[ months?! is the second half of that blurted out question, but it barely gets out as it is, and she has to cut herself short or she might sound completely hysterical. she's shaking her head before she even gives herself time to think about it, to really look him over. she doesn't sound hysterical, sure, she managed that, but she is definitely rambling again ]
No. That's not possible, I just saw you back home, before we went to bed. I drove you, Dustin, and Lucas to and from school, then I went to the library, but you forgot your backpack in my car so I had to drive all the way back home so I just studied by myself instead. We had dinner, Dad told some stupid story about this guy that got his tie caught in the shredding machine at work, and that was it. That was- four days ago. Right before I got here. You were home with me, you weren't here.
[ but by the time she's done, she's had that time to really look him over, and he really does look... different. tired. no, exhausted. and they've always teased each other over how red their noses get when they're cold, but his is red and different too. she huffs a long breath, like all the bubbled up tension from her shock needs a physical way of leaving her body, and that's when her expression goes a little soft again, as well as her voice. he's really not lying, is he? ]
Holy shit, Mike.
[ it's not quite an "i'm so sorry, i should have been here with you", but the tone is the same ]
no subject
[ months?! is the second half of that blurted out question, but it barely gets out as it is, and she has to cut herself short or she might sound completely hysterical. she's shaking her head before she even gives herself time to think about it, to really look him over. she doesn't sound hysterical, sure, she managed that, but she is definitely rambling again ]
No. That's not possible, I just saw you back home, before we went to bed. I drove you, Dustin, and Lucas to and from school, then I went to the library, but you forgot your backpack in my car so I had to drive all the way back home so I just studied by myself instead. We had dinner, Dad told some stupid story about this guy that got his tie caught in the shredding machine at work, and that was it. That was- four days ago. Right before I got here. You were home with me, you weren't here.
[ but by the time she's done, she's had that time to really look him over, and he really does look... different. tired. no, exhausted. and they've always teased each other over how red their noses get when they're cold, but his is red and different too. she huffs a long breath, like all the bubbled up tension from her shock needs a physical way of leaving her body, and that's when her expression goes a little soft again, as well as her voice. he's really not lying, is he? ]
Holy shit, Mike.
[ it's not quite an "i'm so sorry, i should have been here with you", but the tone is the same ]