In Case You Didn't Know

Chapter Four

A week later

"No, I don't want that." Stacie mumbles, pushing her plate away. Her stomach churning, the smell of the food was nauseating.

Henry frowned, watching his daughter push her favorite breakfast food away. The only time he'd ever seen that happen was when Serena was pregnant with Stacie.

Stacie shifts slightly and moves to lay her head on Beca's shoulder. It wasn't fair, she couldn't eat her favorite food because the baby didn't like it.

Beca was nibbling absentmindedly on a slice of buttered toast. She was still half asleep, having struggled to fall asleep the previous night. Her free hand played with the gold chain around her neck.

Suddenly, Stacie stands up and rushes out of the kitchen. Her hand over her mouth.

Serena got up from the table and followed her daughter to the bathroom.

Dropping down in front of the toilet, Stacie loses what little she had in her stomach.

Serena moved into the bathroom behind her daughter and pulled her hair back, rubbing Stacie's back gently.

The fifteen year old coughs softly as she leans back. Clearing her throat and wincing at the taste. "I need to brush my teeth." She mumbles.

"Okay." Serena said softly, helping her daughter to her feet.

Pulling away from her mother's arms, Stacie quickly leaves the bathroom and makes her way up the stairs. Moving into her bathroom to brush her teeth before gargling mouthwash.

Serena was waiting at the bottom of the steps for her. "Try this." she says softly, holding a plate with plain toast.

"Thanks mom." Stacie says softly, taking the plate and heading into the kitchen. She sits back down beside Beca and begins to slowly nibble on the toast.

Beca lifted her head and looked at Stacie. She forced a tired half-smile smile onto her face.

The taller girl doesn't smile back, her expression distant, as if she was lost in thought.

Beca looked back at the piece of toast in her hand and returned to nibbling at it.

After they were done eating, Stacie excused herself and went up the stairs to their room. She didn't want to go to school that day. All she wanted to do was curl up in bed and sleep, feeling drained. She crawled back under the comforter and closed her eyes, burying her head in a pillow.

Meanwhile, Henry looked over at Serena. "I'm going to call them both out of school for a few days."

Serena nodded. "Okay." She said. "I have to go into the office today."

"I do as well." Henry responds, they couldn't just call off not in the midst of important scientific research.

"I don't want to leave them home alone." Serena said, she glanced at Beca.

Henry sighs softly. "We are the leads on the research we can't just call off."

Serena ran her fingers through her blonde hair. "I know." She said, sighing deeply. "We could take them with us."

"Stacie might like that." Henry responds, nodding his head. Their daughter loved sciencey things and was practically a genius, scoring even higher than her brothers and parents on the IQ test.

"If we are taking them, then we best get a move on." Serena said. "We can't be showing up late, that sets a bad example."

"Beca, can you go get Stacie?" Henry asks, looking at the younger girl.