The Monday after Thanksgiving things returned to normal, sweetzer was now only housing it's usual residents and the carnage of the holiday had passed. Meghan dressed in her work out gear before heading out for a run. She put her hair up into a high pony tail, donned her black Lycra three quarter length leggings, black sports bra and a vest before she headed out. The sun was shining so she donned her sunglasses and headphones as she made her way down the drive.
Once out on the road she began a light jog blaring her favourite tunes, and clearing her mind. She had so many unanswered questions about hers and Johnny's blossoming relationship. His family had only left yesterday, so they hadn't had much time to talk at all, plus the children were still residing with him until midweek so she didn't expect to spend any time with him until after then at the earliest. Jack was sweet and tender, with a great sense of humour. Lily-Rose was a true beauty, and oozed elegance and old school glamour but had an icy cold attitude, and Meghan wasn't sure if it was her or just the world in general that the teenager had an issue with.
Her jog route bought her on a full circle as she headed back down Sweetzer almost an hour later. She was impressed with the distance she covered and was going for the last stretch when she heard a noise. She looked around and removed her AirPod but couldn't see anything so continued when she was convinced she heard something again. Stopping close to a wooded area with a trail she took out both AirPods and said "Hello" rather loudly. She didn't get a response but heard a shuffle. Her eyebrows furrowed what was that? She slowly made her way into the trail and up the path to a very shaded spot, where she saw a pair of bright pink trainers sticking out a bush. "Hello?" She questioned walking closer. "Leave me alone." She heard. It was a distraught Lily-Rose.
"Lily, I'm not just going to leave you. What's wrong?" Meghan said crouching down to her level. She could see her tear stained face, a few brambles in her hair and a rather large swollen and yellowing ankle. "I fell. Happy now?" Lily said crying more. "You fell? Are you ok? What hurts?" Lily tried to turn away but winced. "You're clearly hurt, let me help you, I'm a nice girl I promise, even got my first aid badge in school." Meghan said holding her hands up. "My ankle really hurts, and my side." "Ok, did it roll? Or did you trip?" "It just gave out." "Ok can you point your toes?" "I don't know! It hurts too much." She said snapping before tears rushed down her face once more. "Why didn't you call anyone?" Meghan asked confused. "My phone, it died." "Oh sweetie, how long have you been out here?" "Well I don't know do I?!! I don't know the time." "Lily, I'm trying to help you." "No you're not, you're worming your way in like SHE did." "Excuse me?" Meghan asked concerned. "Her. He met her on a film, he's met you on a tour, he moved her into the penthouse and all her friends, you're now living down the road, and you're gonna take our Dad away from us again!!" Meghan's eyes widened as the teen began to cry. "Oh Lily, that's not going to happen, your father loves you and Jack dearly and yes he made some mistakes but I'm sure he won't do the same again." "You say that, but you don't care about us!!" "If I don't care what am I doing now?" Meghan said lowering her eyes to the child's foot as she slowly removed her trainer with great difficulty. "Ok this might hurt a little ok, but let me know where it hurts?" Meghan said gently moving Lily's foot. "Ouch!!!" "Ok ok.. I think it's more of a sprain than a break. We can fix this. As for your side. Can you lift up your top slightly for me?" Lily did so revealing scratches and bruises to the side of her tummy and lower ribs. Meghan nodded slowly before saying "Are you ok if I touch you?" "Yeah.." Meghan felt the ribs and said "I don't think they are broken, let's get you home." "How?!" Lily screeched. "I'll carry you." "What?? You're like the size of me, you can't possibly." "Call it caring.." Meghan said smiling as she stood and helped Lily up. She then manoeuvred her so that she could give her a piggy back. "Remember your shoe. Those sneaks are cool" Lily smiled touched the woman was actually that caring.
"Hello... is anyone here?" Meghan said struggling with the front door, "Hilda is getting groceries, I think Dad and Jack are in the studio." "Ok.." Meghan walked into the sitting room and gently placed Lily on the couch, she piled a lot of cushions on the coffee table before lifting Lily's ankle onto it. "Stay there I'm getting some ice." "I won't be going anywhere." Lily said throwing her head back. Meghan rushed into the kitchen and opened the freezer, she grabbed some ice and wrapped it in a hand towel before heading back to the couch. She sat on the table beside Lily's foot and gently held the ice to her ankle. The girl winced at the temperature before she settled "This will help the swelling." Meghan said. "Thank you." Lily said reluctantly. "Do you wanna talk about what you said outside or??" Meghan asked shyly, "What's there to talk about?You wanna be famous therefore you're targeting my father." "Lily, I'm not targeting anyone. In fact I had a boyfriend when I met your father." "Oh yeah and where is he now?" "It's over, I finished it." "Exactly, you finished it because you wanted to get with my Dad." "No darling, I finished it because he was a man who wanted to keep me, under his lock and key, and when he found out I had my own dreams, my own life, he wanted me to choose. Nobody is worth more than your own happiness." Meghan said gently readjusting the ice. "Wow.." Lily said quietly. "Why are you living in the spare house though?" "Your father kindly offered me a place to stay because I had to be out of my apartment. If it bothers you that much I'll leave though." "You'd leave? Because I said so?" "Yes, your happiness is important." "But you just said nobody is worth more than your own!" "Well there are exceptions? And you Lily are worth the exception." "I can't believe it. You hardly know me, why would you do that for me?" "Why?" Meghan scoffed. "Because you're a young girl who clearly has a problem with me, and doesn't want me around, if it's going to start affecting your relationship with your father then I don't want to be the cause of that, I'll start looking for apartments... where is the first aid box?" Meghan asked simply. "Under the stairs." "I'll be two seconds. Hold this on your ankle," Lily did as she was told as Meghan ran off, fast returning with the tin of first aid supplies. "Can you lift your top a little?" Lily did so, and Meg began applying antiseptic to the cuts and wounds before adding dressings. "I'm sorry, it probably stings a lot." The elder said, before continuing. She then pulled a bandage out the tin and pushed Lily's legging up her leg. "I'm going to strap this now and will need you to rest it for a good few days ok?" Megan began strapping her ankle as she heard "What on earth happened to you?" Johnny rushed in looking concerned. "I fell." "What were you doing out? Where was Lenny?" "I was only running sweetzer and back." "God, are you ok?" "Yeah... Meg found me, she knows her first aid, she's cleaned me up and iced my ankle." Lily said looking at the woman who had avoided eye contact with Johnny since his arrival. "Oh well I hope you've thanked her." Johnny said knowing how short Lily had been with the woman recently. "I haven't had the chance yet." Lily said. "There we go that's all done. Just ice it every few hours, and keep it elevated ok?" Meghan said standing. "Were you out running together?" Johnny said confused looking at Meg's attire and struggling to control himself. "No!" "God no!" The two girls replied. "I found her, in a bush, she fell and her phone died, she was stuck and quite upset." Meghan said heading towards the front door. Johnny grabbed her arm gently "well thank you, god I don't know what she would have done without you." "It was nothing honest and the workout giving her a piggy back up your hilly drive was worth it!" Meghan chuckled. "Call me if you need anything Lily.. I better go start looking for apartments." "You're moving?" Johnny said looking upset and concerned. "No. There's really no need is there Dad? She can use that house as long as she wants? Right?" Lily said smiling from the couch.