All for the Plot

f o r t y o n e (part two)

"Shh, Ella, it's okay. We're here for you," Addison whispered, trying to comfort her.

I felt another pang of guilt, realizing I'd gone too far. I took a step forward, but Addison shot me a warning look.

"Vittoria, give her a minute," she said softly.

I nodded. I'd never seen Ella so broken, so vulnerable. Usually, she was just an annoying hardass.

After a few moments, Ella's sobs subsided, and she looked up at us, her eyes red and puffy.

"I just want to help Mom," she whispered. "I don't know what else to do."

Addison stroked her hair, her expression soft. "Well, what's done, is done. All we can do now is wait. I'll look into how much time is added for a relapse, but in the meantime, we've got to hold down the fort for when she gets out. And most importantly, for when Dad recovers. We have to be the glue right now," she continued, "What good will the St. James family be if half of it is broken by the time our parents make it home?"

Ella sniffed, wiping her nose on her sleeve, her eyes still red from crying. I could see the fight in her, the stubborn refusal to give up.

"I don't know, Addie," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I feel like I'm already broken."

Addison's expression softened, her eyes filling with compassion. "You're not broken, Ella. You're hurt, and hurt is an okay thing to be. We're all hurt. But we can't let that hurt define us. We have to forgive, ourselves and each other."

I felt a surge of resistance, my mind rebelling against the idea of forgiveness. How could I forgive Ella for doing that for Mom? How could I forgive myself for not being able to fix it?

But Addison's words echoed in my mind, "What good will the St. James family be if half of it is broken..."

"Fine," I say, my voice gruff, reluctant. "I'll try."

Ella looked up, her eyes searching mine, a glimmer of hope in their depths. "I'll try too," she whispered.

"Now," Addison said, looking at the time on the clock. 1:09. "It's bedtime for you both, school's hot and ready in about seven hours."

"Do we really have to go?" Ella whines.

"Do you really want my hand around your ear, dragging you upstairs?" Addison said, bearing a smile.

Ella scoffed, exiting the kitchen.

Addison looked at me, with a threatening look.

"Vittoria, I know you're trying to help, but you have to be careful with your words. Ella's fragile. More fragile than I was, and more fragile than you were. We can't afford to break her."

Deep down, I knew Addison was right. I had been harsh, my words cutting deep. And now, they had something to show for it.

"I know being the big sister is hard, V. I know you feel responsible for everything, for everyone. But you can't carry that weight alone."

I felt tears emerge as Addison's words hit home. No one had ever acknowledged how hard it was, how heavy the burden felt.

Addison opened her arms, and I walked into them, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. We hugged, holding each other tightly as sisters, as friends.

In that moment, we were more than just siblings; we were allies, united against the struggles that had torn our family apart.

Amidst the hug, Addison croaked out, "I know it's late but I really wanna know how that party was. You smell like trees and dirt."