Feel free to point out any spelling, grammar, or spacing errors. I would really appreciate it and will fix them right away :)
READ A/N AT THE END! :)
***
Ch38: And I Thought Dora Was The Only One Who Created Awkward Silences
Silence.
The complete absence of sound.
Well in my case, the complete awkward absence of sound.
So, I'm currently laying in my bed with Josh sitting next to me and my parents are standing in front of me, but no one has said a word.
Not a single word.
I can't think of anything to say.
Not anything nice anyways.
Lilo would always say, If you have nothing nice to say, then just say all the mean things you want to say and get it over with.
"We were going to bring you flowers," my dad breaks the silence "but we didn't know if they'd let us fly with them."
"Okay," I nod and we got back to silence.
I reach out and take a hold of Josh's hand giving it a soft squeeze. If I don't grab something I might just blow up.
My head hurts and my parents are here.
And I'm in a crappy mood.
"Seriously Elliana," my mother frowns. "We haven't seen you in months and all you say is okay."
Here we go.
"What do you want me to say mom?" I ask in a monotone voice.
I really don't feel like arguing right now.
"You could at least look happy to see us," she says.
"You sent me away after my sister died," I hiss. "You stopped calling me and you told me not to go home for thanksgiving. How happy do you think I am to see you? Considering you wouldn't be here if I hadn't just almost died."
Okay, my head is really hurting.
"We have been going through a very hard time," My dad explains and I frown.
"So have I," I tell him trying my best to push away my headache. "My sister, my best friend, my favorite person died and you sent me to another state to grieve by myself because you couldn't stand looking at me."
"What are you talking about Elliana?" My mom scoffs. "We did what we thought was best for you."
"No," I shake my head. "Admit it! You sent me away because I look just like her! You sent me away because you can't stand to look at me!"
Damn it, I feel like my head is going to fucking explode.
"I'm not Lilo," I tell them trying my best to calm down. "and I will never be her. I'm sorry that I remind you of her, but that's not my fault."
"We have allowed you to grieve her properly," my mother says. "We have given you space to do as you wish, but you are ungrateful."
They can't even deny it.
"You didn't even deny it," I scoff. "All you did was change the subject. . .And dad you didn't even bother to say anything. So its true?"
"We can't help if we feel that way," My dad frowns.
"Stop talking," my mother glares at him. "We thought it would be best if we spent some time apart not just because it was going to be good for us, but for you too. You have been able to grieve Lilo without us always hovering."
I decide its best if I don't answer so I close my eyes.
"Princess," Josh says. "Do you want them to leave?"
I think about his question.
I could have them kicked out.
"Are you really not happy to see us?" my dad asks and I open my eyes.
"Of course I'm happy to see you," I say my voice suddenly cracking.
When did I start crying?
Fuck, control yourself Elliana!
"Your my parents and I love you," I tell them tears streaming down my face "but that doesn't mean I'm not angry at you."
"Angry at what?" My mother glares at and thats all it takes.
"At what?!" I yell. "How about I'm angry at the fact that you never let me say goodbye!? You unplugged her without letting me say goodbye! I'm angry because you sent me to another state after she died! I couldn't visit her grave! I couldn't go to her room! I couldn't talk to anyone who knew her! I'm angry because you stopped calling! I'm angry because you told me not to go home for thanksgiving! I'm angry because I didn't just lose my sister, but my parents as well!!"
Fucking shit, my head is feels like it just exploded.
"Princess are you okay?" Josh asks and I shake my head before I close my eyes.
Breathe Elliana.
"We've always wanted was best for you," my dad says and I open my eyes.
"If you wanted what was best for me," I glare at him "you wouldn't have picked a fight with me right now. "
"I'll go get a nurse," Josh says, but I hold his arm tightly.
I don't want to be with parents.
"Don't leave," I look at him and he nods before I close my eyes.
I shouldn't have yelled so loudly.
"Can you go get a nurse?" Josh asks my parents trying his best to be polite, but I can hear the anger behind his words.
"Sure," my dad nods before leaving the room.
"Ellie," my mother speaks, her tone of voice much softer than before.
"I really don't want to talk right now," I say cutting her off "and don't call me Ellie. My name is Elliana."
"Lilo use to call you Ellie, all the time" she says.
Damn it, don't cry Elliana.
"I know," I say in the best monotone voice I can manage. "I want to be alone with Josh, can I?"
"Are you two dating?" my mom asks and I can tell she's trying to be funny.
"Yes," I open my eyes. "Can we be alone now?"
"Of course," she frowns before leaving and I close my eyes trying to push the urge to cry away.
Do not cry Elliana.
Your head already hurts and if you cry it will hurt more.
"Are you okay Princess?" he asks and thats all it takes for me to start crying.
Seriously?
Talk about no self control!
"God my head hurts," I sob.
"Move over," he says and at first I'm confused, but then I catch on.
Slowly I move over making space for him in the bed.
"Do you think the nurse will get mad?" I ask and he shrugs.
"I don't care," he lays down next to me making sure to not lay on any of the many cables I have connected to me.
"I don't understand why they're like this," I cry moving closer to him and he hugs me.
"Don't think about that anymore," he says running his hand through my hair. "How we talk about the fact that you said we're dating?"
"Shut up," I smile. "I only said it so we could be alone."
"My goodness Elliana, take me out to dinner first," he says pretending to be shocked.
"You're a grass ass," I laugh.
"I'm glad to see you back Princess," he smiles.
This is it. . .
He makes me feel normal.
He makes me feel like me.
***
"When you fell down the stairs you hit your head pretty hard" the doctor explains, he's a tall African-American man with small round glasses. "This caused your brain to swell which is why you were unconscious for so long. Brain swelling has a variety of symptoms like confusion, headaches, imbalance, difficulty speaking, muscle weakness, irritability, and memory loss."
Okay, this all makes sense.
"Is my brain fine now?" I ask
"We manage to reduce the swelling with a drug called Mannitol which helps remove the excess fluid from the brain into the blood vessels and then your kidneys will eliminate it through urine," he explains and I nod trying my best to understand what he's saying. "So your brain should be fine now, but we want to keep you here for a few days just in case anything changes. You really gave everyone a good scare."
"I scared myself," I say.
"Are there any long term effects to this type of brain injury?" My mom asks and the doctor nods.
"Your brain injury was a bit severe so we might have some lingering symptoms," he says. "The more common ones can be sleeping too much or too little, your thinking and attentions skill can be a little fuzzy, and headaches. Although sometimes patients complain about having trouble with movements, communication, and some have said they suffer from depression."
"Do you know if I will have any of these?" I ask, suddenly feeling overwhelmed.
"We don't know," he shakes his head. "Some people don't have a single lingering symptom and some people get them all. We never know for sure until it starts happening."
"Okay," I nod.
"Anymore questions?" he asks.
What about MMA?
"Yes," I say. "I do mix martial arts. How long before I can start practicing again?"
"You need to go three months with no physical activity and after that you can start running or swimming maybe even practicing by yourself," he explains "but you can't do any contact sports until you reach six months of recovery."
I can always train alone after three months.
"Okay thanks," I nod and he smiles before leaving the room.
"Ellie," My mom sits down next to my bed and I sigh.
Everyone was asked to politely leave the room while the doctor spoke with us and now I'm alone with both my parents.
"Please don't call me that," I roll my eyes. "My name is Elliana."
"Okay Elliana," my dad says. "We need to talk about everything you said earlier."
"Dad this is not the time," I roll my eyes
"Drop the attitude Elliana" my mom glares at me. "We want to talk to you."
"About what?" I ask.
"How are you?" my dad smiles taking a seat near my feet on the bed.
"I'm fine," I say.
"I'm going to ask again," he says. "How are you?"
How am I?
"How do you think I am?" I ask.
"We know you stopped going to support group," my mom says and I look down at my hands. "We never forced you to keep going because we wanted to let you grieve the way you wanted to."
"Well I haven't grieved at all," I glare at her. "I didn't need a support group filled with strangers. All I needed was my family to be there with me, but you pushed me away. So I pushed her away. I stopped talking about her and I tried to stop thinking about her because it was hard."
"How did that work out?" my mom asks and I scoff.
"It didn't," I frown. "Lilo use to always find a way to include herself and she still does. I always find myself thinking about what she would say or do. It's like she's living in my head."
"I feel the same way sometimes," my dad laughs. "I'll be at work and someone will do or say something stupid. Immediately I'll think about what Lilo use to say when someone said something she thought was stupid."
"Stupidity is a talent for misconception," all three of us say at the same time and we laugh.
"And then she would add that the very wise Edgar Allan Poe use to say that," I smile.
"We are so sorry for not being here Ellie," my mom stokes my hair and I look away because I'm to cry.
"You didn't let me say goodbye," I frown. "You sent me away after she died and you stopped calling me."
"We were wrong to do that to you Ellie," she says, in a sweet tone of voice. "You deserved to be there when we unplugged her and I am so sorry that we took that from you. We thought it was what was best for you, but we were wrong. "
"Why you send me away?" I ask and they both nervously look at each other. "Is it because I look like her?"
"Of course not baby," my dad shakes his head.
"Then why?"
"It was stupid of us Elliana," my mom says. "We went to therapy and we realized we were wrong for doing what we did to you."
Uh?
"I don't understand," I look at them confused and my dad sighs.
"We were angry and we took it out on you," he says. "We didn't realize we were doing it until our therapist made us realize it. I am so sorry baby girl."
So it wasn't because I looked like her?
That makes me feel better.
"I get it," I say. "We are hurting."
"We will always be here for you Ellie," my mom smiles and I start crying.
Really Elliana?
You were doing so well.
"My sister died," I sob and they both hug me.
"I know sweetie," my mom stokes my hair. "Let it all out baby."
"I missed you," I hug them.
"We're here Ellie," my dad says and I can tell he's trying not to cry.
I can already hear Lilo in my head.
Someone who cries isn't weak Ellie. They're strong because they're allowing their heart to open and their feelings to spill. There is nothing scarier than an open heart.
Her words never felt more true.
***
"Is anyone going to tell me what happened with Bratt?" I ask and they all look at each other nervously.
"He's in jail," Josh answers, he's sitting next to me.
In jail?
"I thought we agreed he couldn't go to prison because-" I stop talking.
I haven't seen Pipper.
"Where is Pipper?" I ask.
"Ellie," Alex frowns. "When Josh and I found you we assumed Bratt had pushed you down the stairs so we-"
"I could have easily fallen," I argue.
"You're a black belt in MMA," he says "it's unlikely that you fell."
"We called the cops," Josh says. "They found Bratt a couple of blocks away from the house and arrested him. Obviously he talked about how Pipper was selling illegal drugs and so they arrested him too."
Pipper's in prison.
And I can't even remember what happened.
"How do you plan on keeping Bratt in prison when I don't even know if he pushed me?" I ask.
"They found drugs on him," Vincent says. "He's going to stay in prison for a while, but we would like to add attempted murder to his sentence if at all possible."
"The problem is getting you skinny friend out of jail," Janet frowns. "They have a strong case against him, but I think I can get him out."
"How?" I ask.
"You don't exactly know what I do everyday," She smirks.
"What you doesn't help us right now," Vincent rolls his eyes.
"You don't even know what you're talking about." she glares at him.
I'm about to tell them to shut up when the door is thrown open and my parents walk in.
"Elliana we need to talk," my mom says.
It's her way of politely telling my friends to leave.
"We'll be outside," Alex says, but I shake my head.
"You can stay," I say.
"Fine," my mom says slightly upset by my decision. "Your dad and I have decided it's time for you to come home. We want you to move back with us."
What the fuck?
A/N: Hi everyone!!! Hope all is going well and that you enjoy this long chapter!
I seriously love you all so much and I love this story with all the fantastic characters, but sadly this story is coming to en end. We have approximately 2-3 chapters before this story is closed.
I know some of you have been talking about a spin off or sequel and I've been thinking about it, but i'm not sure of anything yet.
Although someone did suggest having a ONE SHOT competition. Now a one shot competition is where you write your chapter and it can be about any character or any ship you'd like. What's your opinion on doing something like this? Who would actually do it?
Sorry for the long Author's Note, I'll shut up now.
QOTC: What do you think Janet will do to get Pipper out of jail?
Comment & Vote
Love, Pam
August 15, 2017