She Tried

1

It's been 9 months now since Violet found out she was pregnant. Right now, she was in the pregnancy ward practically giving birth.

"The doctors will be here in a minute," Violet's mother said.

Violet smiled. She was happy that her mother was with her at this moment. Violet had no other option but to tell her mother that she was pregnant. She couldn't deal with it herself. She did tell her mother, but she had kept it to herself for the first 2 months. But her mother copped on anyway when Violet started having nausea in her second month of pregnancy.

Violet was very surprised with her mother's reaction when she finally decided to tell her. It was not what she expected. But it was much better than what she thought it would be.

Her mother was actually very understanding and she seemed very much in pain when Violet told her that she was forced into it. Her mother told her that she was sorry for never being a proper mother and not being there for her when she needed her. They had a long talk which involved a lot of sobs and apologies.

In the end, Violet forgave her and welcomed her mother's help in dealing with this. Violet had no clue about pregnancy, children or motherhood. Well, about children she had... Quite a lot too. Sure her mother had four other kids. And Violet always had taken care of them while her mother was out in the clubs looking for other men. They weren't her full siblings, but she loved them even so. And they seemed to love her too.

Her siblings too had started to notice Violet's stomach getting bigger, though most of them had thought she was just getting fat. Exept Julie.

Julie was the second oldest, after Violet, and she very much resembled their mother. She had pure blonde hair, forest green eyes and perfect pearly skin with not even one pimple in sight. Violet had always helped Julie with keeping her hair and her very long nails in perfect condition, even though Julie insisted on being responsible for it herself. Violet was there when Julie had got her period for the first time - even though Julie was only 10 - and had got her all the things she needed.

Julie wasn't stupid. She knew that Violet never really ate much. So her getting fat was out of the list. But she had never seen Violet with any boy. She knew how babies were made... A little embarrassing for a soon-to-be-eleven-year-old. But when Violet's waters broke this morning, Julie knew straight away what was going on.

At this moment, Julie was out in the waiting room of the hospital with her three other siblings. She was responsible for them. It made her feel grown up. But she coudln't stop thiking about her big sister Violet. She was currently in the mathernity ward giving brith. The others didn't know what was going on, and honestly, they didn't look like they really cared.

"Whan can we leaveeeee?" whined Lola as she rolled her hazel eyes. "I'm booooooooooooooored."

"Honestly, could you ever care less about yourself?" Julie said. "Your oldest sister is in the hospital and you don't even give a fuck!"

"Julie!" all her siblings screeched at once.

Julie covered her mouth with her hands. "Sorry," she mumbled. "Don't tell mom."

"Ok, but can we go outside get some fresh air? I feel sick," said Brian, the second youngest of them. He did look sick indeed. His blue eyes were red and he had dark circles under them and his black curly hair was damp and was sticking to his forehead and he was pale.

"Yes, of course," Julie answered worrily. "I think we could all do with some fresh air."

She got all of them to hold hands and they walked out onto the parking lot. Brain straight away sat on one of the benches. Lola was shuffling her feet beside Julie as she watched Josh jump up and down.

"Josh!" Julie shouted as he started running away. He suddenyly stopped. "Come back here. NOW!" He turned back and walked slowly towards Julie. He mumbled a sorry and put his hands up to be lifted. Josh was only 2 years old, so Julie picked him up and sat him on her hip. "No more running away," she said and he nodded.

"Julie..." Lola started. "I'm sorry... I.. I just don't like hospitals. My behaviour was not good. Vivi would not be proud of me.."

"Yes, indeed," Julie said. "Violet would not be proud of you if she saw you like that. It's not how she raised us."

"I know.." Lola whispered. "I am worried for her. I do not know what is happening."

"Brian, is everything OK?" Julie asked as she sat down beside him with Josh on her lap.

"Yeah, i just suddenly felt dizzy and I needed some fresh air," he replied.

"Oh, I understand," Julie said. "How about we go back inside and we'll get you some water?"

Brain nodded and Julie got everyone to go back into the waiting room they were in earlier. She placed Josh on Lola's lap and walked towards the vending machine. She fumbled in her pockets. She had the fiver which Violet gave her 2 weeks ago. She had not spent it. She didn't want to. But now she had to. It was for her brother.

She walked back towards her siblings which two bottles of water, a 2-pack sandwhich and some crisps. She passed one bottle of water to Brian and a sandwich to Lola.

"Share that with Brian," she told her and she nodded.

The other sandwich and bottle of water she shared between Josh and herself. The packet of crisps, she decided, she will leave for later.

"So, what's wrong with Vivi?" Brian asked looking up from his sandwich up at Julie.

"Yeah. What happened?" Lola asked also looking up at Julie.

Josh clapped his hands and said "Vivi!"

"I.. You will all find out soon..." Julie replied as she stared down the hospital hallway. "Very soon."