The Rough Night

Carly stormed out of the bedroom, angrily she slammed the door right in front of Joshua's face as he tried to chase her. She ran out of the bedroom, heading out of the house, she didn't care that it was late in the evening already. Nothing really matters anymore for her. Carly's parents were woken up by the loud sound of the door banging and went out to see what was happening. The front door was opened wide and Carly's mother saw her daughter run off and open the front gate heading out. Her husband was still on the bed, sitting and asking, "What's going on? What's with all the noises?"

She hadn't had the chance to answer yet when Joshua crossed before her, chasing Carly. She quickly grabbed his sleeve to stop him, "Joshua, what's wrong?"

"She's upset, mom! I have to stop her from running away!" Joshua pulled Carly's mom's hand from gripping his clothes and hurriedly ran off outside.

"What is it?" Carly's dad came closer and rubbed his sleepy eyes.

"I don't know, Josh said she's upset," they both tilted their heads and looked outside, confused witnessing the drama on the terrace.

Joshua pulled Carly's hand, trying to get her back inside, but she kept warding off his grasp over and over.

"Carly! This is late! Get back inside, you're going to be sick, get inside now!" Joshua tried hard not to scream.

"No! I don't want to see you! You're a freaking psycho, you disgust me! Go to h*ll you freak!!" She shouted loudly at him in response.

"Carly, look at the time, you can't bluster now," he lowered his voice, almost whispering as she turned hers loud before.

"No, you freak! Leave me alone!!" She yelled even more.

Carly's father walked closer and held her hand, gently nodding and saying, "Come on in, Carly, it's late."

Carly's body loosened from the tension as she heard her father's voice. She melted, her fierce glare dimming as she calmed down and nodded at her father.

She brushed off Joshua's hand and walked inside, approaching her mom who was waiting and worrying at the doorway. 

She opened her hands and welcomed Carly in with a frowning face, "What is it, honey, what is wrong?"

Carly shook her head and sniffled, "I don't know, mom."

"Do you want to sleep in my bedroom tonight?" her mom offered.

"Yes, please," she sniffled more, her mom looked over her shoulder at her dad, as if asking for agreement to let Carly sleep in their room and he nodded in silence.

Joshua followed behind them, not saying anything. He knew it was his stupid mistake that was making Carly blustered in rage.

"I think it's better for you to  sleep in my bedroom, dad, I will be on the couch tonight."

Carly's father nodded in agreement.

***

"Do you need anything before I am asleep, darling?" Carly's mom asked as she tucked her into bed, "A glass of warm water, or warm honey lemon?" She continued.

"No, mom, it's okay."

"Do you want to tell me anything?"

"No, not now, mom, I'm tired…" Her voice sounded weak and tragic.

"How do you feel now, Carly?"

"I don't know, I'm just confused. I don't know what is wrong with Josh," Cary talked and was spacing out, her voice sounded shaky and doubtful.

"Josh?" her mother furrowed her eyebrows, didn't understand the situation they had beforehand and yet didn't want to give her more anxiety, "Let's stop worrying about that now, okay, honey? You should sleep," she continued.

"What? Stop worrying? Mom, he's rubbish!!" Carly started to rampage again, "he's a piece of sh*t!"

"No, no, Carly, enough for now, I don't know what was happening, but you should calm down a little, it's past midnight now," she tried to embrace her to hush her down but Carly resisted, she bucked even though she was weak and still shaky.

"Carly, Carly, hush now, okay, please, honey," her mother started to cry and Carly noticed her sniffle.

She stopped fighting her mother and melted in her embrace, her vulnerable body hunched as she too, started to sob.

Her mom kept her in her embrace while slowly leaning and guiding Carly to lie down on the bed. She hummed softly, hoping that Carly would feel a little calm and eventually fall asleep. That did happen, Carly slowly fell asleep in her mom's arms, like when she was a baby. Her mother couldn't feel at ease anyhow, she couldn't  find the idea of how Carly mentioned Joshua as rubbish while Carly was the one who was having a mental health issue. She couldn't stop thinking of what might have happened earlier. So when she sensed that Carly had fallen asleep, she slowly got her off her arms and pulled the covers to keep her warm and comfortable. Carefully she rose and got out of the bedroom, finding that her husband was there together with Joshua, they were still worried, she assumed.  

Noticing the door was opened, those men turned their heads at the same time and felt a huge relief as they saw it was Carly's mother alone who was coming out. Joshua stood up while Carly's father quietly nodded his head, signalling his wife about Carly's condition. 

"She's asleep now," she answered in understanding.

"Oh, such a relief," Joshua answered back, instantly taking Carly's mom's attention.

Taking a seat next to her husband, Carly's mom asked Joshua right away, "Is there anything you need to tell us, Josh? What happened?"

Joshua swallowed nervously, he didn't want his parents in law find out about his ridiculous remark earlier, because he acknowledged himself that it was rude and dumb. He had less than 10 seconds to answer his mother in law question to avoid suspicion.

"She didn't need any reason to rampage, mom, it's her nature these days, she throws fit over everything," how he wished his mother-in-law won't ask anything further.

"I know that, I am fully aware of that kind of behaviour of hers now. But she never swears at people, Josh. She is just angry and furious over everything, but not cursing."

"Cursing, mom? What did she say? Who did she curse at?" Josh started to get uncomfortable with the conversation.

"You. She said you're rubbish. I believe she had a good reason for that, my children don't just swear at people randomly." 

Joshua froze. He spent years over years building a perfect image of a husband. A perfect man. He needed to find a way to slip out of this and reveal Carly's mistake.

"I only kissed her, mom. Dad, believe me. I did nothing but kiss her affectionately. I tried to comfort her, and she said she was sad. Then I said it was okay, I am sad too because Jade was my baby as well. I feel the same grief as she feels," he paused to take a breath and continued, "I told her that she has to pay attention to her health for now. That we have to move on. then she suddenly screamed."

Carly's parents listened to everything carefully, sighing every now and then.

"Maybe she doesn't want to move on, maybe she still wants to feel her sorrow for now. And I, asking her to move on was counted as heartless or something."

None of them spoke anything more. And Joshua sighed deeply; not sure in sadness or relief.