☀️She's Extraordinary ☀️

Pinpointing Those Feelings

The Squad Room (Saturday, Nov. 26th) (Olivia's Perspective)
"Heyyy."
"Hey." Amanda stepped inside my office and closed the door.
"I heard about what went down on Thanksgiving. Are the girls okay? What's going on?"
"We finally found out who's been sending the packages to our houses. Dashon. But there's like nothing that we can do because it's not like he physically sent these packages, his friends did. Plus, he's still incarcerated."
"How did he even? After all of these years."
"I know. We have to move. Again." I sighed.
"You guys can identify his buddies, and issue an order of protection." She suggested.
"But what about Dashon himself?"
"If we can prove that he orchestrated this, we can tell the board of parole that he's still engaging in the same behaviors he did with Maria. W-We can stop him from being released. I don't know how long, but it's worth a shot."
"That's a good idea. I should bring in the stuff he sent, the letters."
"And once you do that, I think you should stay home. You can't be near this...or any other case for that matter. You can help us with cases on the sidelines. We've got Fin, you've pulled your weight, Liv. You need a break and you need to be with your girls right now."
"Speaking of the girls, they're both taking it hard. Leia's giving Elliot and I the silent treatment and she's been very irritable and having tantrums. Bella's been crying non-stop and refuses to talk about it. I've reached out to her friends' parents to see if they could all find a way to get her to open up because none of us can. I feel like a horrible parent...I can't help my children, and I've impacted their lives negatively by not dealing with this properly."
"You couldn't have known it was him, Liv. I feel bad, the girls are really going through it. With time, these wounds will heal. They have every right to scream and cry."
"I know, I've been trying to comfort them as much as I can. I just wish I could help them more."
"You can help them more by being home with them right now. Go home, Liv. I'll stop by later, and check in. You need to be with them."
^^^^^^^^
The Horton Hotel (2:27 PM)
"I'm back." I said quietly.
"Hey, Mom. Bella and I are playing Roblox. Wanna watch?" Noah asked. Bella seemed a lot better than earlier.
"I'd love to. Also, I brought some Schmackary cookies. I've got birthday party, funetti, red velvet, and cereal killer!"
"Thanks." Bella and Noah ate a cookie and continued to play. I went down the hallway to the girls' bedroom.
"Leia? I brought cookies. Schmackary's." She didn't respond.
"Okay, they're in the kitchen if you want some." I kissed her before leaving.
"What are you two up to?"
"We're building a house and then we're going to go around and rob some places."
"Are you sure you should be saying this to a cop?" Bella laughed.
"You can't do anything in the world of Roblox, Mom."
"I guess you're right. Hey, what is that?!"
***************
Central Park (Sunday) (Leia's Perspective)
"How about we sit right here?" We walked over to a really big tree and sat next to it.
"So Leia, I know these past couple of days have been really tough." I didn't answer. I don't want to talk to Mommy right now! She's being a secret-keeper and it's not fair! Mommy says it's not good to hide things but she's doing it.
"Why is Daddy Dashon a bad guy? Why can't I see him?" I asked. Mommy fixed her hair and sighed.
"Because your Daddy has done some very bad things. He is in jail right now because of those things."
"They were really bad?" Mommy nodded.
"Oh." I looked at the leaves on the ground. That's why Bella hates him. That's why she was angry when he sent the stuff.
"I feel even more sad." My eyes started to be super watery and my face felt hot.
"Why?" I shook my head.
"Leia, it's me. It's Mommy. You can tell me what's going on. I won't get angry at you."
"I can't say it, it's tricky."
"I'm sure I'll understand it, honey. I'm a cop. My job is to understand tricky."
"You know how Kayley is adopted, like me and Bailey? Well, she told me that she got a letter from her birth Mommy and she met her. She said that she's really nice. I love you and Daddy. But...I just...I thought he was nice and not like Mommy Melanie. That I could meet him like Kayley."
"Awww, come here baby. I'm so sorry! You know, I know exactly how you feel."
"You do?"
"I grew up without my Dad. I too wondered who he was, and one day when I was old enough, my Mom told me why she wasn't with him, the bad thing he did and it made me upset too."
"What did you do?"
"I kept it all inside until I burst, and I got really angry at my Mommy." I was angry at Mommy. I didn't talk to her for 3 whole days.
"And we argued, and it hurt us. I don't want that to happen to me and you."
"I'm sorry I ignored you."
"I accept your apology. Come here. I'm so proud of you for opening up to me and using your big girl words. You did a good job at communicating your feelings to me. You're becoming such a big girl. I love you."
"I love you more."
******************
Avenues: The World School (Nov. 29th) (Bella's Perspective)
Mom said that I could stay home from school today, but I don't want to. The best thing for me when something like this happens is to be with my friends.
"Bell!" The girls ran up and hugged me.
"Hey, guys! How was Thanksgiving?"
"It was great, I ate so much that I took a whole 6-hour nap afterward." Sofia told us.
"Are you sure it's even considered a nap at that point?"
"Ugh, yes it is!" My friends are always teasing each other like this, it always lightens the mood.
"Hey, you know how all after-school activities are canceled today? We were thinking-"
"We were thinking that we could go get mani-pedi's before dance since we have so much time!"
"Ahh, but wouldn't we have to paint our nails nude colors?"
"No, you silly goose! Remember, the competition's next week Saturday!"
"It'll be fun!"
"Alright, alright. I have to tell Lucy and my parents first."
"Great!" The bell rang.
"Shit, we're gonna be late to Humanities! Cmon, Bell!" Hannah and Paisley pulled me towards the staircase playfully. They always make me happy.
******************
Wall Street (1:14 PM) (Elliot's Perspective)

Me: Hey sweetheart, I just wanted to check-in. How's school going?
Bella: Pretty good. Everyone's all happy after the break. It's a nice distraction. My friends asked if I could go with them and get mani-pedis. Can I?
Me: Of course, I'll make sure a uni cop is with you guys.
Bella: Dad...
Me: It's to keep you safe. And, distraction?
Bella: 😪
Bella: I just meant that it's making me happy or whatever. I gotta go, we're growing sprouts in science!

"Oh, Bella." I sighed and picked up my phone.
"Hey!" Olivia said.
"Hey honey, how's everything going?"
"Great. Just picked up Noah from school and now we're having a movie marathon." I smiled.
"That's great. Hey, how were the girls this morning."
"Quite fine, Leia was happy to go to school and so was Bella. Why?"
"I just finished texting Bella and she told me that school was a distraction. I'm concerned. Why aren't you pushing her to talk more? This is going to eat away at her, Liv."
"Pushing Bella to speak when she isn't ready only makes things worse. I've learned that from being her mother for 9 years. She'll talk when she's ready. She also has therapy tomorrow and I've filled Dr.Turner in."
"I feel like you're being way too calm about this."
"Babe, Bella's a smart girl. I trust that we'll talk about it when she's ready. Also, now that you're here, I need to talk to you." Those six words always scare me. They could mean good news or bad news.
"What is it?"
"I think we need to pause on the adoption stuff, for now at least. We can't try to rush in another family member while all of this is going on."
"I agree."
"Okay, I'll talk to you more later. Noah's staring at me."
****************
Liz's Nail Salon (Amsterdam Ave.) (Bella's Perspective)
"Ooo, what color are you guys doing?"
"Black, like my soul." Clara said.
"I'm joking! Can I do the baby pink, please?"
"You had me scared for a moment." Stella said.
"I think I'm gonna do forest green."
"I don't know why you like that color so much. What about you, Bella?"
"I think I'll do seafoam on my fingers and aqua on my toes."
"See, now that is cute."

Jake: You guys made it to the salon?
Me: yeah I'm getting my toes painted rn
Jake: show me them when you're done
Jake: are you feeling better today? Have your parents figured out what to do about your father?
Me: today was great. Nope. I wish they'd tell me tho

"Omg, stop texting Jake. I have something important to say."
"What is it?"
"I-"
"I-"
"I'm-"
"Oh just spill it, Clare!"
"I'm talking to Cody! I finally like you know, took initiative like you guys said to!"
"Yes, yes, and yes! I've been waiting for this."
"I manifested this. Glad to know it worked." Paisley said.
"Manifested?"
"Yup. With crystals."
"You know that shit's not real, right?"
"Hey, just be happy that you got your manz."
"Guys...So how has talking to him been going?"
"Pretty good! He's really funny and nice and I stay up all night talking to him. He makes me happy. Which I haven't been for a while."
"That's good, I'm glad he's making you happy. So what about you Paisley? I know you and Matthew hung out."
"It was nothing we just studied together."
"Sounds like a ruse."
"You guys are funny." My friends and I continued to joke for a while. Being distracted feels nice. Comforting. Until I'm alone and left with my thoughts.
^^^^^^^^
The Horton Hotel
"You're back from your mani-pedi. What color did you get, bear?" Mom said when she noticed me standing in front of her door. I climbed on top of her bed and laid my head on her lap. She seemed confused and concerned, but she eventually started stroking my hair.
"I feel...sad. But also angry. It's confusing. I try to push the feelings away by hanging out with my friends, keeping myself moving. But it comes right back up when I'm alone. I don't know what to do, Mom."
"Well, you're doing what you're supposed to do right now."
"What?"
"Opening up about it. Admitting that you need some help."
"Oh." I blushed.
"You've made so much progress and you barely notice it. Like I always say, tackling them head-on is best."
"You do say that."
"Do you think that you could do that right now?" I slumped off of her bed and sighed.
"I don't know." I got up and left her bedroom. I still don't think I'm ready.