I don't care

Part 11

"Leelee, i can't get you up these stairs like this. It's too dangerous." Stevie said as Leelee clung to her and they finally got into Stevie's big house, she was completely off balance and falling about even when they were stationary.

"Stevie," Leelee slurred as her eyes closed and she hung her head back.

"Leelee!" Stevie patted her cheek awake again and somehow manoeuvred them into her living room and onto the couch.
"Honey, stay here and i'll go get you some blankets, okay?" Stevie asked her and she nodded, smiling almost unawarely in response.

Stevie pulled off her boots and went upstairs to get grab a duvet and some pyjama's that would fit Leelee. She'd had a premonition her date wouldn't end well but she'd never imagined this. She decided not to over think it just then. There was nothing she could do. She'd address it in the morning.

"Lee," Stevie came back into the living room just in time to witness Leelee vomiting into one of her antique vases.

"Shit." Leelee groaned trying to wipe her mouth shakily, then throwing up again and this time missing the vase.

"OH MY GOD." Stevie yelled and rushed into the kitchen to find something to clean it up. This was all she needed. Stevie came back with some kitchen roll and Leelee took it off her as she gagged. She'd never really had to deal with anyone else's vomit before and she wasn't having the best reaction.

"I'll do... do it Stevie." Leelee fumbled about but got most of it cleaned up. "Sorry." She murmured collapsing back down on the couch.

Stevie went and disposed of the cleaning materials and put the vase outside to deal with tomorrow. She brought Leelee back some water and a mint, which she took gratefully from Stevie.

"Are you done?" Stevie asked and Leelee nodded grimacing.

"Come here sweetheart. Put these one." Stevie said helping her stand and Leelee wriggled out of what could barely be called a dress, holding onto Stevie to stay upright. Stevie spotted a massive bruise on her hip and gasped.

"Wha- what?" Leelee slurred.

"Where did you get that bruise?" Stevie asked and cupped her cheek so Leelee had to look her in the eye.

"What bruise?" Leelee groaned, pulling the pyjama bottoms on.

"That bruise." Stevie said touching it and she winced.

"Walked into a door handle." Leelee muttered averting Stevie's gaze then grabbing onto her as she felt the room spinning.

"Don't lie to me." Stevie said and pulled the pyjama top she was struggling with down over her head as best she could, being as Leelee was much taller than her without her boots on.

"I'm not." Leelee said unconvincingly.

"Yes you are." Stevie knew that look, that was the exact look Lindsey had when he lied.
"You can tell me baby. Did someone hurt you? I'll kill them." Stevie told her fiercely and Leelee smiled that she was being protective of all things.

"Ex-boyfriend." Leelee sighed, her words clearer than before and Stevie looked at her sadly.

"Oh Lee," Stevie said and pulled her down into a hug. "Don't think i'm not angry with you though. We're going to talk about this in the morning. All of it."

Leelee just nodded and held onto her as Stevie helped her to lay down on the couch and pulled the duvet over her.

Stevie made her way upstairs reeling. What had happened to her little girl? Stevie always felt like Leelee was somehow hers too, maybe because she was so like Lindsey, she could've been their daughter together, there was nothing of Kristen in her. Now she was drinking underage in a club, doing drugs, having sex with strangers? How had Lindsey let this happen? Who was even looking after the children while Lindsey and her were away? They clearly weren't doing a very good job whoever it was. And what did Leelee mean she doesn't know him? What was going on at his house? There was so much she never asked him about and he didn't tell her. Maybe things were not as she simple as she thought.

Her internal monologue raged on, even though she told herself she wasn't going to over think it, as she went through her nightly routine, taking off her makeup, applying her creams, she struggled to strip off her expensive lingerie. Leelee was kind of right about that, she didn't know if something would have happened but she wanted to be prepared. She pulled on pyjama's as it was a little chilly and crawled into her huge bed. Drifting into an uneasy sleep.

Leelee awoke to a loud clap of thunder followed by several flashes of lightening. Shadows were cast eerily as rain pounded the long windows and Leelee got up. Taking a moment to find her balance as she still under the influence, she walked slowly into what looked like a foyer. She saw the staircase and rotunda and realised she was in Stevie's house. She remembered bits and pieces of the car ride here and groaned. She's gonna have so many questions Leelee thought just as a scream of thunder made her jump and she rushed up the stairs trying to find Stevie's room.

She tried several doors until she saw a tiny body in a huge bed and edged her way to the side of the bed in the dark.
"Aunty Stevie?" She asked as lightening struck and Stevie woke instantly at her voice.

"What Lee?" Stevie answered groggily, struggling to make out her face in the dark just as lightening flashed and she saw fear flood through Leelee's eyes.

"Can i sleep with you?" Leelee asked nervously, the slurring gone from her voice and Stevie saw the face of a scared little girl in the place of the overly made up one she'd seen snorting coke only a few hours ago.

"Get in." Stevie said, lifting the duvet up and Leelee practically jumped in, getting as close to Stevie as humanly possible without being on top of her.

"Are you scared of thunder?" Stevie whispered.

"No." Leelee said but convulsed when a loud rumble started.

"What have i told you about lying?" Stevie chuckled.

"Okay. I'm scared." Leelee whispered and hugged Stevie tighter as the rumbles got louder.

"Put your head here." Stevie said, guiding Leelee's head to rest in the crook of her neck where all she'd be able to hear was Stevie's blood pulsing. Leelee got comfortable, wrapping her arms around Stevie's upper body and focusing on anything other than the thunder as Stevie's hands stroked through her long hair.

"How'd you know this would help?" Leelee asked, her voice muffled against Stevie's skin.

"Your Dad's frightened of thunder too. This is what i do- used to do with him." Stevie nearly slipped up but caught herself.

"He should never have let you go Stevie." Leelee said yawning a little as she finished talking and Stevie thought she'd heard wrong. Where the hell did that come from?