Rain. 

Pain.

That's all the day consisted of. I woke up that morning stuck to my hotel bed. An aching rendered my body useless of any physical activity. Maybe part of it was our day out but I knew the other part just came along with being me. 

Hours passed before I willed enough energy to get up. After leaving the bedroom I noticed the entire hotel room was dark. All the curtains remained pulled shut. Some papers lay about the floor with doodles and drawings, all Maude's work. Her bedroom door was closed. 

I suddenly understood. 

Maude and I were very similar in some ways. We both had our good days and bad. 

This one was bad. 

I collected the insomnia fueled sketches and set them on the table where they wouldn't get ruined. Rain punched the windows. My head pounded, my back ached.

Today was not the day to get groceries.

But it had to be. 

Putting on my leather jacket, not bothering with an umbrella, and completely forgetting about breakfast, I grabbed some ibuprofen and a benadryl and headed out the door. 

**********

The nearest grocery store was around the block. I must have been the world's slowest customer as I inched my way through the aisles, grabbing items off my mental checklist and not bothering to inspect brands or compare prices.

Fuck it.

I was just about to throw a box of pads in my shopping trolley when I felt something gently tap the back of my head. Thinking someone was trying to be funny I spun around ready to give them my best stink eye. Now was not the time to cross me. But when I saw who it was I stopped short. "Didn't expect to see me here?"

I tried my best to wipe the frown off my face. "Hi, Phil."

He held a box of toothpaste in his hand. "Had to take a quick trip to the market. Boys also want me to pick up some lunch for them," he said showing me a small piece of paper with extensive bits of writing. He sniffed. Dark circles ringed his eyes too and his hair was soaked from the rain. "Busy day for me."

"Me too," I said trying not to make a scene of grabbing the boxes I needed. Surely he had a girlfriend, he knew about these things.

Still....

"You dropping by the studio today?" he asked sniffing again. 

"No, I have errands to run," I responded ignoring the pestering ache in my shoulder. "Angus and I are meeting up tomorrow." Let's hope I can walk by then.

"Oh." I couldn't tell if he really cared or if he was just being polite. Water from his hair and jacket dripped all over the floor. He grabbed some tissue boxes and a small bottle of painkillers. He sniffed again. 

"Are you sick?" I asked.

He stared at the shelf in front of him and avoided my curious gaze. Couldn't possibly blame him for looking so disheveled, I probably looked ten times worse. "Yeah," he muttered. "Kind of." He glanced at me forcing a smile. "Must be the rain."

Neither of us were used to this sort of weather in April, being Aussies and all. Surely the rain could put a damper on your spirits and that could have you poorly. But something told me Phil wasn't completely up for chit chat about it. Ruffling my hair and giving me a parting wave, he left the aisle. I looked down at my trolley to see exactly what I threw in it and saw some jock straps. 

No thanks.

Grabbing the correct items I scurried out of there and finished my shopping. 

**********

Back at the hotel I saw one curtain had been opened letting in a little light though the rain hadn't let up. Maude sat on the couch wrapped in a blanket. Brett sat beside her with his arm around her. They both turned and looked at me when I came in. "Been out?" Brett asked.

"Just for groceries," I answered putting the food away. "How's Maude?"

Brett turned to her for an answer but she just shook her head. "Not well," he said. "But managing. She saw you were gone and rang me up for a visit." My heart hurt when I realised I forgot to leave a note. "Thanks for picking up food, though, she hasn't eaten all day." After I put away perishable items I left the rest for later and went to the couch to sit by them. Maude's eyes were dark and her hair was in different directions. I'm sure I looked a similar fashion. Brett gently kissed the top of her head and she leaned into him. "How's about it, you wanna eat?" She buried her face in his chest for an answer. "Maybe later then?"

The scene in front of me took me back to when I bailed last minute a chance to see an AC/DC show at the Rainbow. Days gone by without us.

Oh, to be chronically ill.

Brett mentioned he had to leave to get to work but he'd ring and check up on her later. I saw him out the door and returned to a tear soaked Maude. Replacing Brett's arms with mine, I sat there next to her and let her cry. It took everything in me not to cry myself. My stomach churned and my limbs ached. I gave the food on the counter a sickening look. 

We could always eat later.