The Morning Club

8:32 PM

 It was a frigid, chalky evening in the small town of Brattleboro, Vermont. It's 8:32 pm, quiet but busy with life. People go home or work their night shifts, children battered to go sleep and while pubs and brewery open to welcome those who thirst for a simple night out. Life here cycles with one another; Day falls as Night awakes, and vice versa. It's calm and quiet, especially within the Grans household; The children of the house were preparing the settle for the night. Ranis Grans files the final parts of the divorce paperwork. While it was her idea of the breakup, it hard watching hard work and true effort of their relations be wasted to this end.

" God fucking damn it, this took way to long to finish. This better be worth it" she yawns while stretching in her desk chair.

The old thing had lost its comfort after college, holding varieties of stains and rips. She gets up to continue stretching her legs before heading to the hallway. There she walks to the bathroom door to peek inside to see her twins brushing their teeth. A small smile graces her face as she basks at the moment. After leaving, she goes down the hall to the stairwell. Ranis looks at the baby photos of the twins at the ages of 3, they were wearing little sailor outfits of the color grey and yellow. Jade wore grey, as Quella had yellow. She stares at the photos for what seems like hours, reliving its glory. Quella's yelling had snapped her out of the flashback.

" What the hell Jade! you're going to break it-"

A sharp, alarming sound of glass shattering had sent Ranis running, she painted an outline of the scene that fucking scared her. Quella's scream had made her tear open the door off its frame. The fresh smell of blood triggers her senses. she stares blankly, shock floods her; her muscles tighten as Quella screams.  

The ride to the emergency room was quiet, Silence fills the air of the ambulance ride.

" I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so-"

A nurse stops Ranis mid-sentence with a sigh and gentle hand on her shoulder, " You shouldn't blame yourself, it was beyond your control.Right now you need to for your daughters no matter what."

The nurse's actions had calmed her, putting her thoughts at ease. The real battle came with being able to look at Jade. Her faces bloodied and filthy, she's knocked out with half her face cut. Moments later, they're at the hospital; rushing towards the emergency ward. Grabbing Quella's hand to follow after Jade's body. Just as they passed the doors towards the emergency surgery room, they're stopped by staff.

" you can't go behind these doors, you'll have to wait till after to see her. We'll update you on her condition shortly" a nurse had stated professional.

"Mom, will Jade be okay?" Quella whispered tearfully.

"I think, I pray so.

First though, what happened?" curiosity bite at her mind as she questioned her daughter. She had not seen how her other child's head was cut open, though Quella did. She could see how broken and frightened Quella was, but she yearned, needed answers.

Silence formed around them, Quella wasn't answering, but Ranis wouldn't push. So, they sat in the waiting room until an employee had called them over.

"So, she's stable, breathing, and is overall well. Though we observed that it was a deep cut, it just nearly cut into her eye"

So many questions fly through their minds, but relief graces the air as the worst it dodged. But it lost with waves of questions and doubts.

"Can we see her? Are you sure everything fine? is she awake?" Ms.Grans questioned frantically, gripping the twins hand tightly. 

"Yes, but there will be huge scars, and the experience alone it traumatic, so she may need therapy for a while. On top of that, she'll have to stay in the hospital for at least a month, her wounds are severe"

The words stung, burned Ranis to the core; Self-blame and heartbreak dance inside her head.

"Mom, when can we go home, it dark, and we should let Jade rest for now"

"She's right Ranis, It's late, Quella still has to rest, or at least try to. My goddamn 10-year-old got my sense than me in this situation"

"Yeah, you're right, let's go home. We'll go see her in the morning. Thank you."

The ride home was interesting, ride on a TARC bus at 10:32 at night in pajamas get you odd looks from the few people up at this time.