Rules for Enduring the Sweenys

Rule #10: Always Stay Calm

“It’s Dizzy…” Bella began, “she-”

“Oh thank god!” Mrs. Sweeny exclaimed. “Don’t scare me like that sweetie! I thought something was really wrong!” Bella scowled. Mrs. Sweeny was becoming less and less motherly with every passing day. Bella had begun working for her under the impression that she would be working as a nanny once a month, but that turned into two weekends a month, and then, the past four months, Marianne had called Bella almost every night to come and rock Lucy to sleep, or calm Danny down from a temper tantrum. It was almost as though she were completely forgetting that being a mother meant more than just putting a roof over their heads and clothes on their backs. Hell, Thomas was just as successful as she was, and he still managed to make it home to help cook dinner every night.

“Sorry Mrs. Sweeny,” Bella mumbled. “You’re still coming home tomorrow night, right?”

“Oh, honey, I don’t know,” she shouted in Bella’s ear, “I’ll have to get back to you on that. But don’t worry, I’ll pay you extra!” The teenager rolled her eyes. She wasn’t worried about the money. She was worried about the kids. They deserved a mother who would care about their heartbreaks and fevers.

“That’s not what I care ab-”

“I’ve gotta get goin’ sweetie. Tell my kids I love ‘em!” and she hung up before Bella could say another word.

“What’d mom say?” Danny asked, sauntering into the den and diving onto the long couch.

“Said she loved you,” she answered as he switched on the TV, turning it to The Simpsons. Danny rolled his eyes.

“Sure she does,” he mumbled. He glared at the large television, folding his arms. Bella took his face in her hands, forcing him to look at her.

“Your mom is doing the best she knows how. She loves you very, very much. Remember that.” Danny squirmed out of her grasp.

“Whatever,” he grumbled, ignoring the girl. She stood up and went back to the kitchen/dining room where Eli was silently doing the dishes, with tears he was ashamed of, running down his cheeks. Bella decided not to bother him, turning around to go find Lucy instead. She stepped out into the hallway as the front door slammed open.

There, in the doorway, stood Georgie, holding a crying, squirming Lucy. She was wearing her coat over her pajamas. ‘Goddammit Lucy! How many times do I have to tell you not to go outside by yourself?!’

“Hello Bella, I think now’s the time to come with me,” he laughed, pulling his long knife out from behind his back and holding it to Lucy’s throat. Bella’s eyes widened as Lucy released an earsplitting scream. It was Bella’s worst nightmare coming true.

“Let her go Georgie,” Bella demanded, keeping her voice calm. Georgie loved chaos. He loved goading her until she lost her cool.

Georgie stroked Lucy’s throat with the knife. “Bella!” she wailed reaching out to her nanny. Her dark green eyes were swimming with tears and she trembled, terrified.

“What the fuck! Put her down!” Eli shrieked stepping out of the kitchen, at the same time that Danny emerged from the den. They both were getting ready to be heroes, when they noticed the sharp blade being held against their baby sister’s fragile neck.

Bella put up a hand, warning the boys. “Georgie, I’ll go with you, just do not hurt her.” Georgie’s smile grew wide, once again revealing his rotting teeth. ‘Why couldn’t it have rotted his goddamned brain?’

“I knew you’d see it my way honey.” Georgie’s voice oozed with false sincerity.

“Who the hell is this guy Bella?” Danny asked his legs were shaking as he stumbled to his brother’s side. Eli put a protective arm around his shoulder, pulling him closer.

“He’s nobody.”

“Oh, now don’t be like that Jelly Belly,” he laughed. He turned his treacherous eyes on the boys. “She’s just upset ‘cause she’s gonna die tonight. I’m her father.” His green-blue eyes glinted with a humor only he seemed to understand. He stroked the crying baby’s cheek and smirked. “She looks so much like you did when you were a baby, don’t you think Bella? Such a shame I wasn’t there when you killed your mother. Then all those poor girls would still be alive.” He grinned pointedly at Eli. “I’m tired of playing games, come on Jelly Belly.” Bella made her way over to him quickly, ripping the baby from his disgusting, unwashed body. Lucy wrapped her arms around Bella’s neck.

“Don’t go Bella! Don’t go. Please!” she sobbed. Bella gently unwound the baby’s arms and set her on her feet.

“It’s okay,” Bella whispered, “I’ll be okay.” Georgie laughed loudly as Lucy ran into Eli’s outstretched arms, still crying.

The man grabbed his daughter by the honey blond hair she’d received from her mother. After Alice died giving birth to Zane, he didn’t think he could ever love again, but then he met Brooke. She was everything Alice had been and more. She loved his boys as if they were her own. When he left to fight in the war, when Bella was just eighteen months old, he didn’t expect to hear that the woman he loved even more than his first wife had committed suicide. A purposeful drug overdose. His children had been awarded to the state. But they wouldn’t let him return home. It was all Bella’s fault. She’d been there when Brooke took her own life. In Georgie’s mind, she was to blame. She would always be to blame.

“Let’s go,” he sneered dragging her out into the freezing night. She was wearing nothing but her favorite gray sweats and a plum and silver tank-top, she didn’t even have shoes on. The cold wind whipped loose strands of golden blond hair into her face. She didn’t say a word; she had to keep control of herself.

* * *

“Okay, slow down Eli,” Owen snapped, “what happened?” Eli was speaking so fast that his words ran together. Owen couldn’t understand a single thing the kid was saying.

“A man came in and threatened Lucy with a knife and took Bella! I think he’s gonna kill her!” Eli shouted frantically, stringing his words together as slowly as possible.

“Who took her?” Owen asked, even though he already knew the answer. He felt the Harken brothers’ eyes on him, but he didn’t lift his gaze from his hands, he was trying to keep the fear out of his voice. What use was he if he was terrified?

“Georgie.” Eli lowered his voice. “I think he killed Dizzy.” He let out a deep, shaky breath, leading Owen to the uncomfortable conclusion that he was crying. “I-I-I’m s-sorry ‘bout Bells. Know you l-l-like her,” he mumbled.

“Eli, just take care of Danny and Lucy. No drinking! We’ll get her back.” He hung up the phone and jumped to his feet. “He’s got Bella! We’ve gotta go. We’ve gotta find her! He’s gonna kill her!” He was freaking out, unable to control himself any longer. He wanted that fucker dead. He heard someone shouting his name, but wasn’t listening.

Jake stood up and hit Owen so hard in the face (on his right cheekbone) that he knocked him backwards on his ass. Owen looked shocked. Jake knelt down next to him. “Listen, you need to calm the fuck down. That’s the only way we’ll get Bella outta this mess. Got it?” Owen nodded silently as Jake helped him to his feet. He rubbed at the bruise that was already forming on his face.

“Shit,” he mumbled, a half-smile pulling at the corners of his lips. He clapped Jake on the shoulder. “Forgot how hard you can fuckin’ hit.” Jake shrugged his hand off, but had to work to keep a smile off his face.

“Just don’t fuck up like that again.” Owen nodded.

“Right,” he muttered, remembering Bella’s rules. “Number ten, Always Stay Calm.”

“What’d you say?”

“Nothin’.”