Years ago

Chapter twenty

"Y-you did this to our daughter?"
   Gracelyn forced her gaze to the door. Her mother stood behind her father. She closed her eyes and moaned.
     He looked at her. "I just slipped a drug I got from prison into her drink. Make her learn her lesson for being at the bar. I didn't mean-"
     "How did you get out?" Her mother asked.
     He lifted his pant leg. An ankle bracelet. "Until the trial I can stay here." He said.
       "Until then you stay the fuck away from my children." She snapped.
       "I-I didn't mean to hurt her." He said.
       "Get out!" She snapped.
       He walked out of the room. Her mother pulled Eliza into the room and shut the door. She walked Over to Gracelyn. "Did he hurt you?"
     Gracelyn shook her head. She was shaking violently. "I-I feel like I-I'm going to die." She said softly.
     Her mother ran her fingers through her hair. "Hey. You're not going to die." She said softly. "I'm going to call the hospital. We'll find out what he gave you. It'll be okay." She said.
     Gracelyn squeezed her eyes shut. "I-I want to die." She said softly. So low only her mother could hear it. "I can't s-Stay awake."
      Her mother pulled out her phone and called 911. "You'll be okay." She said softly and felt tears run down her cheek. "Stay awake baby. Please stay awake."
"You're worse than the doctor said. I don't understand how." Her mother said softly.
The door opened. "She has more in her system. I got out of prison yesterday. I slipped it in her water. She had to learn a lesson." Her father said.
"What the fuck are you talking about?!" Her mother snapped.
"She was kissing a girl! And on top She was at a bar!" He yelled.
"So what? She's allowed to kiss a girl! I don't care! And as for going to a bar. I don't like that idea but you don't get to poison her because you're mad! She is out fucking daughter! She has been through hell and back and you are making her life so much worse!" She snapped and pushed him back. "I don't care what happens to you but I want you to leave!"
A paramedic walked up the stairs. "Ma'am?"
She walked over to Gracelyn and lifted her into her arms. Eliza hooked her arm around her mother's and walked past her father.
The paramedic took Gracelyn into his arms and they walked downstairs and straight to the hospital.

Gracelyn woke in the bright room. The doctor sat down. "Hello Gracelyn. We have news about your condition and your father. You will Are getting better. Now that we know what he gave you. Your father is in prison. For attempted murder and manslaughter. He won't be coming out."
Gracelyn looked around the room. "I don't want to be here." She said softly.
"Until your system is completely clear from the poison he slipped you, we can't allow you to leave." He said. "You should only be here for a day or two more." He said.
Gracelyn laid on the pillow. "Where's my mother?"
"She's in the waiting room. A girl showed up." He said. "I will bring them in."
He left the room and Gracelyn closed her eyes. She opened them again and looked at the IVs that were in her arms. The door opened. Stella walked in with Gracelyn's mother and Eliza following closely behind.
"How do you feel?" Her mother asked and sat beside the bed.
Gracelyn looked at Stella. Stella took her hand. "Are you Okay?"
Gracelyn shook her head. "I don't know. I feel okay physically."
"But mentally?" Stella asked and kissed her forehead.
"I'm a mess." Gracelyn said. Eliza looked at her.
"You're not a mess. You're pretty clean actually." Eliza said softly.
Gracelyn shook her head. "That's not what I mean." She said softly.
Eliza shrugged. "You'll be okay. Dads gone and I'm here. It won't be so bad." She said softly.
Stella smiled. "You're right kid. With you it won't be so bad." She said and sat in the edge of the bed.
Eliza smiled. "It'll be okay."

Three weeks had passed. Gracelyn sat on her bed. She leaned her head on shaky arm. She had started school. Stella wasn't in school. She graduated the year before. She graduated early and was the same age as Gracelyn. Gracelyn was eighteen now but they didn't really celebrate. She was in the hospital so she couldn't do much.
She looked at the math homework. "I hate this."
Stella looked at her. "Is it hard?"
She shook her head. "Nope. It's Boring. I don't have a hard time with school. I thought I would but catching up was actually surprisingly easy." Gracelyn said.
Eliza opened the door. "Wanna come out to eat with momma and I?"
Gracelyn shook her head. "No thank you. Not hungry."
"You have to eat something. The doctor said you have to get your weight up." Eliza said.
"Stay out of it. Ill eat something here. get out of my room." Gracelyn said.
Eliza stuck out her tongue. "Fine. See you when I get back." She said and ran out of the room.
     Stella smiled slightly. "You guys are cute siblings."