The Beacon -Paul Lahote 2-

Chapter 19

Mavis was different now.

She was an entirely different person than she was a few weeks ago, but it wasn't by choice. Now that she was back home, the Cullens assumed that her struggles were that of the past. They were wrong. Mavis would never forget what happened to her. The memories plagued her dreams and haunted her while she was awake.

It was hard to think straight most of the time. Every pause in conversation, she would remember something. It was hard.

The blue cast she wore was a reminder of that as well. The bones in her leg had been shattered the moment she stepped in that bear trap. Carlisle said it was a miracle she hadn't gotten any infections. The cast would stay on for weeks, and then they would see if she needed any more surgeries. She couldn't walk as easily. Getting up the stairs was a challenge.

Mavis didn't want to talk about what happened either. Nobody understands. The Cullens originally believed she was crazy. They never believed her when she said Melissa was real. Now, Mavis wasn't sure talking to them was a good idea. It wasn't like they believed her at the start. Maybe if they did, things would have been different.

But the person Mavis blamed the most was herself. When she visited Claus at the Bridgeport Psychiatric Institute, he told her not to let Melissa in. She didn't listen. Mavis couldn't blame anyone else other than her own foolishness. She thought letting the women in would help her get closure and allow her to move forward. Mavis was wrong. That wasn't what happened.

"Hey," Alice spoke. Mavis looked away from the window and at her mother. "Want anything to eat?"

"No," Mavis said. "Not hungry." She was never hungry.

Rosalie looked up from her spot across from her. "You should eat something."

"I said I'm not hungry." Her attitude was sharp and had existed since they found her. There were a few others nearby, but they remained silent. Someone was watching her at all times. It was slowly driving Mavis insane. She couldn't get a moment alone.

They were worried about her but weren't allowing Mavis to heal. They still believed that since she was home now, she was okay. "Mavis," Carlisle spoke. "The hospital has a trusted psychologist that helps patients heal from their trauma. I made you an appointment with her next week."

Carlisle had gotten the information for a psychologist, but Mavis didn't want to talk to someone about what happened to her. She wanted to forget it had happened at all. "I don't want to go."

"Mavis," Emmett said. "It could be good for you. It could help you."

Mavis rolled her eyes. They didn't understand. "I don't want to talk to anyone about what happened to me." She had only been home for a week. They hadn't even given her a week before wanting to force her to talk about what happened.

The Cullens thought they were helping. They weren't. "You need to. It will help heal you."

"I don't need to be healed," she yelled at Esme. "I need everyone to stop acting like I'm damaged. I need everyone to stop asking me what happened."

They understood, partially. "We just want to help-"

"Help?" Mavis was upset, and her anger was getting the best of her. "You didn't want to help before." They weren't sure what to say. "Maybe none of it would have happened if you believed me in the first place!"

"Now, Mavis, that isn't fair."

"Fair? You want to talk about fair? None of this has ever been fair." Tears started to stream down her cheeks. "I waited for you to find me. Every day, all day, for weeks. But you never came."