Nothing Else Matters - Perrie Edwards

Chapter Fifty Two

"Bear?"

"Morning gorgeous... go back to sleep for a bit, it's okay."

"Where you going?"

"I heard Maddie, I'm gonna go and see how she is."

"Time is it? Do we have to go soon?"

"It's just before nine, you're alright to sleep a bit longer. I'll get you up, don't worry."

"Thanks." Perrie smiled sleepily, pursing her lips. I kissed her and she curled up, closing her eyes again.

I went downstairs, finding Maddie sat in the kitchen tapping her fingers on a glass of milk, staring at nothing.

"Mads?"

She looked up and smiled as I sat down beside her. "You haven't called me that in years."

"How's your arm?"

"Okay."

"Let me have a look at you." I said, gesturing for her to turn her head. I studied the little cuts on her face, the way her eye was slightly swollen but not bruised, just a bit red. "Bloody hell... I'm sorry sis but you look awful. Did you get any sleep at all?"

"Is what you said last night true?" Maddie said, ignoring my question.

"Which bit?"

"The way you found... her again."

"Yes. I didn't find her, it was a total accident... I recognised her but she didn't know who I was."

"Not one bit?"

"No."

"That's not what she told me."

"What did she tell you?"

"She never mentioned you. She said she's been looking for us for years, but she didn't want me to say anything to any of you yet until she got to know me better."

"You're kidding..."

"She never said why she left. I asked her but she changed the subject."

I bit my tongue, not wanting to blurt out everything, but Maddie asked anyway.

"Did she tell you why she left?"

"... Yes."

"Why?"

"Are you sure you want to hear it?"

"I need to." Maddie said. "Please, what did she tell you?"

"Well, when I saw her that night after work... it wasn't so much that she told me, I just kind of... said what I thought, and she agreed with me."

"So...?"

"She said she was poorly after you were born, she had depression, she couldn't cope with us all. Basically she met this guy she's with now one night and ended up going off with him because he had money."

"Honestly?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry."

"Not your fault." Maddie sighed,

"C-can I ask you something?"

"Hmm?"

"... Do you still want to see her? Stay in touch with her?"

Maddie shrugged. "A little bit. But it's like, I don't think I want to because I really want to... I just feel like I should... cos she's my mum. I think. D'you know what I mean?"