White Suds

I nearly tripped going up the stairs to the back door. The bathroom light was on, so I tried the door, thinking she might have not had a chance to lock it yet. No such luck. I took off my backpack and rummaged around until I found a metal paper clip.

It took about three minutes to unlock the door. I was grateful she didn't use a dead bolt. I would have hated to break the glass. Not that she couldn't afford to have it fixed, but it would look tacky until she did.

The kitchen shined even in the dark. Pans hung from a bar over the island table, like unlit stage lights. I adjusted my backpack and turned down the hallway that lead to her bedroom, the carpet soft under my feet. Light shined through the crack left by the bathroom door. I pressed my hand against the door, announcing myself so I would not frighten her.

"Ally, it's Jeremy. We came home early. I hope I didn't mess up your door; I forgot my key. I didn't call because I thought I would surprise you and stay the night since Kristen's in-"

Allison lay on the floor. Her eyes were closed and white suds were all over her face and neck. I rushed to her and took her head in my hands. I called her name several times and wiped the suds from her mouth and neck with my sleeve.

I looked around anxiously. Her toothbrush lay on the floor above her head. I exhaled deeply, trusting that to be the origin of the suds. I opened her eye with my thumb. Allison blinked and shook her head. When she saw me, she shrieked and tried to push me away. Then she must have realized who I was because she stopped shoving and stared at me.

"Ally, honey, are you okay? When I saw the white around your mouth I thought you'd had seizure or something. Did you just pass out? Did you choke on the toothpaste?"

She muffled a squeal and punched me hard in the chest.

"Oww. What was that for?"

She hit me again.