𝖢𝖮𝖬𝖤 𝖳𝖮𝖦𝖤𝖳𝖧𝖤𝖱
𝖻𝗒 𝖭𝖾𝗎𝗋𝗈𝖥𝖺𝖻𝗎𝗅𝗈𝗎𝗌
part 11
Plankton was already
halfway off the chair, his
laughter turning into a
wince as he realized he
wasn't as steady as he thought.
Karen rushed over, her
hands firm but gentle as
she helped him back down.
"Easy there, tough guy," she
teased. Plankton's giggles
turned into a soft chuckle, his
body still feeling the effects
of the anesthesia.
He leaned into her touch. "Tish
wash... funmy," he murmured, his
eye still not quite focusing.
Karen couldn't help but
smile at his innocent
statement.
"You sure you're okay?" Sandy
asked, her voice tinged with
amusement. "M'good,"
he slurred, his eye still not
quite focusing.
"What's so funny?" Karen
asked, her voice filled with
curiosity. "The... the...
tish," he managed. His
eye was still half-closed,
his mouth lopsided with the
gauze sticking out. Drool
was starting to form at the
corner of his mouth.
Sandy couldn't help but
laugh at the sight of him,
his usual cunning persona
replaced by something so
vulnerable. Karen and
Sandy shared a knowing
glance. The anesthesia had
definitely made him loopy.
"Tish wath tickly," Plankton
mumbled, his voice still
thick. "Goeth... goeth... we
aww goo to the... the...
lobby?" Plankton mumbles.
Karen and Sandy exchange
a look, a silent agreement
that he was indeed
experiencing the 'loopy'
phase the nurse had
warned about.
Sandy nodded, trying
not to laugh. "Yeah, we can
go to the lobby," she said.
Plankton nodded, his
eye wide with innocent
excitement.
The three of them made their
way out of the surgical room
and into the brightly lit
hallway. Plankton's steps
were wobbly, from the anesthesia.
The lights are
bright, making him squint
and whine. "Owwie," he says,
his hand shooting up to cover
his eye. Chip looked up from
his book, his eyes widening
at the sight of his father's
swollen mouth and dazed
expression. Plankton
turns to his son, his gaze
slightly glazed. "Hi... hi... Chip,"
he says, his voice high-pitched
and childlike. Karen sighs,
seeing the worry in Chip's
eyes. "It's okay," she says.
Plankton's eye
widened, and he looked at
his hand as if surprised
to find it there. "Whu...?"
he said, his voice high-pitched
and childlike. Karen's smile grew
wider. "We're going home. Let's
find where we parked." Plankton
nodded. "My... mouthy,"
he mumbled through the gauze.
They walked slowly to the
car, Karen's arm around his
waist, keeping him steady.
The car's interior was
warm, a stark contrast
to the coolness of the
dental office. Plankton
sighed as he sunk into
the seat. Karen carefully
buckled him in, her eyes
never leaving his. "Comfortable?"
she asked, her voice gentle.
Plankton nodded, his eye
half-closed. "Mmhmm," he
mumbled, his head lolling
against the headrest as
Karen started the car.
As Karen navigated
the parking lot, Plankton's
hand shot up to the
window. "Wook! The... the
caw!" he exclaimed, his
voice filled with wonder.
Sandy and Chip couldn't
help but exchange amused
looks. It was like watching
a toddler discover the world
for the first time.
Karen's heart swelled
with a mix of love and
protection. She knew this
was just a temporary side
effect of the anesthesia, but
seeing him so carefree
was a rare treat.
As they drove home,
Plankton pointed out the
window, his voice filled
with excitement. "Wook, the
tweef!" he exclaimed, his
finger poking the window.
Sandy couldn't help but
smile at his innocence.
Karen watched him in the
rearview mirror, her heart
swelling with affection.
"Remember," she said gently,
"you've seen trees before,
sweetie." Plankton nodded,
his gaze still fixed on
the world, pointing at
the sky. "Biwdies." His voice
was so soft, it was like
he was speaking to himself.
Chip leaned over to
Karen. "Is this normal?"
he whispered. Karen just
chuckled. "It's the drugs,"
she said. "They make him
see things differently."
Plankton's hand dropped
from the window. "I'm sho
tiwweeddd," he murmured.
Karen nodded. "We're
almost home," she said.
The car ride was smooth,
the engine's purr lulling
Plankton closer to sleep.
His eye closed completely,
his head lolling against
the headrest as he began
to snore softly.
Sandy watched him from
the backseat, a soft
smile playing on her lips.
It was strange to see
Plankton so... peaceful.
The car pulled into the
garage, and Karen gently
shook him awake. "Whu...?"
he mumbled, his eye blinking
slowly. "Home," she whispered.
"We're home." Plankton nodded,
his head lolling back. Karen helped
Plankton out of the car,
his legs wobbly and his
grip unsteady. His drool had
soaked through the gauze,
leaving a wet stain on his
mouth. "Oh, you," Karen said,
shaking her head with a smile.
Sandy and Chip followed
behind, carrying the
dental bag. They walked
slowly through the house,
each step echoing in the
hallway. Plankton leaned
heavily on Karen, his
body still not quite in sync
with his mind.
They reached the couch,
where Plankton flopped down
with a sigh, the gauze in
his mouth sticking out.
The drool had formed a
small puddle over his chin.
"Tish wath... tickly," he said,
his voice still thick and slurred.
Karen couldn't help but
laugh, her eyes full of love.
Plankton giggled.
"Jewwy... gooood."
Chip watched with
interest, his curiosity
piqued by his father's
odd behavior. "Daddy, are
you okay?" he asked.
Karen wiped Plankton's
chin with a napkin. "He's
just a bit loopy," she
explained to Chip. "It's
from the medicine they gave
him." Chip nodded, though
his brow remained furrowed.
"What's so funny?" Sandy
asked gently. Plankton's
eye opened, focusing on her
face. "You," he said, his
voice still slurred. Sandy's
eyes widened in surprise.
"Me?" she asked. Plankton
nodded, his chuckles growing
louder. "You wook...
funmy," he said, his words
slurred. Chip, his curiosity
piqued, approached the couch.
"Can I... sit here?"
he asked tentatively. Plankton
nodded, patting the spot
next to him. "C'mere, Chip."
Karen watched as their
son sat.
Chip looked down at his
father, his expression a mix
of concern and fascination.
"Why are you so funny?"
he asked. Plankton's eye
twinkled with amusement.
"The... the... teefy
stuff," he murmured. His hand
reached out, his finger
tracing the curve of Chip's
cheek. "Sho soft."
Sandy and Karen watched
the exchange, their smiles
growing wider. It was
rare to see Plankton so
affectionate, especially in
such a public setting. But
the anesthesia had lowered
his inhibitions, bringing
forth a tenderness that
was usually reserved for
his quiet moments with Karen.
Chip's unsure of
how to react, Plankton's
gaze still hazy
but filled with love. "Youw
sho... sho... wookwum," Plankton
managed to say, his voice
still thick with the remnants
of the anesthesia.
Karen watched them, her
heart swelling with warmth.
It wasn't often that Plankton
was this affectionate
without the fear of judgment.
The surgery had peeled
back a layer of his armor,
revealing the tender soul
underneath.
"I... I wuv... you," Plankton
slurred, his hand still
on Chip's cheek. The words
were unexpected, and Chip's
expression softened.
"Love you too, Dad," he said,
his voice barely above a
whisper. Plankton's hand
dropped to his side.
Sandy's gaze went
from Plankton to Chip and
back again, her own heart
swelling at the sight. It
was clear that despite the
loopy state he was in, the
words were genuine.