3 The Baggage

Alice burst through the door and ran up to me. Max, the twins, and Chloe barge in a few seconds later.

"Oh God, my baby! What happened to you? Who did this to you!?" she hesitates to hug me in fear of hurting me. I looked over at Chloe, who was looking at me with the saddest of expressions, almost as if she were guilty. I look back at Alice.

"I can't remember. It's all a blur. I don't even know how this happened." I lied, trying to sound as believable as possible. Of course, she believed me.

"It's okay, you don't have to worry about that. Mommy's got you now." she said as she wrapped her arms around me and pulled my face into her breast. I struggle for air as she squeezes me tightly. Once she lets go I gasp for air. I think I saw the light.

"Hey, do you think that Alex and I could have a moment alone?" Chloe says while looking at me with her 'your busted' look on her face. Alice nodded and led everyone else out of the room. Once we could no longer hear them Chloe came storming over to my bedside. Usually, she'd hit me, but I'd been hurt enough today so she plucked my forehead.

"Ow, c'mon. What'd you do that for?" I yell as I rub my forehead.

"You know why! Why did you lie to your mom!? We both know damn well that Jayden did this to you. You could have told them and Jayden could go to jail! Look at the state that you're in because of him. Why keep quiet!?" she argued.

"I'd just make more trouble for myself. I don't want to go through anything like this again!" my head was pounding.

"What do you mean "again"? Something like this has happened before...and you didn't tell me!?" she says while pacing.

"I meant having to be questioned by the police. I don't want to do that again. It's too much for me to handle." she is going to keep pushing at the subject.

"Why would you have to be questioned? When was this? Tell me!"

"When my mom died!" I yelled. She shook her head in annoyance.

"Your mom is out in that waiting room, so try again. Why?" she says as she halts her pacing and crosses her arms.

"No, my real mom! Alice adopted me after my mom died in a fire. Did you think I called her by her name because I was angry at her or something! I call her that because I know that she's not my mom!" it was annoying that she just assumed.

"I'm so sorry, Alex! I had no idea. That makes a lot more sense. You have lighter hair and different eye color than everyone else in your family. So...what was she like?" she walks over to me and sits on the bed next to me.

"What was who like?" I ask.

"What was your mother like? Your…birth mother." she asks as she scoots in close. I think back to that horrible dream I constantly have. She was nothing like that.

"She was so kind-hearted. She found the good in any situation. She always made time for me, even when she had so much on her plate. She was the best mom in the world. She made me feel like I was the most important thing in the world. I couldn't help but smile as I remembered her playing with me as a kid. "Now that she's gone, I feel so worthless." I slump in my hospital bed and sigh. Chloe clasps her hand over mine. When I looked up and saw the tears in her eyes, I couldn't help but tear up as well.

"Sweetie, you are still...the most important person to me, if that means anything to you. No matter what anyone says, you mean the world to me. You're my bestie." I chuckle as I begin to cry. "Thank you, that means so much to me. Y-you mean the world to me as well. You're my bestie." she flashes me a weak smile before extending her arms to me for a hug. I open my arms to her and lean for her embrace. We wrap our arms around each other as we let our tears flow like rivers. I've needed this for so long. Gosh, darn it...I need therapy.