The Conspiracy of Baby-Switching novel Chapter 95

I throw on my boxer shorts and slink into bed. I lie on my side and watch her for the longest time.

Bruising is not her best look, I have to admit, but to me...she is perfect. Her long hair is splayed across her pillow and her dark lashes flutter as she breathes.

A real-life angel...my angel.

To her regulated breathing, I feel myself drifting into the abyss.

Beside her at last.

"Oww," Violet cries.

I jump awake. "What?"

"You hit my arm when you rolled over."

"Oh." I wince. "Sorry."

"What are you doing in this bed?"

"I..." I rub my eyes as I try to wake up. "I thought you might need something."

"I don't need you hurting me."

"Sorry, sorry," I mumble. "Go back to sleep."

She exhales in frustration, and we lie in the darkness for a while. "Now my hand is aching."

I roll over and look at my phone. "You can probably have some painkillers now, you were meant to have them in half an hour anyway." I get up and grab the pills. She sits up and takes them.

"I need to go to the bathroom."

I lift her and take her to the bathroom. Fuck...I was in the deepest sleep then. I wait for her and then carry her back to bed and lie back down and close my eyes.

"Gabriel," she whispers.

"Huh?" I jump awake.

"You're breathing too loud." "What?" I screw up my face.

"Roll over, you are keeping me awake."

"But I can't sleep on that side."

"Go to the couch, then," she growls in an Exorcist voice.

"Fuck's sake, calm down." I roll over and put my back to her and I'm so uncomfortable, this is not my sleeping position at all. I try to lie as still as I can so as to not disturb her.

Eventually, I close my heavy eyes.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

I jump awake. "What the fuck is going on?"

"Your phone alarm is going off."

"Oh." I forgot to turn it off. I switch it off.

"How could you forget that?"

"If I knew, I wouldn't have forgotten." I close my heavy eyelids.

"Mom," someone yells from a distance. "Mom." I keep dreaming. Shut up, kid.

"Mom..."

I jerk awake. "Fuck." I stumble out of bed; Lucia is full crying now and I kick my toe on the bedpost and go hurtling toward the wall.

"From the fridge downstairs?"

"Do you mind?"

I do, actually...

"Fine." I limp down the hall and stairs in the darkness. The room glows from the refrigerator light as I open it. I glance over and see my keys sitting on the counter.

Maybe I could sleep in my car?

I fill the glass with water and make my way back upstairs. I pass Violet her water, she gulps...and gulps...and gulps...and gulps...jeez.

"Thirsty?"

"Don't try me," she snarls.

I grit my teeth and get back into bed. She's testing my last nerve. I close my eyes.

"I need to go to the toilet again," she whispers into the darkness.

I slap my hands over my eyes. This can't be happening.

"That's what happens when you drink like a fucking camel, Violet." "That's it. Go home." Don't tempt me, woman.

I flick the blankets back and pick her up. "Perhaps I should put a catheter in."

"Perhaps you should shut your mouth."

"You're not a great patient."

"Yeah, well... You're not a great nurse."

I hobble with her back to bed and lay her down, then stumble into bed.