Green Light, Red Flag

“Y’know Bronwyn, you’re being completely unreasonable. How can you choose never to have kids because they, might, get sick?”

Bronwyn scrunched her brows angrily but kept her voice calm.

“Because it’s not a, might, situation. This isn’t something that might get passed down, it most likely WILL get passed down!” She exhaled shakily, and tried to grab her boyfriends’ hands, which he tugged away from her with a scowl. Her anger bubbled again.

“YOU’RE the one who’s being unreasonable, Tim! You see how plagued I am with this, I can’t even look after myself properly…how can you expect me to care for a sick baby as well? Especially if I can’t see!”

“Christ, Bron, it’s not even a for sure that they’ll be sick! I don’t have headaches, so there’s a 50/50 chance they’ll be totally healthy.”

Bronwyn couldn’t believe her ears.

“First off, Timothy; they’re not headaches, they’re migraines…and would you be willing to take that risk? Do you not see what I go through every other day?”

Another scowl.

“You just pop pills. This whole disability bullshit is basically just an excuse for you to get high.”

That had her voice catching in her throat. What?

He shrugged at her shocked expression.

“I see how messed up you get as soon as you take your, “medicine.” You can’t tell me they’re just for the pain.”

Bronwyn’s small frame began shivering; her anger had quickly turned to disbelief, and though she did comprehend his words, her heart would not allow her to process the accusations thrown at her. There must be a misunderstanding.

“Wha- You-you think I enjoy, being sick?”

He steadily met her gaze.

“I think you’ve learned how to take advantage of the situation. Oh fuck, don’t start that shit now.” He tossed a tissue box at her, causing her to jump; only then did she feel the drops of tears falling down her face. She wiped them quickly, not wanting to anger him any further. They’d had fights before, but never like this…

“Tim…I’ve been like this since before I could remember…I cried nonstop as a baby, and one of the first things I described to mom was blinding, flashing green lights…you’ve talked with my parents, how can you say I’m making it up?”

He scoffed, and quickly stood up.

“I’m going out. Don’t wait up for me.”

“Wait, Tim- wait, please, let’s talk about this!” She stood to go after him, and stopped. Green flashing lights had appeared in both her eyes; the migraine aura.

“Oh no…Tim…” Her voice was so quiet, it was almost a whimper. He stopped, and slowly turned. Though only one of his eyes was visible to her, she could see and feel his angry glare.

“Lemme guess, you’re getting one right now? Pretty fucking convenient.” He threw on his jacket and grabbed the keys to their shared car.

“Enjoy your pills, bitch.”

She started sobbing once the door was slammed. If he were to come back and she’d taken a pill he’d be upset, but if she didn’t she’d be in agony for the next 24 hours. Lose lose either way.

Defeated, she went to her bed, and opened her bedside table. Inside were the pain pills prescribed by her doctor, as no migraine treatment had proved effective as of yet. She popped the pill quickly, but kept the bottle open, as she usually required more.

Crying had made it so much worse. While it normally took about an hour after the aura started for the pain to set in, this time it began in less than 40 minutes. The intense pulsating of her eyes and temple were almost unbearable, and would have been; if not for the medication.

She tried to process what had happened before the medicine took total effect. Tim had had temper tantrums before, but he’d never said anything like that. He’d always been supportive of her migraines. Mind you, they’d never had the discussion of children before…

She laid down on the bed, slowly feeling her body float away from her brain. She placed her sleeping mask on, and though her head and heart were in agonized distress, she didn’t have to feel any of it at the moment. Though she could still sense the pain, she was now completely disconnected from its effects.

She was safe; for now.