"Is Marcus here?" Lily asked, recognizing his voice also.
"I guess so, I wonder when he came. Let's go" I said, urging her to keep pushing me to the chair.
"Wait Martha!" she said, agitation staining her voice.
"Yes Lily" I said with an eyebrow arched up.
"DI...do I smell?" she asked, raising her armpits to her nose and sniffing both sides.
"You do need to shower though"
"Do I smell that bad? You could have told me upstairs"
"What's the fuss for? You are just here to greet my dad and then you can go have your bath lady. Is it because of Seth?' I asked.
"Seth?" she questioned, surprised.
"I guess it's not. Can we go now?" I asked.
"No you cannot" a voice said all of a sudden and standing before Lily and I was Marcus. Looking as handsome as ever in a black shirt, a pair of black trousers and a brown leather jacket with his hair styled to the side and two strands falling over his face.
"MR!" I greeted using his initials and he responded using the same for me, "MJ!"
He bent down and hugged me and I felt Lily loosen her hand on the grip of my wheelchair where she was pushing me from.
She took a step back from us as we hugged.
"How have you been?" asked Marcus as he squatted down to face me.
"Well, I'm healing pretty well and I should be out of this chair very soon…like very, very soon" I answered with so much emphasis.
"Alright, that's good to know"
"When did you get here?" I asked.
""I was at the gate, about to ring the intercom but luckily for me, that was also the time your dad and brother were about to come in"
"Oh good!"
"Yeah. Hi Lily" Marcus hailed acknowledging Lily without a sassy word. It was something rare to see.
"Hi Marcus" she answered coldly.
"We are not in school, so I think we should keep the bad blood between us aside till we get out of this property. What do you say to a truce?" Marcus asked Lily.
"What even brought about this supposed bad blood?" I asked
"It's Marcus," said Lily.
"How is it me? You are always the one trying to get on my nerves!" said Marcus.
"Like you have got nerves!" attacked Lily, instigating a fight.
"Let's not go there Lil!" Marcus said
"I said do not call me 'Lil'!" Lily said with an increase to her tone.
"Then you shouldn't have…" Marcus started but I cut him off.
"What was that you were saying about a truce?" I asked Marcus to look at Lily.
"Truce" said Marcus and Lily simultaneously in a grudging manner.
"Not with that grudge evident in your voices. With a handshake or a hug, something other than…that!" I persisted.
''A handshake would be sanely better,'' said Lily as she stretched forth her hand.
"It's not like you did have a heart attack if I hugged you" said Marcus and he pulled her outstretched hand to himself and hugged her.
Lily stood there as stiff as a board as Marcus hugged her.
"That's a proper truce" Marcus said as he loosened his arms that he wound around her waist.
"I came here to have some fun and to help our wheelchair-ed friend have a memorable Christmas…" Marcus said, darting his eyes to me.
"Hey" I called him out
"...so let's be as peaceful as ever" finished Marcus, placing a hand on her shoulder for a pat.
"Sure" Lily said in a small voice that didn't sound like hers and I noticed that she was avoiding Marcus' eyes.
What was really going on with her?
"I guess it's time for me to join my family" I said, breaking whatever jinx they were in.
"Yeah, let's go" said Lily, regaining her real voice.