𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐰 𝐠𝐚𝐫𝐟𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝

108

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆ | a chapter of firsts | ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆

real life | los angeles
the garfield house
-december 5th, 2037

- LUNALYN: the one where we got post-period ice cream!

AFTER ALMOST 13 YEARS of being a mother, and four kids–Four girls, especially– Sophia was used to her heart rate rising every time one of her daughters shouts, "Mami!" So when Lunalyn, who was a week from 13 years old, yelled for her from the upstairs of the house, Sophia didn't grow worried. She simply paused her cooking dinner, turning off the stove out of habit of having four children. Sophia grabbed her phone as she passed the kitchen counter, checking for a text from Andrew, who was in Prague filming yet another movie with Lin directing.

Her heart tightened at the thought of her husband, as he had been gone for almost two months. Her and the girls would be flying to Prague that weekend and staying there for a few weeks for Luna's birthday and the holidays. He had left right after Solana's birthday, and the parents had arranged their schedules to ensure that they would all be together for Luna's birthday.

No texts from Andrew, Sophia frowned before pausing at the staircase of the house. She yelled, "Luna? What's up, mi vida?"

"Ma– Mami, can you please just come here?" Lunalyn begged in a small voice as it quivered slightly. Sophia tilted her head: Luna was never nervous, her voice never broke. She quickly checked the time, knowing she had to pick up Celeste and Estella, who were nine, from dance super soon. Solana, who was now eleven years old, was at a photoshoot with Hope and Laila was there with them.

"Luna?" Sophia knocked on the upstairs bathroom door that all the girls shared. The door opened a crack and Sophia asked softly, "Can I come in?"

"Yes Mami, please I need help." Lunalyn pleaded again and Sophia immediately entered. The girl sat on the toilet with tears streaming down her face and a bloody wipe in her hand. Sophia's eyes softened, making sure to not look surprised to not freak her daughter out more.

"Oh– Oh, mi Luna, you're okay," Sophia told her daughter softly as she kissed her forehead. She kneeled in front of her, "You know what this is, right?"

"Trust me, Mami, I know– You've read the American Girl book to me more times than I can count," Luna replied and Sophia grinned, rolling her eyes playfully. "It's just scarier than I thought."

"That's okay, love," Sophia promised her. "I'll go get you new underwear and a pad. You just clean yourself up, okay?"

Luna nodded at her mother before Sophia walked out of the bathroom and into Luna's room while she tried not to let her tears slip. Sophia's eyes widened when her phone rang and Andrew's contact photo of the two of them was on her screen. She quickly answered, switching to Facetime so she could see her husband's face when she told him the news.

"Hey baby," Andrew greeted his wife with a grin as he placed the phone down in the bedroom of his apartment he rented for filming. "Why are there tears in your eyes, Sophia? Shit, what happened? Are the girls okay? What did Solana do?"

"No, baby, it's fine! Everything is fine! Solana didn't do anything– She's at a shoot with Laila and Hope, but they should be on their way back," Sophia explained, shaking her head with a smile. "The twins are at dance, and I have to head out to go get them soon."

"And Lulu? How is she?" Andrew asked as Sophia grabbed a new pair of underwear for her daughter before walking into her and Andrew's bathroom that was connected to their bedroom for a pad.