Mountains and Oceans

Chapter 24

"How is she?" Owen asked Lilly as Lilly came down the stairs.

"She's sleeping," Lilly admitted. "She looks healthier. She said she isn't having nightmares anymore and is even able to sleep on her own on some nights."

"She is improving," Sean nodded. "Physically at least. She has gained some much needed weight and is even making snacks on her own when she is getting hungry. She can be only for short amounts of time now. I'm not worried about her being slipping anymore."

"She is improving mentally as well," Lilly said as she sat down on the couch. "I can't tell you much Boys but I can tell you that she is doing better. Even with it being what two months since Dr. Reid has left? She is still doing good. She hasn't slipped and is working hard on having more good days then bad. She is doing well. She told me she hasn't been trapped in her body for a while now. She seems happier. She was even talking about how she is enjoying painting and trying new crafts when something catches her attention. She told me how Gabe is teaching her how to sew quilts, she seems to like that."

"How do we get her to see how we really feel about her Aunt Lilly?" Luke asked.

Lilly sighed, "I'm not exactly sure how to help you out there. She firmly believes that she is not capable of love or believes in it. She thinks she has an unattainable special relationship with Dr. Reid and that she is only your best friend. Her brain doesn't allow her to think even for the slightest possibility that she could have a good productive relationship with everything she has endured. She is content to stay in her little bubble of safe zone friendship. She doesn't want to push beyond what she has now. She would be perfectly okay with staying exactly how things are right now if she was given the choice. I know that isn't what you want to hear, Boys, but it's the truth."

"And if we were to push beyond that belief or burst that bubble?" Nathan asked.

"I can't say for sure right now," Lilly shook her head. "Honestly, I think she will absolutely refuse to believe it. She could even possibly go as far as say it was a prank or even pity. She doesn't want to lose what you are right now and pushing it could make her think that losing you is a very real possibility. I don't think it would be good to force it. You are doing so good right now with the small baby steps."

"So keep just slowly showing her that we love her?" Victor asked.

"Yes," Lilly nodded. "She needs to learn what healthy love is. Now what about her relationship with Dr. Reid? Are you okay with it?"

"Why wouldn't we be?" Brandon asked.

"He's not in your family for one," Lilly pointed out.

"Yes he is," Corey looked at her like she had grown an extra head. "He's Bailey's family so he is ours. Sure he isn't here all the time like we are but he's important to her so he's part of the family."

"And if she was to one day want to have a relationship with him if the chance ever occurred? Even if she was with you?" Lilly asked curiously.

"Then she would have that time with him," Owen shrugged. "He is family Aunt Lilly, it's as simple as that. Even if he never wanted to be with us, he's still family. Sure, we are interested in him, but we also understand he may not feel the same way. We know he has a special relationship with Bailey and we are okay with that. If we can ever get her to love us like we love her and she isn't able to share Dr. Reid with us that is okay. If she needs that time with him to be just them two, fine, but if they are able to be with us as well, then that would be great also. Whatever Bailey needs we are willing to do. We love her more than best friends and family, Aunt Lilly. One day we want to marry her but we know it will take time for her to believe that as we are willing to wait. We are willing to do whatever it takes for her to believe that we love her."

A gasp made everyone turn around in shock. There stood Bailey like a deer caught in the headlights.