5 (jaylor) forever fearless nights and a mirrorball spotlight

chapter eighteen.

"So I have to live with another sister? All the time?" Joe was helping Luca make his bed. He'd only been home a few days, and had worked through his jet lag. "Dad, the entire house is just full of girls."
Joe chuckled. "Luca, Lizzie has been living with us for a couple months now, and you can't pretend you don't like having her around." Joe had heard all about how Lizzie and Luca would practice ballet together in the basement, and were good influences on one another.
"Yeah, but there's just me and you!" Luca exclaimed.
"And that's okay, Luc." Joe smiled. It was an adjustment, having Lizzie staying with them, but she spent so much time with Thea before this that it hadn't been such a big deal. Luca was struggling with it the most.

"Is your bag all packed Theabear?" Taylor called up the stairs, and Lizzie came running down, trying to tie up her hair. She had long, flowing and tangled hair. Lizzie groaned in frustration when she looked in the mirror.
"Ugh."
"Here," Taylor smiled. "Let me help you."
"Thanks, Taylor." Lizzie let Taylor brush her hair out of her face. The fact she didn't flinch anymore never went by unnoticed, especially by Taylor.
She hadn't pressured Lizzie to talk about anything until she was ready for it, which hadn't been the case yet. Lizzie had slightly opened up to Taylor, sharing a little fraction of the pain she'd experienced... but had cut herself off.
Taylor would just tell her that she shouldn't have had to feel that kind of pain, and that she was always there to listen when Lizzie was ready to talk.
There'd been a couple of moments where Taylor thought that Lizzie was going to express how she was feeling... but hadn't. Taylor figured that sometime soon she'd be ready to talk about it... but she didn't want her to feel like there was any pressure at all. Lizzie had to see a therapist once a week, even though she hated it. The social worker had made Taylor and Joe sign a contract saying that they'd ensure she was seeing a therapist for at least two years, considering she was still a child.

Lizzie ran back up the stairs to keep getting ready, and Thea came down the stairs, her face pale.
"What's wrong?" Taylor asked gently.
"Nothing." Thea had been so good at expressing her feelings lately... but she'd faltered over the last few days. Taylor hadn't had time to talk it through with her yet, she'd planned to do it tonight. They'd been so busy lately that they'd barely had time to sit and breathe.
"Theabear, I know when you're not telling the truth." Taylor told her softly. "Talk to me."
"Nothing, Mom. I'm just a little tired, that's all." Taylor knew a fake smile when she saw one, and the grin that covered her daughters face but didn't quite meet her ears... was one she knew all too well. "I didn't sleep very well," Thea continued. "But I'm okay. I promise. I think I hear Aunty Blake - I gotta go, Mom. Lizzie! Let's go!"
Thea gave her Mom a hug, and pushed past her, slipping her lunch box into her bag.
"Thanks, Taylor." Lizzie said again as she turned to head out the door. "I'll see you after school?"
Taylor knew that Lizzie was so worried that it would all just disintegrate in front of her... this home of happiness she'd found.
"Of course you will," Taylor smiled. "Have a good day and good luck for your French test, Lizzie. Thea," Taylor called, "Good luck for your essay!"
"Thanks Mom," Thea smiled as she got into the car.

Thea just wanted the day to be over. She'd not slept at all last night because she'd been so stressed. About so many things. It was one of those times where there was actually so much to be stressed about that she couldn't pick just one thing. She sat in the car between Betty and Lizzie, her two friends chattering away.
She was too busy worrying about the afternoon to worry.
"Thea?" She heard her Aunt's voice smile from the front seat.
"Sorry, what?" Thea asked with a smile. It was fake, but she was so good at the fake ones.
"I asked if you wanted to come over and watch a movie this weekend." Her aunt grinned. "It feels like you haven't been over in ages, and Betty wants to show you-"
"Mom!" Betty groaned. "Stopppp."
It appeared that Thea wasn't the only one who got embarrassed by her Mom.