Lauryn's pov:
The house was unusually quiet with Ella upstairs taking care of Dylan and me downstairs, trying to distract myself with the TV. The images on the screen blurred together as my mind kept wandering back to Maddie in the hospital. The sound of the doorbell ringing snapped me out of my thoughts.
I hesitated for a moment before getting up and walking to the door. When I opened it, I was surprised to see Leah standing there. She looked flustered and worried.
"Lauryn, is Maddie here?" she asked, her voice shaky.
I furrowed my brow, confused by her presence. "No, she's in the hospital," I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.
Leah's eyes widened in shock and what looked like guilt. "Hospital? Oh my God, I didn't know..."
Something about her reaction made me suspicious. "Why do you need to see her?" I asked, crossing my arms.
Leah hesitated, looking down at her feet before meeting my eyes again. "Something happened between us. I needed to talk to her."
I felt a surge of protectiveness and anger. "Is that why she had the panic attack?" I demanded, my voice rising.
Leah looked even more guilty and nodded. "Yes, I think so."
My anger flared. "So it's your fault!" I shouted, feeling a mix of rage and betrayal. "What did you do to her?"
Before Leah could respond, Ella appeared at the top of the stairs, clearly drawn by the commotion. "Lauryn, go back into the living room," she instructed firmly.
"But Ella..." I started to protest.
"Now, Lauryn," she said, her tone leaving no room for argument.
Reluctantly, I turned and walked back into the living room, but I stayed close to the doorway, straining to hear their conversation. Their voices were muffled, but I could catch bits and pieces of what they were saying.
"I didn't mean for things to get this bad," Leah's voice said, sounding choked with emotion.
Ella's voice was calmer but stern. "You need to understand the impact this has had on Maddie and our family. She's been through so much already."
"I know, and I'm so sorry," Leah replied. "I just wanted to talk to her, to explain..."
I pressed my ear closer to the door, trying to hear more. "Explain what?" Ella asked.
"There was a misunderstanding... I never wanted to hurt her. I care about Maddie deeply," Leah said, her voice breaking slightly.
Ella sighed. "If you really care about her, you need to give her the space and time she needs to recover. Right now, she needs to focus on her health."
There was a pause, and I imagined Leah nodding in agreement. "I understand. Please let her know I'm thinking about her."
"I will," Ella said. "But for now, it's best if you don't try to contact her."
I heard the door close softly, and Ella's footsteps as she walked back into the living room. I quickly moved away from the doorway and sat down on the couch, trying to act casual.
Ella sat down next to me, her face thoughtful. "Leah's gone. She's worried about Maddie, but she understands that Maddie needs space right now."
I looked at Ella, my anger still simmering. "I don't trust her. She caused this."
Ella put a hand on my shoulder. "I know you're angry, Lauryn. But right now, we need to focus on supporting Maddie and helping her get better. We'll deal with everything else later."
