Ray of Hope

Always Her Way

"I'm glad you came with me, I thought you might need some time out of the house." Leslie gave Raidyn a friendly smile, as they took a seat in the busy café.

Raidyn tried to give her a smile back, but just the recollection, of being last night's topic for the whole family, was embarrassing. She felt a warmth, flush her cheeks, as she ran her hands over her stomach. "Thanks Leslie, it was really nice of you to invite me."

Leslie noticed the discomfort on Raidyn's face, "It was the same way for me...maybe worse, cause they ARE my family. My mother was constantly on my ass and believe it or not so was my dad. He's changed a lot recently, Angel and Nick have always been the nice ones...and of course Aaron and BJ are just snobs. Oh I forgot Melanie...she's like those stray cats, that you feed once and they keep coming back." The two girls chuckled as they ordered two regular coffees.

"How did you deal with it, I'm sorry...but I would hate having Jane as my mother."

"Oh please, sometimes I hate it too. I pretty much ignore her, now. It's funny, cause she was so disappointed in me, when she found out I had an eating disorder, but I think she was more concerned about the press...than me." Their coffees were set on the table, she wiggled the sugar pack in her hand.

Oh great, here comes the conversation about having disorders. How I should get some help...please God, don't let her suggest anything. I really like her. "That must have been really hard for you, being in the spotlight, like that." Raidyn stirred her coffee.

"Oh, that's nothing, compared to the Adam fiasco. My parents sent me away...I think that was the main reason I was sent to that stupid place."

Ok, we aren't going to talk about my disorder, if not Adam. Can that man ever just disappear? Now I'm going to have to bring up the fact that I'm dating her brother, but I slept with the same man she did. Raidyn looked around the room, trying not to press on the issue, but she knew that Leslie was bound to ask.

Leslie took a swig of her coffee "Um...I heard he was nice to you." she stared at nothing as she spoke, "I'm glad that he was nice to someone, I'm not sure he ever liked me...how do you do something like that to someone you like?"

Raidyn looked around the room, trying to think of something to say. "He's changed. He told me about..." she couldn't finish the sentence, the last thing she wanted was to shame one of the only people being nice to her. "Sounded like he liked you very much, but men...are..."

"Idiots!" she blurted, making Raidyn laugh.

                                                                           ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Here honey, I can't believe you got sick on Valentine's Day? How fucked up is that, how is the pain?" Ernie knelt down, and wiped away the stubborn tears, sliding down Mia's face.

She looked up at him, "It's my luck! I can't wait to have these little pests out of me, and just give them away...if they are this much of a pain while in my belly, imagine when they are out. I don't think...I'm keeping them." She turned her back away from Ernie.

He let out a gasp in horror at the words coming out of Mia's mouth, while his hands rubbed her back gently. "Honey, things are going to get better you will see. You have all of us to help you. Plus, you've struggled this much Mia. Why would you just..."

She turned to look at him, "They move around like invasive...worms...it's constant, kicking at both of my fucking sides...they never stop. I wish they would stop."

"The doctor says it's normal for them to be active, Mia. It's two babies in there...you know it's not good if they don't move around...please be patient." Ernie placed a hand on her shoulder.