𝖠𝖴𝖳𝖨𝖲𝖬 𝖫𝖮𝖵𝖤 Pt. 14
(𝖡𝗒 𝖭𝖾𝗎𝗋𝗈𝖥𝖺𝖻𝗎𝗅𝗈𝗎𝗌)
Karen and Chip go back to
the living room. Plankton's
still doing the Nosferatu
puzzle at the coffee table.
He looked up at his wife and
son as they entered. Karen
knew to approach him gently.
"How's it going?" she asks,
her voice soft, not wanting
to startle.
Plankton's antennae
twitched slightly, and he
formed the 'Okay' sign with
his hand. It was a simple
word, but it spoke volumes.
Karen took a seat on the
couch across from Plankton,
giving him the distance
he needed. Chip sat
beside her, his eyes
glued to the puzzle.
They sat in silence. The
only sound were the soft
clicks of the puzzle
pieces being placed. Karen
noticed that Chip's hands
open, for he wished
to try communicating
Plankton's signs. She looks
at Plankton.
"Could I sit with you?"
Karen asked, her voice
softer than usual. Plankton's
eye met hers, his antennae
twitching once. He signed
'Yes'. Chip's hand shot
up, eager to show he'd
learned. He signed 'Yes' too,
his movements clumsy but
understood.
Plankton nodded slightly,
his antennae drooping a
little less. He took a deep
breath, focusing on his
puzzle again. The room
was still, the only sounds
the occasional click of
puzzle pieces fitting into
place.
Chip watched his dad,
his heart aching. He knew
his dad wasn't mad at him,
but he couldn't shake the
feeling of rejection. He
wanted to help, to fix
whatever was broken,
but he didn't know how.
Karen noticed Chip's sadness.
"It's not you, sweetie," she
whispers. "He's just trying
to keep it all together.
It's like when you get so
upset you can't even talk.
Remember?" Chip nods.
He'd had his share of
overwhelming moments too.
"But he loves us," Karen
adds, her voice firm. "It's
just his way of showing it
right now." Plankton looks up
at Karen.
His antennae twitch again,
his hand moving in a pattern
Chip hadn't seen. 'Need Less
Sound'. Karen nods, her eyes
understanding. She glances
at Chip, who's looking at his
dad with a mix of sorrow and
curiosity.
"What does that mean?"
Chip asks, his voice
barely a murmur. Karen
smiles gently, her eyes
meeting Chip's. "It means
he wants us to be quieter,"
she explains. "Let's keep
our voices down, okay?"
Chip nods solemnly.
So, they sit. They sat in
the quiet, each of them
trying their best to keep
their movements to a
minimum. Plankton's
hands continue to work
on the puzzle, his antennae
occasionally twitching as
he searches for the right
pieces.
Suddenly, the doorbell
rings. Plankton flinched.
Karen looks out of the
peephole to see Hanna,
her old friend. "Huh; my
friend Hanna's here."
Neither Plankton nor Chip
have met her. "Mom, does
she know about Dad's aut-"
"No," Karen says quickly,
cutting Chip off. She glances
at Plankton, his antennae
twitching rapidly. "It's not
up to you to tell her about it,
Chip. Plankton, I know you're
still recovering from yesterday
and it's fine if you wanna sign
in front of her, you don't have
to talk." She then opens the
door. "Hi, Karen!" Hanna says.
Karen gives her a hug. "Hey
Hanna; you haven't met my
family yet.."
Hanna steps into the
living room. "Hi, Ms.
Hanna," Chip says. "My
name is Chip." Hanna
smiles. "Well hello there
Chip!" Hanna gives him
a hug before turning to
Plankton. "I'm guessing
you must be Karen's
husband?" Karen nods
silently. "This is my
husband, Plankton."
Plankton looks up at
Hanna, his antennae
twitching. He signs
quickly. 'Hello'. Hanna's
eyes widen. "Oh," she
says, her voice filled
with surprise. "Uhm– I'm
glad to meet you?" She
held out her hand, hoping
he'd shake it.
But Plankton doesn't
move. His antennae
twitch again, his hand
forming the 'No' sign.
Karen then steps in.
"Hanna, Plankton's feeling
a bit overwhelmed right
now. Could we maybe talk
in the kitchen?"
Hanna nods, looking
slightly confused. "Sure,"
she says. Chip follows his
mom, glancing back at
his dad. Plankton's gaze
doesn't leave the puzzle.
Karen decides not to bring
up Plankton. Yet Hanna's
curious.
"Is Plankton deaf?" Hanna
asks, her voice hushed. "He
seemed a bit... off?" Karen
sighs, her eyes darting
back to the living room.
"He's just having a tough
day," she says, her tone
carefully neutral. "So what
brings you here, Hanna?"
"Oh, I just wanted to stay
due to home renovations,"
Hanna says. "But if you're
not feeling up to it..."
Karen shakes her head.
"No, no. We're okay." But
she's not sure if Plankton
will like this temporary
change. "You can stay in
the guest room, Hanna."
Hanna nods. She and
Chip followed Karen back
into the living room, where
Plankton still worked on
the puzzle.
"Plankton," Karen says, her
voice gentle. "Hanna's going
to stay with us for a bit."
Plankton's antennae twitch
sharply, his hand moving
quickly. 'How Long?' he
asks, his signs a silent
question. "Shouldn't be
more than a week," Karen
answers, as Hanna watched
with wide eyes.
Karen notices the
concern in Plankton's gaze.
"Remember what we talked
about?" Karen reminds him.
"Routines can be altered
for a short time. It's okay."
Plankton's hand moves again,
forming the 'Okay' sign,
though his antennae still
twitch with anxiety. Karen
smiles, her eyes warm.
Hanna looks from Karen to
Plankton, her confusion
growing. "Is he okay?" she
asks, her voice low. Karen
nods. "Yes," she says. But
Chip jumps in, eager to
explain. "My dad is–"
"Chip," Karen interrupts. "It
is okay. Hanna will be here
until her house is fixed up."
Plankton's antennae
twitched again, his eye
slightly wider. 'Now?'
his hand signs. Karen
shakes her head. "Just
a week, honey. We need
to spend some time with
Hanna." Plankton sighs, his
body slumping. He doesn't
move from his spot on the
couch, his gaze never leaving
the puzzle. Hanna just stared.
"What's his deal?" Hanna
whispers, her eyes darting
between Karen and Plankton.
"It's a bit of a sensitive
topic," Karen says, her
voice a mix of apology and
concern. She looks at
Plankton, who's now signing
'Space'. "But, is he ok?" Hanna
asks, her voice a mix of
worry and curiosity. "He's
ok," Karen assures, her
gaze focused on Plankton.
"My da-" "Chip," Karen interjects
before her son can finish. "It's
up to your dad if he wants to
elaborate." Chip nods, looking
back to the puzzle. Hanna frowns.
The tension in the room is palpable.
Plankton's antennae are in a constant
state of twitching as he tries to
make sense of this new
development. His world has been
thrown into chaos by the sudden
intrusion of an unfamiliar person.
He signs 'Too Much', his hands
shaking slightly. Karen nods, her
eyes filled with understanding.
"I know it's a lot," she says.
"But it's for a week, and she'll
make sure to be respectful,
okay?" Plankton's antennae
slow their erratic dance, and he
nods once, his hand moving to
form the 'Okay' sign. Yet Hanna
doesn't understand his Sign
Language.