May 5th 2508
ETA. 88 Days.
Kate sat with her legs crossed, eyes boring into a door. On the other side was Griff, the hiss and sizzle of the shower audible from the other side. Wisps of steam visible from the gap at the base of the door. Proof that Griff was taking a really long, long time.
It was so annoying, but Kate would wait, happily even.
Finally, the door opened. Music blasting out, beating down on her ears. There was something absurd about a skinny man's six pack, and goodness was he thin. He was naked but for the towel that hung loosely around his waist, another towel hanging loose on your shoulder.
He froze.
"What are you doing?" He asked, suspicious.
"I saw it yesterday. I wanna see how it's healing." Kate declared.
"What did you see?" He asked, retreating a step.
"Take that towel off." Kate demanded and immediately regretted it, because, like a little shit, he dropped the towel at his waist. She couldn't help herself and raised her gaze to admire the ceiling.
"You little shit." She growled like a beast, literally grabbing her own head to make a show of forcing herself to look at him, dangly bits or not.
"Let me see." She demanded.
"You are."
"So now you have attitude? Is this how we are now?"
"Well no." He mumbled.
"Am I trying to hurt you right now?" she asked.
"No."
"Then what are you doing? Just show me so I can help!"
Her gut, her chest ached. But finally he relented and turned around, he was skinny enough for her to see his bony little spine, he was too young for real muscle. Across his back and down to his tail bone were bruises, centred with a dark spot like someone had splashed purple paint on him, with scabby streaks.
"You're an idiot." She grumbled, swallowing down the need to weep openly. There would be time for her to do so the moment she was alone and in bed. "When we were doing that volunteer nonsense, we saw you sporting your side."
"So mom knows?"
"She's about to."
"But won't we get in trouble?"
"For what exactly?" Kate asked.
It was almost gratifying to see Griff go blank. He hadn't expected that. The idiot had thought it was all a big secret.
"Well, you know. We got scammed." He said.
Kate's brow quirked and she smiled.
"Even more reason to tell mom, after getting screwed over like that. The gig's over. What are we worried about?"