Heart of Stone

The Truth

"Enough!" Bernard roared, but even his guttural cry couldn't stop the screaming.

Eloise led Violet from the kitchen, away from the wailing of her mother, away from her father dialing 911. She took her outside and closed the door behind her, sitting violet down on the steps. Her cousin seemed a bit stunned, unsure what had just happened. Eloise wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"It's going to be okay." She told her.

They sat in silence as Serena continued wailing inside and it wasn't long before the sirens of the ambulance reached their ears. Soon the flashing lights came into view, and they were pulling into the driveway. Paramedics came and two of them rushed by the pair into the house, the third pausing at the sight of Violet's bloody hand, which had now created a small pool on the stone steps.

The man gently cleaned it up, making small talk that Violet barely responded to. He put a bandage on it after assessing how deep it was.

"This will do for now but, with how deep it is and the way it's bleeding, it's going to need some stitches." He advised.

"You want her to go to the hospital?" Eloise asked.

"Yes, I strongly suggest it." He said.

"I can take her." She responded.

Violet nodded, standing without any hesitation.

"Can we go before they bring my mom out?" She asked.

"Yes, we will go right now." Eloise said, standing as well.

Violet thanked the paramedic who made his way inside to see how his two colleagues were faring with Serena. She followed Eloise to the car, and they climbed in together. Eloise started the car again and pulled out of the driveway just as the front door of the house opened. She looked away from the rearview mirror, not wanting to see. She'd watched them sedate her mother plenty of times and take her away. She'd had enough of that in her life.

Eloise had her own reservations about this hospital, but she pushed those thoughts to the back of her head. This wasn't about her. Violet needed her, and if that's where Violet needed to go, she was going to take her there.

Violent remained silent on the drive there, but Eloise tried her best to cheer her up a little. She talked about times they spent together in their childhood, and by the time she pulled up at the hospital, Violet was a little less frozen. She pulled up to the front of the ER and stopped, getting out and getting a ticket from the valet. She walked into the ER with Violet and brought her up to the front desk. She helped her fill out all the necessary paperwork and then they sat down to wait.

"LouLou?" A familiar voice spoke.

LouLou looked up and came face to face with Vivian Pearson.

"Hi." Eloise gave a polite smile, hoping the dread didn't appear on her face. "Are you visiting Gabriel?"

"I am." Vivian said, her eyes going to Violet and her bandaged hand that already had blood seeping through it. "What are you doing here?"

LouLou glanced at Violet, unsure how to answer.

"A lot happened tonight. My cousin Violet tripped and cut her hand on some pottery shards. There was a paramedic there who bandaged it for her, but he insisted she would need stitches." She explained.

Vivian seemed to understand, noting the worried expression on LouLou's face and the haggard one on Violet's.

"Why don't you follow me?" She said, gesturing towards a set of double doors. "I was just on my way to see Gabriel. He can treat your cousin."