Another side of Heartland

Chapter 50

-Mallory-

I woke up to see Caleb still sound asleep but I could hear someone rummaging around in the kitchen so I quietly got out of bed and went into the bathroom to get ready. After showering, braiding my hair and getting dressed Caleb was still sound asleep. I smiled and snuck out of the door and walked down the stairs. Finally finding the kitchen I realized it was Mr. O'dell cooking breakfast. "Good morning! Can I help?" He nodded and handed the pancake making over to me. "Did I wake you up? I was trying to be quiet and surprise everyone" I laughed quietly 'no I just don't sleep a lot sometimes' He nodded and kept cooking the bacon and eggs beside me. He was watching me cook the pancakes and I looked over at him with my eyebrows raised thinking I was doing something wrong. 'My daughter use to help me cook Sunday morning breakfast for everyone, we would stand side by side here in the kitchen just like this while Caleb and their mom slept. They always were able to sleep more than us' I smiled sadly and bumped my shoulder against his "I'm not your daughter but I'm glad to be doing something special with you" Mr. O'dell laughed through the tears that had gathered in the corners of his eyes 'you are going to be my daughter Mallory, and I'm glad your here too' I smiled and went back to cooking my pancakes and Mr. O'dell reached over and flipped the radio on and before we knew it Caleb and Mrs. O'dell were standing in the kitchen doorway watching us be goofy and laughing. I switched the stove off and Caleb pulled me to him and started dancing. I laughed but wrapped my arms around him and danced too, looking over I saw Mr. And Mrs O'dell dancing too and I smiled at how much they still loved each other "I think we're going to be like them when we get old" I looked up and Caleb and smiled 'I sure hope so' Caleb had just leaned down to kiss me when the sliding door opened and the Hughes walked in the kitchen. Mr. Hughes was smiling and Mrs. Hughes was laughing "having a party without us?" 'Just surprise breakfast, come in, come in' Mrs. Odell ushered them in to fix their plate and Caleb pulled me into his side kissing the top of my head.
We all sat down at the table once we had our plates fixed Mr. and Mrs. Hughes on one side, Mr. and Mrs. O'dell on one side, Sarah and Jackson on one side and Marcus, Caleb and I on the other side. We laughed and joked and ate breakfast, once we were done I started helping clean up from breakfast but Mr. O'dell chased me out of the kitchen telling me that I helped cook. Caleb was in the living room with Sarah and Jackson catching up. Caleb pulled me into his lap and kissed the side of my head 'do you want to go for a ride on the ATV and I'll show you around?' I nodded "yeah let me go get my phone and a sweatshirt" I stood up and headed up the stairs, Caleb smacking my butt on my out. I laughed and trotted up the stairs. I walked in Caleb's room and grabbed a sweatshirt that happened to be Caleb's and my phone off of the nightstand taking a moment to check my notifications. Just a few Instagram notifications and a text from my mom telling me that they loved me and would be out of cell phone service for a little while. As I headed out the door I heard a muffled sound. I looked around the hallway and I realized it was coming from Cassie's old room. I slowly pushed the door open to see Marcus standing by her window with his back to me "Marcus?..." I asked tentatively. He jumped and spun around to face me wiping at his eyes. He was holding one of Cassie's sweatshirts and a picture of them together. I took an educated guess and sighed in sadness "oh Marcus" I stepped closer and wrapped my arms around him hugging him tightly, he hesitated at first but then gave into my hug. 'I loved her so much.. and nobody even knew.. I was two years younger so we had decided not to tell anyone until I graduated high school. I knew.. I knew what she did but.. I just.. what if I had.." Marcus trailed off sobbing, I just squeezed him tighter and let him. Eventually he sniffled and pulled away from me slowly. I awkwardly reached up and held his face in my hands "you can't do that Marcus, the what if's, I can't even imagine how you felt and even how your still feeling now but you can't blame yourself. Su-" I took a deep breath and cleared my throat "Suicide it a terrible thing and it's the people that appear to be the happiest in the outside that are suffering more than we know" I pulled the sleeve of my shirt up and showed him two nearly gone scars on my mid arm that Caleb didn't even know about. "I struggle with eating disorders and everything that comes with them, but there was a time I thought that Cutting was my option" Marcus traced the faint scars on my arm and looked down at me "I just happen to be terrified of blood so the one time was all I could ever make myself do, but I do understand it. When your in that moment it doesn't matter what good things you have in life, you can't see them or feel them. I Promise you, I swear on my life. It was not your fault" Marcus looked down into my eyes and nodded, this time pulling me in for a hug and holding on. 'Thank you Mallory, I needed this' I nodded and rubbed his back. 'Cassie would have loved you, your personality and the way that you love Caleb. This morning when you guys were laughing and dancing in the kitchen I could tell how much you truly loved each other. I never met the Ashley girl he was with but I don't imagine their relationship was anything like yours because if it was and he let it go, I don't think he would have found you' I smiled and hugged Marcus tighter "thank you" we pulled apart and laughed wiping our tears "let's go back down stairs before they send a search party for us huh?" Marcus nodded and I picked up the hoodie I had dropped and headed down the stairs.

Caleb was in the entry way buttoning up his outer shirt silently and Sarah and Jackson were already outside waiting in the ATV Marcus smiled softly at me and Caleb and brushed past us headed outside.
Once Marcus was outside Caleb grabbed my arm and yanked me into his Dads study. "What are you doing?" I asked breathlessly. 'I came upstairs to see what was taking so long' the color must have drained from my face. Caleb immediately pulled me to him and wrapped his arms around me. "I didn't know that you have ever even considered that." I took a deep breath and pulled away from him. 'It was long before you were around heartland much, it was even before Badger the first time' I stepped back and rolled my sleeve up showing him the almost non existent scars. Caleb traced the skin similar to what Marcus had done when I showed him. Caleb let out a deep sigh. "I'm sorry.. I just.." I stepped closer to Caleb looking into his eyes "I understand and I'm sorry that I didn't tell you, I haven't done it since and I don't plan on ever doing it again" Caleb nodded and hugged me. 'I feel so bad for Marcus, I had no idea' I nodded "me too" Caleb let me go and took my hand. "Let's go they've been waiting on us long enough" I nodded and followed Caleb outside where they were waiting for us.