When the curtains close

17.

"Are you still thinking about it?"

Leigh-Anne was at her mother's place, she was in the living room, laying on the sofa with her hands covering her face. She just moved a little when her sister decided to sit at the end of the couch and started stroking her leg.

She wasn't proud of it, she wasn't proud of the way she had been feeling, she wasn't proud of having left Jade's house in that way. It wasn't how things were supposed to go, how she had envisioned them. Thank you for opening up to me; You can always count on me; I love you and I'm happy you decided to share this sad memory with us. Those are the words she should have pronounced. A hug; a reassuring smile; drying her tears; a simple gesture to show Jade all her support, but she didn't do it. She just basically ran away and took refuge at her mom's house.

A murmured yes could be heard as she didn't seem to have the slightest intention of changing position. Sairah sighed and looked at her seriously. She knew that the girls, and Little Mix in general, were a tricky field; she didn't want to aggravate the situation by saying the wrong words, but she also wanted to be helpful and reassuring.

"Okay I texted Andre, you and the kids are sleeping here tonight" Debbie informed walking inside the room. She shared a look with her older daughter, wanting to test the waters before trying to understand what was going on in the singer's mind.

"I explained the situation a little, I didn't want him to get worried"

"Okay, thanks" Leigh replied quickly not much interested.

Debbie nodded and sat on the armchair in front of her daughters. "It's a lot of information to digest", she said. "However you are feeling, you are entitled to your emotions Leigh-Anne" she tried to reassure, wanting to understand what thoughts were crossing her daughter's mind.

"Really?" Leigh asked finally looking at the woman.

"Of course" Debbie nodded

"Well", Leigh started while sitting up to be able to look at them. "I'm not sure this all trying to be friends again was a good idea. I think I'm done"

"What?" Sairah asked confused almost jumping on her seat.

"I think I'm done with them"

"Sweetheart I'm not following you" her mom replied calmly, trying to understand better.

"For years I have thought that what Perrie did had broken us, I was sure it was just that stupid contract"

"But?"

"It wasn't that. We were done way before she decided to sign it" Leigh looked at her seriously, and Debbie could immediately understand all the pain behind that unexpected realization.

"Okay..." the woman replied a little bit surprised by those words. "Why do you think that?"

"They were my best friends" Leigh started talking, already feeling the tears form at the sides of her eyes. "They were going through the roughest time of their lives and they didn't even tell me" she explained slowly, almost not wanting to be affected by her own words.

"Leigh, as you said they were struggling" Sairah tried to make her reflect

"I know", she said turning a little bit to face her sister. "But they completely let me out, that's not what friendship and sisterhood are supposed to be" she explained but Sairah immediately shook her head, moved a little bit closer, and took her hand.

"Leigh, let's start from the begging okay?" she said noticing the tears fall. "Perrie, she just had a baby. She was stressed, she was overwhelmed and the anxiety won" she recalled looking at her mom who seemed to agree with what she was saying. "Leigh-Anne, you can't keep blaming her for making that choice"