Until the Very End

Chapter 47

Don looked at Meryl, and they were both terrified at how Louisa was so upset. Before he could speak, Meryl did. "Lou honey, talk to us. You never returned my text from earlier."

"Baby girl, did someone hurt you?" Don asked as Louisa just shook her head and cried harder. Don looked at Meryl. "I'm calling her roommates to see if they can tell us what the hell happened to our daughter."

That got Louisa to calm down a bit. "Daddy, no, I'm...okay."

"Baby, it sure doesn't seem like you are," Meryl said as she played with Louisaponytailail while Don handed Louisa some tissues. "You were so upset when you came in here, you ARE so upset. You didn't return my text from earlier."

Louisa stopped for a moment when she heard her mother say this for the second time. "You didn't text me."

"Lou, she did, SEVERAL hours ago." Don said even more concerned. "Your siblings told us how scared you were when you learned we weren't in my hospital room."

Meryl nodded as Louisa took out her phone. "The last thing I wanted was for you to be so far away and so upset, and worried, about us. We were fine. I didn't want you to worry about us."

"It's our turn to worry about you." Don said strongly as he sat on the coffee table in front of Louisa and Meryl as they sat on the sofa. "Honey, please talk to us. Why were you so upset when you came in here?"

Louisa sighed when she looked at her phone and was going through her texts. "I feel stupid now. I didn't know you sent me a text, Mom, I'm so sorry. I would have called or sent you a text back. I wasn't ignoring you. I wouldn't do that."

"Oh, there were times where you did." Meryl tried to tease with Louisa, but she could tell that Louisa wasn't in the teasing mood, and that really concerned her. "Honey, I'm teasing."

Don exchanged a look with Meryl. He knew that neither him nor Meryl would back down until they got to the bottom of what was going on with their daughter. "Baby girl, we know that you weren't ignoring us. Lou, your mother and I are about to jump out of our skins we are so worried about you. Please, honey, talk to us. Why were you so upset when you came in here?"

"Nothing." Louisa shook her head. "It's stupid."

Meryl made Louisa look at her, just like she did when she was a little girl. "Whatever it was made you pack a duffle bag and drive all the way here on a Sunday night when you have class tomorrow. It's not nothing. Especially when you are this upset. Come on, Lou Lou, talk to us, honey."

"I was so scared." Louisa started crying again. "When Hen and the girls told me that you weren't in your hospital room, and then I heard Hen say that Raymore was in the hospital. I know I talked to you all once you were at the hospital, and you were okay then, but that didn't mean that you were still alright. That he didn't come after the two of you, and the babies. The others wouldn't answer my call. I guess my cell phone was on the fritz now that I see all of these messages. I couldn't take it anymore, I packed a bag and came here. If you would rather me stay..."

Don shook his head at his daughter. "This is ALWAYS your home and you are ALWAYS welcome here, no matter when."

"That's right, sweetheart." Meryl hated that Louisa was so worried and that was what caused her to be so upset. "I just feel awful you didn't get my message. Honey, you didn't have to come all the way here. Daddy, the babies and I are all fine. Your brothers and sisters were here for supper."

Louisa sighed as she threw her phone on the coffee table. "Of course they fucking were, and I wasn't."

"Lou." Don sighed. "Sweetie, we didn't leave you out. Your mother sent you a text, and you were at school. Honey, if we hurt your feelings..."