Emily's Escape

Chapter 16

(The song is River Flows In You by Yiruma. I listened to it to it when I wrote the dream part)

"Hey," I greeted Susanne when she led me into the house. She was smiling, it looked weird, she never really smiled.

"Hey Emily, can we talk to you?" she asked and pointed to Carol in the kitchen. Shit, were they onto me? Did they know I ditched school? My stomach made a flip when I sat down in front of Carol.

"Sure, about what?" I asked and looked at Carol. She was smiling as well.

"We have some good news," Susanne said. I looked confused between the both of them.

"Well, sad and happy news, but wait for a second, we will just go and get the other kids," Carol said and got up from her seat. I was so confused. This has never happened before.

A minute later Carol came down with the other children behind her. Maddie came last, she was smiling. Why was she smiling?

"Everyone take a seat. Maddie, will you explain this gathering?" Carol asked and waved at Maddie.

"Yes, well the news is," she said and paused for a dramatic effect. Why did she seem so cheery?

"I'm getting adopted!" she exclaimed and slapped her hands together. What? I couldn't help but be confused by who would want to adopt Maddie. She was mean and all bitchy towards everyone.

"I know, I haven't always been so nice to you guys," she spoke and her eyes settled on me. "But I wanted to say, that it's been nice to live here and that I hope you all have a nice life from here on," she was smiling so much. I felt happy for her. Even though I hated her, I was happy that she would get a family, maybe it would even benefit her, make her nicer. It seemed like right now.

"Thank you, Maddie, that's very nice! Does anyone have any questions?" Susanne asked out in the room. I didn't say anything.

I heard a knock on my door.

"Can I come in?" it was Maddie. After the meeting, everyone went on with what they were doing.

"Uhm okay," I was confused by her being at my door. She smiled and walked into my room. She sat down on my bed.

"So, I'll be leaving tonight, and I just wanted to talk to you first. I know I have always been a bitch to you, and I'm sorry about it," my eyes went wide. Was she sorry?

"The thing is, I have always been jealous of you," jealous, of me? I was baffled.

"Your parents loved you, you had friends, you were popular, you are so pretty and I... I never really had any of that," she said while looking at the floor.

"Then, I saw you beginning to struggle... you know, with food. And I guess I felt like you deserved to feel pain, like the rest of us here," she said sounding embarrassed. I couldn't say anything, I was completely stunned.

"I'm so sorry, Emily. For everything. All the comments on your food and eating habits, for not helping you when I saw it going so downhill it did, for never talking to you and for lastly, for making it worse, I'm so sorry," she said with a hoarse voice. Was she crying? I was astonished.

"It's not your fault, it's okay," the words flew out of me surprising myself. Was I okay with it? She was right, she did make it worse.

"No, it's not okay. I hope you can forgive me, if not now, then later in your life," she said and got up. Before leaving my room she turned her head and gave me a smile.

"Remember this, the worst days in recovery is better than the best days in relapse," she said before waving and leaving my room.

How did she know that? How could she relate?