Aftermath

They walked home. Rose still in her bloody clothes holding the drawing to her heart. Her mind was loud and spinning but her world was silent and still.

It felt like the world had stopped spinning and she couldn't stay on her feet.

They arrived at the house.

Noah opened the front door.

Rose sat down on the couch. Still silent.

Jack and Anne arrived right after.

They all sat around the room without talking.

- Do you want us to get you your grandmother?

Anne asked.

Rose shook her head meaning no.

- Maybe its better you stay with Anne tonight

Jack suggested

- Yes you can rest for today and then tomorrow we'll figure out what to do next

- Or if you don't feel okay, if you want I will get someone to talk to you tonight

Jack said, he knew it wasn't the same, but he understood her pain. She was just too young to know that feeling now.

- No.

She said finally.

- I just want to lay upstairs that's all

Jack wanted to say something.

Noah didn't wait for him to

- I'll be here dad don't worry

- Me too. I'm not leaving her tonight

Aliyah said trying her best to hold back tears

Hunter nodded.

- None of us are leaving Jack, not tonight

Connor said. He felt heartbroken, he couldn't imagine what it must've felt like for Rose to find her mom like that.

Hunter sat in the corner with his face between his hands.

Jack got up and walked to him. touched his shoulder.

- Come on home, you need a change of clothes.

He nodded. He didn't want to stay in those bloody clothes any second longer.

- Noah, I'm a phone call away okay?

Noah nodded.

Aliyah heard Roses Phone ring.

She went to answer it, Rose didn't want to talk to anybody so she took the phone outside.

It was Mary from the Alden Mansion.

- ..Miss Rose? …I….

- This is Aliyah, her friend. Rose can't really talk right now.

- Its Mary, from the mansion, I just…just wanted to make sure she was okay

- Is that bitch of a grandmother making you call, because if she is she can….

- Oh no. I love Miss Rose, I was in charge of taking care of her while she lived here, I just uhm… I just wanted to see how she's doing after the ….well the news about Miss Zoe. I knew she wouldn't answer her phone but I didn't know how else to get in contact with her.

- Well, as you said, she isn't doing good. She's just standing there frozen, she doesn't talk. She hasn't even changed from the bloody clothes..

- I have her medication that can help. She refused to use them daily but she'd take them when she felt worse.

- Can you send them over with someone or meet me somewhere I don't want to come to the mansion tonight.

- Sure, yes. Anywhere.

- Bring anything you think will help her.

- Sure. I'll send you the address and I'll meet you there.

- Perfect.

- Bye.

- Mrs. Mary?

- Yeah?

- Thank you. Truly.

- Call me Mary.

She said and they hung up.

She returned to the room. Rose was still sitting silent. Conor and Noah had sat beside her. Anne had left with Jack and Hunter and Allison was sitting across the room

- Let's go upstairs and change Ro

Aliyah wanted to get those bloody clothes off her .

Rose nodded.

She got up and they walked upstairs.

- Fucking shit. Can't imagine what she must be feeling..

Connor was still in shock.

- Me neither, I don't understand her mother committing suicide and then her finding her body, but I do know the feeling that will follow once the shock has worn off.

Noah remembered his mom.

- Yeah but that was Lorelei Noah, this is Zoe we're talking about.

- So what?

Connor asked annoyed

- Lorelei was the best mother one could have, she took care of all of us, even Rose, especially Rose, if she'll mourn over a mother might as well be Lorelei

- She did grieve her, as us all

- Yeah well Zoe was an addict, she was hammered most of the time, if she didn't slit her wrists we'd probably find her dead in the streets

- That is still her mother Allison!

- And she is your friend.

Noah said in a higher tone.

- Maybe for tonight you could pretend to care and be there for once

She didn't say anything. She knew not even Connor was on her side anymore.

Jack opened the door to the Pine Hills house. He had bought it when the boys were little and they had always been happy there as had he. Now he came there only now and then because it still felt a little lonely without Lorelei.

Hunter came in behind him.

He sat at the staircase.

- You want me to bring a clean pair of clothes?

He shook his head.

- Come on, go get a shower, change I'll put on some coffee

- How will I ever forget it dad? How will she?

- You might, she never will

- She sat there, in her mother's blood waiting for her to wake up

Jack sat down beside him

- I don't think she's ever called her mom before but she did, she laid on her chest like a baby

- Hunter…

- That's all I see every time I close my eyes. Her laying there with her head on her chest…

Her screaming dad, it won't get out of my head it just won't it won't

Hunter said hitting his head with his palm and sobbing. Jacked hugged him.

- You're okay, its gonna be okay son

He said as they both cried there holding each other.

Jack tried his best to stay calm but he had no idea how Rose or his sons would get through this .

"damn it Zoe" he thought to himself .

"how will we ever put these kids together again"

It was too late to save Zoe now, but he hoped they still had time to save Rose.

Rose sat on the huge bed. the window was a crack open and she could feel a gasp of wind on her face.

Still holding the drawing she could smell the blood. That metallic smell of blood, her own mothers blood.

She had been late. The one time her mother could have been saved and she was late.

She put the drawing down. Aliyah brought her a pair of clean clothes. A baby blue sweater and gray trainers.

She took them with her to the bathroom.

She turned the faucet on, waited there for a little.

Looked at herself in the mirror. Drops of blood had been left on her face where she had touched it with her hands. She tried to wash her hands, the water was icy cold. She let it run through her hands.

Watched it for a while, then it started warming up, and then slowly becoming red.

There was blood coming out of the faucet. It spilled everywhere, her clothes , her face, her hands. She was washed in blood and she couldn't get it off.

She screamed.

Aliyah ran to the bathroom.

- What ? what? What is it?

She found Rose on her knees on the floor aggressively wiping her face with her hands.

- Stop! Ro! Stop ..what is it what?

- There's blood! Blood all over me .

- Rose we'll get it off its okay it's okay

- No! No! it's all over the faucet , it's not water it's all blood..its coming out blood

- Rose calm down okay? I'll check okay.. let me see

- No, no don't turn it on

She held Aliyahs hands.

- It's okay I will shoe you its just water

- I said noo don't

She held her hands even tighter, she seemed out of breath.

- Okay then! Look at me Ro! Look at me ! I won't move okay? I won't move I will just call for Noah okay? I will just call him..

Rose stayed there eyes closed, breathing heavily.

- Noaaah! Noah . We need your help in the upstairs bathroom

Noaaah!

He heard them and came hurrying up the stairs.

Connor right behind him.

- What is it?

He said opening the door ajar.

- She says there's blood in the faucet, I can't get her to change her clothes

- Its okay get up, let me talk to her.

- Will you take care of her until I come back? I have to run somewhere?

- Yeah sure

- Connor, c'mon

- Where we heading?

- Tell you on the way.

They went downstairs. Allison was sitting there still.

- Is she okay?

- No. no she isn't .

Alliyah said.

- Look Al I am sorry for all that went on, but she just had the worst night of her life, the rest as you may agree haven't been much nicer .. If she is gonna make it out okay she will with us here.

If you really still care for her you'll be here leaving the past behind just for tonight, if not then please at least stay away.

Allison nodded. Aliyah was right. She needed to be there tonight.

She would try her best to let aside what she felt.

She went into the kitchen.