bleed // heathers // bruises alternate ending // CANCELLED

five // baby, baby

Giselle sat in the hospital waiting room, watching Addie color on the ground and fiddling with her blonde ponytail, as the pink color had washed out months ago. Her grandmother, Valerie, and great grandmother, Camille, sat around her. They were awaiting the birth of her new sister. While Addie arrived swiftly, no time to have family awaiting the birth, the new baby was taking forever.

"So, Giselle, how is school?" Valerie asked.

"It's fine," Giselle replied, even though that wasn't true. She hated high school.

"And how's school for you, Addie?" Valerie asked, and Addie looked up while making a face.

"I don't have friends." Addie said, and that was all that was important to her at such a young age. "But I know the alphabet." She added, starting to sing it.

"Why don't you have friends, sweetheart?" Her great grandmother, Camille, asked.

"Because, Gramma Camille, no one plays with me." Addie answered, making it clear she didn't know why. But Giselle knew why, it was the way she talked about how mommy and daddy fight and the way she tells everyone about Giselle's jacket.

Giselle pulled out her flip phone and sent a text to Ashlee and Lindsay, who were probably together. Hey, new baby on the way. At Memorial. She wanted her friends, and the remaining Heathers to come to the hospital so she can talk to someone other than Camille, who was still upset about Thomas dying, and Valerie, who was not happy to be there awaiting another new grandchild. A text came from Ashlee.

Let us know how it goes! xxo

Giselle frowned, she supposed that Ashlee and Lindsay didn't think they'd be welcome since her dad hates their moms. But just as Giselle felt truly lonely, Heather materialized by her side smiling. they couldn't really talk, otherwise Giselle would seem crazy. But Heather was there for her.

Her attention was drawn away from a game of Sudoku when JD walked out, rubbing his hands together happily. "The baby's here." He told them and Addie pouted when he said that.

"Do you finally have a son, Jay?" Camille asked and JD laughed.

"No, it's another girl." He said. "Come on girls, let's go see your new sister." He held his hand out for Addie, who took it. Giselle walked on his other side. They walked into the room where Veronica, looking even more exhausted than when she had Giselle, was holding a pink bundle.

"Look, Elle." Veronica told her oldest daughter, moving the top of the blanket down to reveal white blonde hair on her youngest one.

"Finally, another blonde." Giselle smiled at this, feeling Heather grip her shoulder tightly.

"She looks like you did." Heather told Giselle, who smiled wider. Addie climbed onto the end of the bed and crawled on Veronica to see the baby.

"Remember Addie, be gentle." Veronica told her middle daughter, who frowned at the cute sleeping baby and pinched her. Not even a second passed as JD yanked Addie off the bed while the Veronica soothed the wailing newborn.

"You do not hurt your baby sister!" He told Addie. "You are five years old, you should know better." He scolded, lowering his voice to make Addie understand.

"I hate the baby!" Addie cried, kicking JD's leg. Giselle and Veronica watched in fear as he smacked Addie across the face, not nearly as hard as he hit them, but still hard for a little girl. Addie began to cry, running to Giselle and crying into her sister's jeans. JD walked over, grabbed her hand and pulled her away from Giselle, who felt frozen as she watched him drag her out of the room.

"What the hell's the matter with you?" Giselle asked her mother once JD left with Addie. "He just hit your daughter, and I know you think I can take it but she can't. She's a little girl."

"Giselle, I can't explain to you what I think." Veronica replied as the new baby finally quieted down.

"Try." Giselle demanded in the same vein of how she demanded to know about her father. She hates herself for asking that day about him, for finding out about him.

"I don't think he should hit anyone but me. I deserve it. And I don't think you can take it, I can hardly take it. It tears my heart in two every time he is awful. I just love him so much, that I lose myself." Veronica explained.

"You used to be so strong." Giselle whispered. "You used to protect me. Even if I'm too far gone, protect Addie and her." Giselle pointed at the newborn in her mother's arms.

"I'm not strong enough for him." Veronica excused.

"You and I both know that's bullshit. You're why that school didn't blow up, you're why he tried to kill himself. You're why he has that horrible scar on his finger from where they reattached it." Giselle said. "I know it was you. And I know you're strong still. He just convinced you that you're not."

"What do you think we should call her?" Veronica asked, changing the subject from her and JD to the new baby.

"Paige." Giselle answered.

"Why Paige?" Veronica asked.

"Because we all love to read." Giselle sighed, knowing her mother wasn't going to listen to her. That she was going to have to take serious action to get through to her.