Mockingbird

Chapter Fourteen

Warm tears began falling instantly, covering the floor. "I told you to put that thing away!"

I run over to Maxx, taking off my sweater to soak up the blood. The cold air hits my arms as all I have on left is a white tank top.

"Holland, I'm sorry," he begins to cry. "I...I...I thought the safety lock was on," he speaks through gasps of air as his tears flood over his red face.

"Call 911!" I scream. "Jojo, call 911!"

He stands there, still as a tree. "I can't, Holland, I'm sorry. They'll put me in jail for not only this, but kidnapping you. I can't--"

"I'll get you out of jail, I promise! Just call 911! Please!"

"I--I have to go," he shouts. And with that, he starts his truck and flees.

"You can't just leave me here!" I cry.

I reach up to the counter, quick enough to grab the phone and dial 911.

My hands and face and everything of mine and Maxx's are full of blood. By talking to the police, I'm just getting myself into more trouble. But this is it. This is where my journey to find my mother ends. This is where it's been taken too far.

This is where I have to come clean.

~

"A thread away," Dr. Stone says. "If it would've been any closer to the left, it would've hit his heart. He's got a minor coma, but he should be awake soon."

The entire Styles family sits in the waiting room with me. Yeah, I'm in some deep shit. They all thank the doctor as he walks away, and as soon as he's out of sight, the family comes to flipping out on me. And only me. It's not their fault that I ran away. It's not their fault that I was so desperate to see LoriJean again. It's not their fault that I took Jojo with me, almost getting Maxx killed. And it's not their fault that they wound up in the hospital, because their "daughter" had no one else to call. It's not anyone's fault but mine.

And I can't blame it on them. Because this entire world has its own theory. And I followed it...

We're all only waiting for someone else to come along and blame it on them.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Elizabeth lashes out. She didn't shout it, or scream it, or even make it in an angry tone. She just said it.

"I'm sorry," I say barely below a whisper.

"Yeah, well sorry ain't cutting it this time," she says. "If Maxx would've been killed, you would've went to jail, too. But you're lucky you saved him. And yourself."

"This isn't your fault," Harry sympathetically says. "You can't blame any of this on yourself--"

"But she is to blame for!" Ellen shouts.

She takes a step closer to me until she's right up in my face. And everyone is just gonna let her say what she has to. Because she's Elizabeth. A pure, spitting image of Elizabeth. "God, how I wish we would've never found you! I was so psyched to have my twin sister back, but you just screwed everything up. You know, you suck as a friend, you suck as a sister, you suck as a daughter, and you suck as a person. Period. And you know what? You--"

"Oh, Ellen enough!" Sienna finally screeched. "She made a little mistake. Not even, more like an accident. And accidents happen. Ellen, you are--are the fucking queen of mistakes! You've made so many, you've completely screwed up your life! And this is how you act now! It's terrible! You're terrible."

Hunter stood up, finally pushing past Ellen and Sienna. "Why is this family so judging? I mean, come on. Do we really have this much hatred to each other? Sure we, can be straightforward, but not this straightforward! This is insane. And I can't believe you're all picking on Holland like little school girls. Even you, Mom. You people are sickening. And your problems are way less important than being the replacement child."

Harry looked at Hunter in shock. "Who told you that you were a replacement child?"

"You and Mom said it yourself," he shrugs. "Don't act like I never hear you guys."

"Guys!" I eventually yell. "We are here for Maxx's support and love. I did this. It's my fault, and no one needs to back me up or go against me on that. The last thing Maxx wants to hear is the entire family of the Styles fighting over themselves in the waiting room. Get over yourself and shut up already."

And with that, they all shut up. They finally listened to me. For once. The five of them sit in the seats. Across from me. They all give me glares, or sympathetic stares, or whatever. But I don't like the silence. And at least it's better than the fighting.

Dr. Stone comes out. "One of you are allowed in at a time."

Elizabeth and I both stand at the same time. "I'm going in there first," she says.

And as she starts to head into Maxx's room, Harry pulls her wrist back. "What are you really going in there for, Liz? To interrogate him? That's not what he needs."

Elizabeth looks at me, sitting back down next to Harry. And with a few steps, I was in Maxx's room. Hospital room.

Maxx was finally up.

"Hi," I shyly say, trying hard not to cry.