Broken//5sos ✔️

18.

michael and i drove separately from the ambulance. ashton decided to go with mom.

the car ride over was super silent. no one said a word. what was there to say anyways?

we arrived at the hospital right after the ambulance and went inside and up to the psych ward.

we walked up as a group to the front desk.

"hello dr. irwin." the nurse smiled gently.

"hey." ashton smiled back softly.

"what can i do?" she spoke as she came around from behind the desk.

"i would like to check myself in." mom spoke emotionlessly.

the nurse glanced over at ashton and ashton gave her a firm nod.

"okay. could i take you back for some questioning and a psych eval?" the nurse spoke with a sympathetic smile.

mom nodded and walked back with the nurse slowly.

we all sat there waiting for about 30 minutes before the nurse came back out with mom.

"dr. irwin could i speak with you a moment?" she asked softly.

ashton nodded and left the room leaving mom with michael and i.

ashton's pov

"yes?" i spoke softly.

"her results are bad. i almost think you should consider checking her into a ward that is solely for psych patients." the nurse whispered as she handed me the results.

i looked at the results and studied them for a minute before speaking up.

"she has bipolar. her answers are consistent with someone who has bipolar and i don't know why i didn't realize it before. her daughter would tell me how she had days where she couldn't even get out of bed and then there were days that i witnessed where she was almost manic." i mumbled as i handed the piece of paper back to her.

"i really think you should consider it. we are equipped to handle her situation but i think a long term ward would be a better solution." the nurse spoke simply before heading back to proceed with paper work.

charlotte's pov

i saw ashton walk back out before speaking, "i think we should consider a long term ward. just for the time being."

i looked at him with confusion.

"why? is she not capable of becoming healthy here?" i spoke quickly.

"she most definitely is. the nurse was just telling me how she thinks it might be better for her to go away somewhere on her own to heal and i agree with her." ashton spoke swiftly.

"then let's go." mom replied dryly as she stood up just to be sat back down by michael.

this wasn't my mother.

"let me make a few calls. give me a minute." ashton spoke as he walked off again.

i sat next to mom and michael in complete silence.

"this is all too much." i whispered as i leaned back onto the chair.

"i know. i'm sorry." michael replied softly.

"don't apologize. i'm sorry you got dragged into this." i spoke.

"i'm happy i did. well, i'm not happy bailey isn't doing good, but i'm happy i got to know you. i don't regret it and would do it all over again." michael replied with a tiny smile.

"you don't have to keep me. i can go to my dad's. he wants a relationship anyways." i mumbled.

"if you want to go be with him, i'm not going to stop you, but if you want to stay with us, we would be more than glad to keep you." michael smiled as he looked over at my mom who looked absolutely terrible.

"she's not even the same person anymore." i sighed.

"i know. she's struggling right now though. so let's give her a breather." michael replied as he held my hand tightly.

ashton came back out 15 minutes later with a look of relief.

"i have a place who has an opening for us to bring her by. it's up in oregon though. which is about a 14 hour drive." ashton spoke softly.

"guess we're going on a road trip." michael shrugged as he stood up.

a road trip. how fun. there's nothing better than to be trapped in a car with a mom who isn't well and 4 boys.