・⎯⎯ ⭔ SCARLETT'S POV:
I've just woken up, 10:34am. Shit! I'm late for work.
I sit up, a headache instantly kicking in, im dazed and a little confused, until i unlock my phone and it opens on messages to Ashley and i groan as it floods back to me.
I don't remember all the little details, i was really drunk. I remember the glass smashing and hurting lizzies hand, me and lizzie screaming at each other then the twins coming.
I get up and go downstairs. Lizzie is sat at the kitchen island.
'Lizzie we've royally fucked up.' I sigh. 'Yep. Yes we have.' She says.
'What about work?' I ask as i start rushing. 'I've called in for us both.' She answers. I nod. Walking back to the island.
'What did i say?' I sit down and prepare to feel shitty about myself. 'I called you around nine, cobie answered your phone. That was mistake number one. Mistake number two was me and you screaming at each other. Mistake number three, you rushing to hannah's room to apologise to her when you realised she knew what was going on between us.
'Jesus fucking christ.' I rub the back of my neck anxiously. 'Lizzie, i promise you, I'm not cheating with cobie. She is literally just a friend. You can go through my emails my phone everything, i promise that she's just a friend.' I explain.
'Why do you insist on going out with her all the time?' Lizzie sounds hurt, and i know she'll be upset that han left, she probably won't have slept knowing she wasn't safe in her room. 'I don't know. I'm sorry.' I say sincerely.
'We've got a lot to say to hannah and the twins will be giving us an ear full.' She sighs. 'I know.' I raise an eyebrow lightheartedly.
'I believe you're not cheating, and i'm sorry for accusing you. But please just spend time with us. Please stop blowing us off.' Lizzie pleads. 'I will, i'm so sorry lizzie.' I apologise.
'Heard anything from hannah?' She asks as she puts her cup in the sink. 'Nope. We probably won't either.' I sigh.
'How do you think she is?' Lizzie asks apprehensively. 'Probably not great, she needs to eat, she didn't have anything last night.' I say.
—
・⎯⎯ ⭔ ASHLEY'S POV:
Me and MK woke at eight. Hannah was still fast asleep so we just stayed in bed with her until she awoke.
'How do you think she'll be today?' MK asks softly, playing with our nieces hair. 'Probably the same if not a little worse than yesterday.' I smile sadly.
'I love lizzie, so much. But this is ridiculous.' MK sighs. I hum in agreement. Hannah is like our own daughter, and i won't stand for my sister treating her like this whatsoever.
We sit in silence for about thirty more minutes until han starts stirring.
'She awake?' MK asks. 'No not yet.' I furrow my eyebrows confused.
She shakes her head and practically pouts, a small whine coming from her mouth.
'Hannah? Honey are you awake?' MK says softly as she strokes her face. 'Ash why is she crying?' MK asks concerned. 'Nightmare, wake her up.' I say, starting to wake her immediately. It takes a little bit but eventually she wakes up with a gasp, she pushes us both away and looks around until she knows where we are.
'It's me it's Ashley, that's Katie. You're with us remember?' I say softly.
She releases a breath that she had been holding in, hugging me immediately, breaking down into tears.
'Hey! It's okay honey, it's okay. I've got you.' I coo softly as i hug her, I'm sat up against the headboard and she's laid on my chest, crying into my neck. MK looks worried, she rubs hannah's back as she cries.
'What was all that about sweetheart?' MK asks softly. 'It was lizzie, and scarlett.' She says through little sniffles.
'What about them?' MK presses a little further.
'They were mad at me because i dropped something and they just hit me.' She says, furrowing her eyebrows in hurt and confusion.
'They would never hurt you. You're their baby. They'd never ever lay a bad hand on you.' I say softly.
She hums... seemingly unconvincingly to me and MK.
'Have they hit you?' MK asks, terrified of the answer. 'No they haven't hit me.' Her voice muffled by my chest. 'Oh thank god.' MK mumbles.
My phone rings on the side, it's Lizzie.
I decline her call and she messages me instead.
lizard
when are we getting our daughter back.
me
You'll get her back when she wants you back. Stop trying to get in contact with her.
lizard:
This isn't fair, we need to talk to her.
me:
She doesn't want to talk to you, so suck it up. I think you've done enough talking to hannah for now.
lizard
Ash you're being totally unreasonable.
me:
How am i being unreasonable? If my girlfriend came home disgustingly drunk, smashed a glass, screamed in my face then went into my daughters room id be happy my daughter wasn't home.
lizard:
still. we all need to talk at some point.
me:
I agree. But give it time, your daughter is having dreams where you're hitting her, take that as a sign to leave her alone for a while.
lizard:
we've never ever hurt her.
me:
I know she told us, but she's going to be scared of you if shit like this keeps happening.
lizard:
i'm sorry.
me:
No use telling me you're sorry 🤷♀️.
I stop replying.
'Okay han what's for breakfast.' MK asks happily, trying to hype up the idea.
Hannah just shrugs.
'We've got muffins and cereal and eggs and bacon...' MK starts listing off every possible breakfast item we own.
'Muffin, please.' Hannah smiles and MK smiles with relief. 'Okay! Let's go!' MK says as she pulls hannah up, balancing her on her front. 'C'mon Ash!' MK shouts back and i just chuckle.
—
We're all eating breakfast, none of us having plans for today.
'Hannah do you want to go see scarlett and lizzie today?' I ask. 'I want to talk with them but i don't want to sleep over there.' She compromises.
'That's okay, you can stay here overnight. I think they wanted to talk to you.' I say. 'I'll talk to them. Thank you.' She smiles politely.
'I'm finished, can i shower?' She asks. 'Mhm! You can use my bathroom, second door upstairs on the left.' MK says. 'Thank you.' She smiles and goes off upstairs.
—
Hannah comes back down about an hour later.
'Hey honey.' MK chuckles as hannah sits between us. 'Hi.' Han smiles.
'Okay it's nearly twelve now, i'll let lizzie know we're coming to see them.' I say as i pull my phone out my jean pocket.
Hannah just nods, she's snapping a hair tie under her jumper quietly, i know she's probably insanely anxious about everything and probably won't want to go home, but i also know she'll miss her mom.
Me:
We're setting off to your house at 12. Any heated discussions and i'm leaving with hannah instantly.
lizard:
thank you. see you soon.
—
We're pulling up on the driveway.
'You sure you want to go in?' MK double checks. Hannah nods, she's been really quiet, i don't think she's said a word since she got back from her shower.
Hannah holds my hand and we all walk in. Lizzie and scarlett are sat in the living room.
Hannah's grip on my hand tightens the minute we step foot into the house, i try and rub my thumb along the back of her hand to comfort her but it doesn't seem to work as the anxious expression still lingers on her face.
'Hey honey...' Scarlett breaks the silence.
'Okay get yourselves comfortable. I'm going to get a drink.' Lizzie sighs.
Me and MK sit either side of hannah on the other side of the L couch.
Lizzie comes back a few minutes later.
'Hannah we're so sorry. So sorry, and we don't want to make you feel unsafe, or worried and we especially don't want you to think that we will hurt you. Because we won't, we never would. Not intentionally.' Scarlett says.
'I'm sorry i picked a fight while you were home, i didn't think straight and i didn't think about the consequences. I would never hurt you, i'd never ever hurt you sweetheart.' Lizzies voice is shaky, she's definitely incredibly anxious, she looks tired as if she hasn't slept. I know she worries when she can't just check on han whenever she pleases, with her out of the house she will have been riddled with guilt and anxiety.
'Why did you lie to elizabeth and go out drinking with a woman who you were supposedly cheating with?' MK blurts out, taking us all by surprise.
'I didn't know she would be there until last minute. I didn't think cobie was the issue here.' Scarlett replies honestly, MK nods, accepting the answer.
'What happened with the glass?' I ask. 'I grabbed Lizzie's hand and she dropped it on the floor, it wasn't deliberate.' Scarlett says.
'We're sorry. And we will never do that again. We were stressed and intoxicated and it will never ever be done again. I shouldn't have drank so much and i knew that.' Scarlett continues.
Hannah nods again, no emotion on her face.
'How are you feeling, hannah?' Lizzie asks.
'I'm fine.' Hannah says.
'When will you be coming home?' Lizzie asks again. 'I don't know.' Hannah replies, she looks exhausted.
'That's okay. Have you thought about school?' Scarlett questions. 'No i haven't.' Hannah murmurs.
'Okay, we have time for that.' Scarlett smiles. 'We're sorry. That's all we can really say.' Lizzie shrugs.
'Scarlett you know better. You know how lizzie feels about cobie. And lizzie, you know better than to argue with scarlett like that, especially while she's drunk. You both know better. Yet you did it anyways. You knew how it would make me feel and you're both so unbelievably selfish for that.' Hannah speaks honestly.
Lizzie and scarlett look guilt ridden, and you can tell it's eating them alive. 'I might as well have stayed in Atlanta. Feels like i'm still there anyways, different house same stupid story. You've both been so emotionally and physically absent that it actually feels like i'm back with my fosters.'
Scarlett bites the inside of her cheeks, looking down to the floor, both the girls eyes tear filled. 'We didn't know you felt that way.' Lizzie says quietly. 'Why would you? You've barely been here.' Hannah chuckles dryly.
'It'll change i promise. It will change, and we know what we've done wrong now.' Scarlett says sternly. Hannah just nods, her eyes red and tired from her previous tears.
'We love you, so much. I don't expect you to forgive us at the snap of our fingers but, just a chance.' Lizzie says. 'Okay, but i don't want to sleep here tonight.' Hannah replies. 'That's fine honey you were staying with us again anyways.' MK smiles comfortingly to the younger girl.
'Can i go get some stuff from my room please?' Hannah asks. Lizzie nods. 'Yeah you can.' She says with a slight smile. Hannah leaves, leaving us four alone.
'So what are you going to change?' MK asks, breaking the silence. 'When we start filming our schedules will be more fixed, so we can spend more time here.' Lizzie explains. 'Good, because she needs her moms.' I say. 'We know.' Scarlett says.
Hannah comes back to us and we get ready to leave. 'You ready to go monkey?' MK says as she hugs hannah, hannah nods and we make our way to the door. Scarlett and Elizabeth follow behind us.
'Bye honey.' Lizzie sadly smiles to the younger girl. 'Bye lizzie.' Hannah hugs her, you can instantly see them both relax. 'Bye scarlett.' She let's go of lizzie and goes to scarlett, hugging her tightly. 'Bye baby.' Scarlett suppresses a smile.
'Bye girls.' Me and MK say bye and we start our drive back home.