Adopted by Heathers: The Sequel

Acadia Ladner

Phones were ringing all over the apartment. Elle's cell phone, the landline, my own cell phone. We both got texts. Voicemails. Even emails. But neither of us bothered to check them.

I was going about my business, just doing some work when my phone rang again. Getting annoyed at the constant vibrating and thinking it was just a spam call or a telemarketer, I answered it.

It wasn't a telemarketer. It was Katie.

"Auntie?" I said when I answered the phone. "What's going on? Are you the one who kept calling us over and over?" Katie cleared her throat and said, "Sunshine, get your mom on the phone for me, okay?"

"Katie, I'm mature enough to know what's going on. And I can drive. So what's going on?" I started to snap. Katie sighed and said, "Sunshine, Acadia's in the hospital."

"What?" I said softly. Katie nodded and then said, "The doctors think there's something wrong with her heart. That's why she was complaining yesterday about her tummy hurting. It wasn't just her tummy, it was her chest too."

"I knew it! I knew something was up!" I said. Before Katie could say anything more, I hung up on her and grabbed Elle's car keys.

_____________

"Is she okay?" I asked, bursting into Acadia's hospital room. Katie pulled me aside and said, "I've tried doing everything I could, but she's scared." Katie sighed and I could see tears line her eyes. "I think she wants you."

Now, I could tell when Katie was blaming herself for things going wrong. She's done that for years. Because of some rotten luck, every single time I've gotten seriously injured was when she was watching me. And in the aftermath, she's always blamed herself. And now that she has a daughter of her own...

"Katie. It's. Not. Your. Fault." I said before sitting on Acadia's hospital bed.

"Hey, kiddo. How are you feeling?" I asked. Acadia put a pink and purple stuffed dolphin in my lap and then averted her eyes from me. "Mama..." she whined.

I smiled to Katie. "Auntie, I think Cia wants you." Katie sighed and sat on the bed, crying as Acadia crawled into her lap. Acadia started crying out in pain and all Katie could do was rub her back, shush her cries, and kiss her hair.

I reached over for the TV remote and turned on some cartoons, and Acadia lit up and turned to see the TV. Katie mouthed a "thank you" to me and went to get a nurse. "Watch Cia for me, okay Sunshine?" Katie asked before leaving the room.

I looked to my niece, who was tucked into the bed with stuffed animals all around her, watching the TV with pure glee. I suddenly remembered being 12 and being in the hospital for the first time. It was scary, but I remember my family and the nurses doing everything they could to make it less scary and more fun for me. And that's what I wanted to do for Acadia, giving I was training to be a doctor.

I reached into my bag and pulled out something special I brought for Acadia.

"Hey, Cici." I said. Acadia looked up at me and I put a bottle of bubble solution in her lap. "This stuff was a lifesaver for me when I was younger."

Acadia gasped and blew bubbles right in my face. One of the bubbles popped right on my hair and I giggled.

"There you go, Acadia. Having fun there?" I asked, Acadia giggled and I said, "Well, I got my answer!"

Katie came back into the room, followed by a doctor. She motioned for me to step aside and got Acadia's attention.

"Hey, Cia, sweetie, um...you're gonna have to get a surgery tonight." Katie said, brushing a piece of hair out of Acadia's face.

"What?" I couldn't tell if Acadia was confused or just in shock.

"Maybe your Auntie Cat can explain better than I can." Katie said. I sat on the bed and took Acadia's hands.

"Cici. So, you're gonna get some special medicine that'll make you go to sleep for a few hours. And when you wake up, you'll be a little better, and your Mama and I will be there. Okay?" I said. Katie gave me a thumbs up and Acadia hugged the life out of me.

"Thanks Auntie Cat." Acadia said.

I grinned and hugged Acadia back, knowing that I would protect her no matter what it took.

AN: Yes. Yes, I know this was slightly evil, but I tried to make it fluffy! Don't sue me, please. Hope you enjoyed! Catch ya later!