Chapter 125

Chapter 125
I woke up the next morning with a strange kind of energy bubbling inside me. I had no idea why I felt so excited, but it was there...like something good was waiting just around the corner. The sun poured into my room, casting soft golden streaks across the bed. I stretched my arms wide, letting out a lazy yawn that made me smile for no reason.
Joshua was curled up beside me, completely knocked out. His tiny lips slightly parted, and his breath was slow and peaceful. I smiled again. He looked so content, like the world couldn't touch him in his sleep.
But then a thought crossed my mind.
Wait. Why was Joshua still in my room?
Shouldn't Donald have come to take him to his own bed last night?
And then it clicked.
Donald and Tricia.
Something had definitely happened between those two last night. I could feel it in my gut.
I slid off the bed quickly, careful not to wake Joshua. My feet barely touched the cold tiles as I darted out of my room and headed straight to Tricia's.
Empty.
Her bed was neatly made, not a single dent on the pillow. No sign she had slept there at all.
Without wasting another second, I turned and ran down the hallway to Donald's room. I pushed the door open.
Empty too.
Now my hands were on my waist, and I stood there in the middle of the hallway, frowning and trying to figure out where they could be. I glanced left and right, then it hit me, the living room.
Of course!
I rushed there and the moment I turned the corner, I paused.
My lips curled into a smile.
There they were.
Donald lay passed out on the floor, his legs awkwardly stretched out, one hand resting on his chest. Tricia was sprawled across the couch like someone who lost a battle with gravity. Her head hung off the armrest, and her hair was all over her face. A blanket dangled off the couch like it had tried and failed to keep her warm.
I let out a deep breath I didn't know I was holding, then giggled softly.
They looked... adorable.
Messy, tired, and ridiculously hungover, but adorable.
"Wake up, you two bigheaded monkeys," I said, laughing as I walked closer. "Wake up, Tricia! Wake up, Donald!"
No response.
They both groaned a little but didn't budge.
I bent over and flicked Donald lightly on the forehead. "Come on, Sleeping Beauty. The sun's up and you're still sleeping on the floor?"
He winced and slowly opened his eyes, squinting at the light pouring into the room.
"Ugh... my head," he muttered, rubbing his forehead with one hand while trying to sit up. "Ouch. Everything hurts."
"Were you two drinking all night?" I asked, raising an eyebrow as I folded my arms across my chest.
Donald groaned again, still half asleep. "Yeah. Ouch. Tricia made me drink a lot... She insisted."
I gasped in mock shock. "Really? Tricia forced you? That girl?"
"She didn't give me a choice," he said, closing his eyes for a second. "It was some... new beginnings stuff."
I chuckled and shook my head. "You two are seriously nuts. Wake up Tricia before she ends up drooling on the couch."
I reached over and smacked her arm gently.
"Ouch!" she yelped, rubbing her arm like I'd just stabbed her. "That hurts, Bess!"
"Good. At least now you're awake," I said, glaring at her.
Tricia sat up slowly, squinting at everything around her like she was lost. "My head is spinning... What the heck did we drink?"
"Whatever it was, it smells like regret and bad decisions," I replied, scrunching my nose playfully. "You two got drunk and left Joshua with me all night. Are you out of your minds? We have work to do!"
Tricia groaned again and covered her face. "Ugh. Can I skip work today? Please? My head feels like someone's playing drums in there."
I narrowed my eyes at her. "Donald can skip. He's the boss. But you? You're not getting off that easy."
Tricia turned her puppy eyes to Donald, who was now sitting on the floor with his head against the couch.
"Donald... may I skip work today?" she asked, dragging the words like a child begging for candy.
Donald didn't even look at her. "No. That's your punishment for getting me drunk. My head's pounding."
She gasped. "Wow! Betrayed by my own drinking partner."
I looked around and saw a few pieces of fried chicken bones on the table. "Wait... You guys had chicken too? Fried chicken?"
Donald nodded with a slight smile. "Yeah. She said wine without food was a crime."
"You two had a blast last night!" I said, laughing and shaking my head. "Alright. You guys clean up here while I go make breakfast. You'll need something strong to cure those hangovers."
"Yes," Donald said, trying to get on his feet. "Let's clean up."
Tricia stood up slowly like she was lifting the weight of the world. "Nope. I'm not cleaning anything. I need to get sober before I even think of lifting a finger."
She held her head and stumbled a little.
"Don't fall, drunk queen," I teased.
Tricia groaned and waved her hand as she shuffled off. "I'm going back to my room. I need to recover before I end up dead at the office."
Donald looked at the mess around him and sighed. "So... I'll do the cleaning myself, huh?"
I grinned. "Yes, Mr. Boss. Good luck."
As I walked away, I couldn't help but smile wider. Last night clearly changed something between those two. There was a softness in their voices, a playful bond they never had before.
And maybe, just maybe... this was the start of something new. At least, they are not fighting anymore. The entire house felt so much alive.