[Crafting up...] the first ten days
Ten reasons to keep going.
Day One
The coffee gurgles in the kitchen but Terri won't open her eyes. She can hear Will rummaging around. A cabinet opens. A drawer. Another cabinet opens. Something is set down on the counter. His favorite mug perhaps. Her lips curl into a smile, her arms hugging the pillow under her.
Sighing contentedly, she can hear Will pour coffee into his morning mug. There's a sip. Then there's another sip. The paper is set down and she wonders if he had his paper in his hand from the beginning. The image blurs only slightly as she gets her answer. He had been reading it while waiting for the coffee to be ready. That makes sense to her.
Rolling over, she still refuses to open her eyes. Will is now making his way down the hall towards their bedroom.
"What did you forget?" she hears herself say, eyes still not opening.
But, he doesn't answer. Instead, he pauses by the bed, leans down and places a kiss on her forehead. Now everything is alright. She can open her eyes. She can wake up.
When her eyes open the room is only dimply lit. The television in their bedroom murmurs softly as she realizes she fell asleep watching the sorry excuse for Jay Leno five nights a week. Rolling over, her hand comes to the bed and to the empty space next to her.
Taking a deep breath, she lays back. Eyes closing again, she can hear the faint sound of gurgling. The coffee bubbles and that means it's almost ready. Will's coming soon.
Day Two
She doesn't think she has ever laughed this hard. Not even when Will slipped in ice that one year and came back into the house with a very wet butt. After taking off his pants, he set them down on the bed and pulled on a new pair. He just needed to rest for a second. When he came out with a second pair of wet pants, he declared he wasn't going to set clothing down on their bed again.
No, this was something funnier. She usually found talk shows mindless and a waste of her time but since her genius idea she found she had a lot in common with women on talk shows, especially the pregnant ones.
It shouldn't make her laugh. She's not pregnant. Will isn't dropping by for lunch or calling to check in. And if she calls, he probably won't even answer. But, this is really, really funny. And that mother is too large to have that thin of a boyfriend. If she squints he looks like her husband. Well, if he wasn't wearing flannel, didn't have a fauxhawk, and didn't have a girlfriend with the tragic beginnings of a mullet.
But, not-her Will is being berated by his unfortunate looking wife. Just when she thinks all is said and done, he turns around to say something and she hits him.
With her shoe. Her wallet goes next. Clearly, she forgets she has another shoe on. And Terri elicits a laugh, holding the pillow close to her. The crying comes next and that's when the box of tissues comes in handy.
Day Three
"He what?" she asks, hand on the receiver. She knows she shouldn't have called. He isn't going to answer. He doesn't want to speak to her. "A mattress?" she asks, winding the phone cord with her finger.
"Good for them," she finds herself saying, listless now as she leans forward and sets her elbow on the counter.
"And he doesn't want to speak to me?" she asks again. She figures the only reason principle Figgins is even speaking to her directly is because of her one-time stint as a nurse and the possible law-suits that could've arisen. But, the parents hadn't cared. She had been helping. "Mr. - no, no, I know. I'm not setting foot on school grounds, okay? Now, please calm down and let me know why my husband was sleeping on a mattress."
She knows the reason. She also knows she would never sleep on a stray mattress. Think of the germs. The bed bugs. Of course, they say they're new but he can never tell. She smiles at this. Terri Schuester would never have slept on a mattress she hadn't bought and tested first.
Day Four
It seems like the least she can do. After all, she worked -- still works at Sheets-N-Things. She's just taking a leave of absence and it's the least she can do.
"Terri..."
His wife stands there, holding the sheets, blanket, and pillow case for her husband. She shouldn't be here. It's not her job anymore but as far as she's concerned she is still his wife and he is still her husband.
"It's just some things," she says, not making eye contact. Instead, she looks down at the contents in her hands as she lists them. "Sheets, a pillow case, blanket if it's cold at night..."
"Terri-"
"Because, I haven't ever spent a night in a school - except for well, you remember, and this is hardly like that and you're wearing more than just your -- and I'm not there to --" She's stumbling but she needs to get through this. "Just take them, Will."
He reluctantly takes them from her - or so she observes. He doesn't actually want them.
Day Five
She isn't stalking. She's worried. When he pulls out of the school parking lot around 6 she figures he's just going to grab a bite to eat and then he'll return to the school. Her first instinct takes her to Taco Bell. She breathes a sigh of relief two cars back and orders a Baja Gordita for herself.
As he pulls out, she frowns because Will takes a left when he should've taken a right. Instead of ended up back at school, she ends up at a local motel. Her heart sinks as she pulls into an empty space and watches her husband get out of his car and head up to a room on the second level.
She loses track of time as she finishes her taco. Looking at at the clock, Terri feels it's late enough that he is just asleep. And so she can pull out of the parking lot and drive home.
Will is safe. And is hopefully using the nice sheets she has bought for him instead of questionable motel ones.
Day Six
She makes it a half-day at Sheets-N-Things and Howard Bamboo is thoroughly glad she's back. She forgoes a hug for a professional handshake before attempting to make a sale.
"Welcome to Sheets-N-Things. Can I help-"
She becomes distracted. She supposes this woman is actually pregnant. She resists the urge to ask and even to stick her hand out. She hated when women did that to her so why should she now? It's not her stomach. Not her stomach, not her baby.
It never was her baby.
This realization calms her, soothes her even as she looks back up at the woman. She's able to make a sale but not before taking a moment in the ladies room. After sending the woman off to the register, she removes her apron and walks out. It's an abrupt end to her day but she figures she's made it far enough.
Day Seven
The morning sounds she has grown accustomed to are fading. Instead of being right on the other side of her closed eyelids, they sounds as if they're at the end of a long tunnel. They are faint and some blend together. The bubbling of the coffee mixes with her own voice. Footsteps and door openings and closings...
It's enough to get her to open her eyes earlier than usual. As much as it hurts to admit, reality is better than faint memories. It takes less energy than usual to slide off of her bed and to walk into the bathroom.
As she turns on the shower, she can't help but hear quiet echoes of Will's familiar song renditions.
Day Eight
A full day at work accomplished, she decides to drive by the school. She tells her it's on her way to her sister's but really it's in the exact opposite direction. That doesn't matter, however. Parking across the street, she can see students who've been let out of their classes. The school day is over and she lets herself think back to simpler times.
Times when convincing Will he wasn't talented enough to be famous was as easy as putting a hand on his shoulder and looking intently into his eyes.
Quinn and Finn emerge from the school and she considers saying something - anything - to Quinn. But she is with Quinn and for the time being she looks happy. They're holding hands and despite secrets between them Terri believes that their relationship stands a chance.
She figures that they're going to make it. Even as young as they are, she can see the love shared between them and that's enough to get her to turn on the ignition and drive off.
Day Nine
She knows he's picking up his things today. How he lasted almost a week with them, she doesn't know. He probably doesn't want to see her. No, scratch that. He does not want to see her because he asks her kindly not to be there when he comes by.
Lucky for her, it's a busy day at Sheets N' Things. She saw the commercial and surprisingly, she feels supportive of Glee Club. Anything that Will is behind, she can't help but stand up for - now, anyway. The jump in mattress sales mean a jump in sheets - and things and for that, she silently thanks her husband.
When she gets home, there isn't anything that's all that different. She knows if she goes into their...her bedroom, that his things won't be there. So, she doesn't. She pops in a microwave meal and turns the television on.
She sleeps on the couch that night.
Day Ten
For the first time all week she doesn't hear anything when she wakes up besides the echo of a breathy George Clooney from a particularly saucy dream the night before. One of her dirtiest, if she does say so herself. Sighing, she sits up and places her hand on the empty space beside her before beginning her day.
Despite not even being able to sing a note, she sings in the shower. She sings for everything she lost and for everything she never had in the first place. She sings because she can't not. And for that moment, she kind of gets Will.
She understands her husband and she knows deep down he understands where she was coming from.
Wrapping the towel around herself, Terri wipes away steam from the mirror and for the first time all week takes a good long look. She's alive. Another exhalation, deeper than the moment before, and she begins to dry her hair.
Day One
The coffee gurgles in the kitchen but Terri won't open her eyes. She can hear Will rummaging around. A cabinet opens. A drawer. Another cabinet opens. Something is set down on the counter. His favorite mug perhaps. Her lips curl into a smile, her arms hugging the pillow under her.
Sighing contentedly, she can hear Will pour coffee into his morning mug. There's a sip. Then there's another sip. The paper is set down and she wonders if he had his paper in his hand from the beginning. The image blurs only slightly as she gets her answer. He had been reading it while waiting for the coffee to be ready. That makes sense to her.
Rolling over, she still refuses to open her eyes. Will is now making his way down the hall towards their bedroom.
"What did you forget?" she hears herself say, eyes still not opening.
But, he doesn't answer. Instead, he pauses by the bed, leans down and places a kiss on her forehead. Now everything is alright. She can open her eyes. She can wake up.
When her eyes open the room is only dimply lit. The television in their bedroom murmurs softly as she realizes she fell asleep watching the sorry excuse for Jay Leno five nights a week. Rolling over, her hand comes to the bed and to the empty space next to her.
Taking a deep breath, she lays back. Eyes closing again, she can hear the faint sound of gurgling. The coffee bubbles and that means it's almost ready. Will's coming soon.
Day Two
She doesn't think she has ever laughed this hard. Not even when Will slipped in ice that one year and came back into the house with a very wet butt. After taking off his pants, he set them down on the bed and pulled on a new pair. He just needed to rest for a second. When he came out with a second pair of wet pants, he declared he wasn't going to set clothing down on their bed again.
No, this was something funnier. She usually found talk shows mindless and a waste of her time but since her genius idea she found she had a lot in common with women on talk shows, especially the pregnant ones.
It shouldn't make her laugh. She's not pregnant. Will isn't dropping by for lunch or calling to check in. And if she calls, he probably won't even answer. But, this is really, really funny. And that mother is too large to have that thin of a boyfriend. If she squints he looks like her husband. Well, if he wasn't wearing flannel, didn't have a fauxhawk, and didn't have a girlfriend with the tragic beginnings of a mullet.
But, not-her Will is being berated by his unfortunate looking wife. Just when she thinks all is said and done, he turns around to say something and she hits him.
With her shoe. Her wallet goes next. Clearly, she forgets she has another shoe on. And Terri elicits a laugh, holding the pillow close to her. The crying comes next and that's when the box of tissues comes in handy.
Day Three
"He what?" she asks, hand on the receiver. She knows she shouldn't have called. He isn't going to answer. He doesn't want to speak to her. "A mattress?" she asks, winding the phone cord with her finger.
"Good for them," she finds herself saying, listless now as she leans forward and sets her elbow on the counter.
"And he doesn't want to speak to me?" she asks again. She figures the only reason principle Figgins is even speaking to her directly is because of her one-time stint as a nurse and the possible law-suits that could've arisen. But, the parents hadn't cared. She had been helping. "Mr. - no, no, I know. I'm not setting foot on school grounds, okay? Now, please calm down and let me know why my husband was sleeping on a mattress."
She knows the reason. She also knows she would never sleep on a stray mattress. Think of the germs. The bed bugs. Of course, they say they're new but he can never tell. She smiles at this. Terri Schuester would never have slept on a mattress she hadn't bought and tested first.
Day Four
It seems like the least she can do. After all, she worked -- still works at Sheets-N-Things. She's just taking a leave of absence and it's the least she can do.
"Terri..."
His wife stands there, holding the sheets, blanket, and pillow case for her husband. She shouldn't be here. It's not her job anymore but as far as she's concerned she is still his wife and he is still her husband.
"It's just some things," she says, not making eye contact. Instead, she looks down at the contents in her hands as she lists them. "Sheets, a pillow case, blanket if it's cold at night..."
"Terri-"
"Because, I haven't ever spent a night in a school - except for well, you remember, and this is hardly like that and you're wearing more than just your -- and I'm not there to --" She's stumbling but she needs to get through this. "Just take them, Will."
He reluctantly takes them from her - or so she observes. He doesn't actually want them.
Day Five
She isn't stalking. She's worried. When he pulls out of the school parking lot around 6 she figures he's just going to grab a bite to eat and then he'll return to the school. Her first instinct takes her to Taco Bell. She breathes a sigh of relief two cars back and orders a Baja Gordita for herself.
As he pulls out, she frowns because Will takes a left when he should've taken a right. Instead of ended up back at school, she ends up at a local motel. Her heart sinks as she pulls into an empty space and watches her husband get out of his car and head up to a room on the second level.
She loses track of time as she finishes her taco. Looking at at the clock, Terri feels it's late enough that he is just asleep. And so she can pull out of the parking lot and drive home.
Will is safe. And is hopefully using the nice sheets she has bought for him instead of questionable motel ones.
Day Six
She makes it a half-day at Sheets-N-Things and Howard Bamboo is thoroughly glad she's back. She forgoes a hug for a professional handshake before attempting to make a sale.
"Welcome to Sheets-N-Things. Can I help-"
She becomes distracted. She supposes this woman is actually pregnant. She resists the urge to ask and even to stick her hand out. She hated when women did that to her so why should she now? It's not her stomach. Not her stomach, not her baby.
It never was her baby.
This realization calms her, soothes her even as she looks back up at the woman. She's able to make a sale but not before taking a moment in the ladies room. After sending the woman off to the register, she removes her apron and walks out. It's an abrupt end to her day but she figures she's made it far enough.
Day Seven
The morning sounds she has grown accustomed to are fading. Instead of being right on the other side of her closed eyelids, they sounds as if they're at the end of a long tunnel. They are faint and some blend together. The bubbling of the coffee mixes with her own voice. Footsteps and door openings and closings...
It's enough to get her to open her eyes earlier than usual. As much as it hurts to admit, reality is better than faint memories. It takes less energy than usual to slide off of her bed and to walk into the bathroom.
As she turns on the shower, she can't help but hear quiet echoes of Will's familiar song renditions.
Day Eight
A full day at work accomplished, she decides to drive by the school. She tells her it's on her way to her sister's but really it's in the exact opposite direction. That doesn't matter, however. Parking across the street, she can see students who've been let out of their classes. The school day is over and she lets herself think back to simpler times.
Times when convincing Will he wasn't talented enough to be famous was as easy as putting a hand on his shoulder and looking intently into his eyes.
Quinn and Finn emerge from the school and she considers saying something - anything - to Quinn. But she is with Quinn and for the time being she looks happy. They're holding hands and despite secrets between them Terri believes that their relationship stands a chance.
She figures that they're going to make it. Even as young as they are, she can see the love shared between them and that's enough to get her to turn on the ignition and drive off.
Day Nine
She knows he's picking up his things today. How he lasted almost a week with them, she doesn't know. He probably doesn't want to see her. No, scratch that. He does not want to see her because he asks her kindly not to be there when he comes by.
Lucky for her, it's a busy day at Sheets N' Things. She saw the commercial and surprisingly, she feels supportive of Glee Club. Anything that Will is behind, she can't help but stand up for - now, anyway. The jump in mattress sales mean a jump in sheets - and things and for that, she silently thanks her husband.
When she gets home, there isn't anything that's all that different. She knows if she goes into their...her bedroom, that his things won't be there. So, she doesn't. She pops in a microwave meal and turns the television on.
She sleeps on the couch that night.
Day Ten
For the first time all week she doesn't hear anything when she wakes up besides the echo of a breathy George Clooney from a particularly saucy dream the night before. One of her dirtiest, if she does say so herself. Sighing, she sits up and places her hand on the empty space beside her before beginning her day.
Despite not even being able to sing a note, she sings in the shower. She sings for everything she lost and for everything she never had in the first place. She sings because she can't not. And for that moment, she kind of gets Will.
She understands her husband and she knows deep down he understands where she was coming from.
Wrapping the towel around herself, Terri wipes away steam from the mirror and for the first time all week takes a good long look. She's alive. Another exhalation, deeper than the moment before, and she begins to dry her hair.