Love & Care

Chapter 27

It was later in the evening. We had just ate dinner. Andrea had prepared some food.
We still hadn't heard from the police or Alex and our mood was getting worse. Maya was asleep curled up next to Cara. Layla was talking to Gigi and Ed both of them were trying to calm her down.
Taylor had cried a little while ago and was now sitting next to her mom on the couch.
Austin had decided we should watch a movie and started to play the Lorax.
It was about 10pm when  phone rang and I got up while Austin stopped the movie.
"Hello am I speaking with the legal guardian of Alexandra Mae Anderson?"
"Yes." "We found her. She's okay. Officers are driving her home. We found her at the train station.  She was about to get on a train to LA." I let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you so much." "We just did our job but I wish you a happy new years eve." "You too." I quickly answered. I hang up and turned around.
Everyone looked at me expecting.
"They found Alex. She's fine. Some officers are bringing her home."
I could see the relief in everyones eyes.
"Thank god she's safe." Taylor exclaimed.
"I'll prepare some food for her." Andrea got up and went to the kitchen.
"Do you want us to leave?" Cara suddenly asked. But Taylor and I shook our head. "No it's alright."
While Andrea was still in the kitchen the bell rang.
Maya, who we Cara had woken up and Layla ran towards the door. Taylor and I followed.
Layla opened the door and there was Alex. Behind her two officers.
Her brown hair was wet as it was raining and it had been since noon.
She was wearing her winter jacket and warm clothes but as it was completely wet she was shaking.
Her eyes were red and puffy as if she had cried.
Maya didn't seem to care she jumped to her sister and hugged her.
"Lexi." She clung to her sisters legs. "Please don't leave again. You promised you'll never leave me alone." Maya was crying.
She let go of Alex and before anyone else hugged her Taylor pulled her into the hallway so she got out of the rain.
Layla hugged her older sister and began crying again. She didn't say anything but I could see that Alex felt guilty about leaving her sisters.
After both of the girls had their moment Taylor pulled her into a hug.
"I'm so glad you're fine." She put some of Alex's hair out of her face and I could see the disbelief.
"Why aren't you mad?" She mumbled. "I don't deserve that you're so nice." "Alex we are mad yes. Because what you did was stupid and really dangerous but we were more worried. And right now we are all just glad that you're safe and didn't get hurt." Taylor said.
Alex nodded and Taylor let her go.
She looked at me and I gave her a warm smile before hugging her.
"Sunshine you have no Idea how worried I was." I released her pretty quickly as I realized that she still was shaking and that her skin was really cold.
"Go take shower and dress in something warm. Then come back. Andrea is making you something to eat." I said to her and she nodded.
While Maya and Layla went back to the couch and curled up under the blankets Taylor and I turned to the police officers.
"Thanks you for bringing her home." I said and they both gave us a smile.
"It's no problem we were just doing our jobs." They said their goodbyes and left the house.
"Tay you should call the woman from CPS." I reminded her and she got her phone out.

Alexandra P.O.V.

So now was I back home. The warm water of the shower was running down my body. Warming me up.
Why weren't they yelling? They should've been mad.
Were they waiting for us to be alone so nobody would be there to bow what happened.
I felt tears running down my cheeks. The warm water was stinging on my knees that I had scraped up rubbing away from a man in the morning when it was still dark. He had tried to grab me but I had kicked him and ran away. At some point I stumbled fell down and scraped both my knees. Eventhough the warm water was cleaning the scrapes I should probably clean them with alcohol.
I turned the water of and went out off the shower. I took the towel and dried myself off. A knock interrupted me in getting dressed.
"Sunshine. It's me Selena can I come in?" I looked down I was only wearing panties, a bra and an undershirt.
"Uhm I'm not dressed." I answered grabbing my clothes.
"Alright just let me in when you're ready." I put on the pullover and my hairs back into a turban. I grabbed the sweat pants and wanted to put them on but couldn't as it hurt to pull them over the knees. I gasped for air.
"Sunshine? Are you alright?" Selena knocked again.
"Uhm yeah I just uhm fell down when I was outside and my knees are scraped a little."
"Can I come in to take a look?" I hestiated but unlocked the door.
She gave me a smile.
"Sit down I'll take a look." She kneeled down in front of me as I sat down on the toilet.
She looked at my knees. "Sunshine I need to clean this." She got up and got alcohol.
"This might sting." I nodded and she pressed the cotton ball on the small scrapes.
I sucked in the air before biting down on my lips.
"I'm almost done with this knee." She said and got a bandaid to put on in it.
After she had finished both knees and put on the bandaids.
"All done." She said and smiled at me.
"Thank you." I said looking down.
"Turn around sunshine. I'll put your hair into braids." I did as she told me and she started to brush my hair.
"Do I have to go downstairs?" I asked her.
"You don't have to but you should. All the people downstairs were really worried about you. So I think you should go down and meet them. And Andrea made you some food." She answered.
I sighed and nodded.
It took Selena fifteen minutes to braid my hair.
"Let's go downstairs." She said holding her hand out for me. I hestiated.
"Lexi I can't help you if you don't tell me what's going on inside your pretty little head."
"I'm scared. I mean I met Taylors Family and Karlie but none of the others and they must think I'm weird because I ran away."
She smiled and pulled me into a hug.
"They won't think your weird. They really want to meet you." "Really?" I asked and she nodded.
"Ready to go downstairs?" I nodded and together we went into the living room.
"Hey Alex." Karlie said and got up to hug me.
"Hey." I mumbled. Karlie opened her arms and let her pull me into a hug. "I'm really glad that you're fine." She let go of me and Andrea pulled me into a hug. "Honey I was so worried." She let go of me and I stood there slightly awkward.
"Are you hungry? I made some food for you." She asked and I blushed but nodded. "I'll warm it up for you. Just sit down." She said before walking into the kitchen.
Scott and Austin stood there next both of them pulled me into a hug.
"You don't have an Idea how scared I was. You're my eldest niece don't do something like this again." Austin said and I felt myself tearing up because he called me his niece.
Scott didn't say anything but you could see that he was glad to see me.
After they had sat down I looked at the three new people.
"Hey Alex. I'm Gigi." A blonde said and walked up to me.
"It's very nice to meet you. I'm glad your fine." I smiled at her.
"Nice to meet you too." I answered but didn't let her hug me. She didn't seem to mind this to much. Maybe she was told that I didn't like being touched to much.
"Hey I'm Cara. And I would get up but I have a little monster that's almost asleep on my lap." She was right Maya was curled up in her lap.
I gave her a smile and a wave.
The last person was a man with red hairs.
"I'm Ed lovely to meet you." I gave him a short smile. Man were still something that scared me.
"Sit down Alex. Here's your food." Andrea came back with a plate. I looked at the people sitting on the couch and decided to sit next to Karlie eventhough it meant I had to sit next to someone I didn't really know, Gigi.
Andrea handed me the plate and I smiled.
"Thank you." She smiled and sat down next to her husband.
The food was simple but good. Vegetarian Lasagna. One of my favourites.
"It's really good." I said giving Andrea a smile and she smiled back at me.
I ate while the others talked. After I had finished I got up and put the plate away.
I sat down again. But didn't really talk with anyone. My mind was anxious and I didn't feel like talking with anyone.
Every now and then someone looked at me. Karlie turned to me and opened her arms.
"Come here Alex. I want to cuddle." I hestitated but scooted closer to her and let her pull me to her chest.
"I can see that you're anxious." She mumbled into my ear. She played with my hair and I smiled.
We stayed like this till it was a little before midnight.
"Let's go outside." Taylor said and picked the half awake Maya up and all of us walked into the backyard.
"It's only one more minute." Selena said pulling me closer to her. Layla in her other arm.
"10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1...Happy new year." Some people in the neighborhood were shooting of fireworks and all of us were laughing. After we had embraced each other and wished each other a happy new year I was back next to Selena and Taylor. Layla next to me and Maya on Taylors arm.
I hugged Selena. "Happy new year Mama." I mumbled into her ear and she pulled me closer to her. "I love you sunshine. Happy new year."
She let go of me and I could see some tears glistening in her eyes.
I turned to Taylor and hugged her.
"Happy new year mom." She smiled.
"Happy new year baby." Looking at her eyes I saw some tears as well.
"Do you want a picture?" Andrea asked already pulling her phone out and directing us how to stand.
She took a lot of pictures and smiled. "Now I can finally brag to my friends that I have the prettiest grandkids." My eyes went huge and looking at Layla I saw her shocked as well. Those people were so accepting and loving.
"I'll bring Maya to bed." Taylor said looking at the sleepy child. "I'll go to bed as well now. Night guys." Layla said and hugged all of us.
Back in the living room I saw that Taylors Family were putting on their shoes and jackets and when Taylor was back down they said their goodbyes.
"We should go now to." Cara said looking at Gigi and the two of them left soon after.
"Tayyy can we sleepover?" Karlie asked and Taylor nodded before plopping down on the couch next to me.
"Sure you can. You guys know where the guests room are right?" Karlie and Ed nodded.
"There should be blankets and towels but if you need anything just come down." Taylor said and the two adults went upstairs.
Then Selena and Taylor looked at me.
"Now we need to talk."
I sighed and nodded.
"Why did you ran away? Do you even realize how dangerous this was and what could have happened?" Taylor asked and she sounded slightly mad.
"I'm sorry." I said looking down. "I was scared I guess." "Why sunshine. What did scare you?"
"Uhm just the thought of you knowing everything... You say you care and love me but how can you care and love for some that's as broken as me?"
I felt tears rolling down my cheeks.
Selena pulled me into her arms and Taylor scooted closer to us.
"I thought if I vanished then you'd at least keep my sisters." I mumbled looking down.
"Baby we want you as well." Taylor said.
"You know why we kept coming back in the first place before we met Maya and Layla? Because I thought you were interesting and I wanted to get to know you." She explained.
"We don't want only your sisters we want you as well." Selena added.
I continued crying.
"But I'm broken beyond repair." I mumbled.
"That's not true and whatever is going  on just tell us and we'll get you through it together. Because we care and love you."
I felt their arms around me and somehow I managed to calm down.
"Thank you mom. Thank you mama." I said while smiling at them.
"There's that beautiful smile. Now tell us how you scraped your knees did you fell down or what happend?" I looked down. I knew that if I told them what happened they'd get really protective and they'd probably scold me for running in the first place.
"Uhm shortly after I left there was a men in a alley... He tried to grab me but I kicked him and ran. I fell down after I ran a few blocks."
I could hear both of them having a conversation with their eyes.
"That's what we meant when we said that it was dangerous and stupid but I'm glad you're okay." Taylor said. "But you're still grounded. You're not leaving the house unless it's for school in the next month and afterwards we'll see." Selena added and I nodded. "Yeah I get it it's okay." They smiled.
"One more thing. If you ever feel overwhelmed, scared or anything else and you don't know how to deal with it talk to us." Taylor said.
I nodded and gave both of them a kiss on the cheek.
"Good night." "Night Alex." "Good night Sunshine.And remember if anything happens nightmare or anything else just come an get us."
I nodded and went to bed.
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