15 year old D.J. Louise Lovato was a normal girl. Normal life. Normal family. One day, her dad, Patrick, got drunk and hit her. He left a bruise that D.J.'s teacher saw. With Patrick in jail, her mom couldn't handle her. D.J. is left in a foster car...
I'm wide awake now. Tears stream down my face. I'm worried for Demi, but the picture that is spreading along the internet. I don't know how anyone got that picture. It should have been destroyed. Destroyed along with all the others from that night.
Maddie looks over at me and holds my hand, rubbing it gently with her thumb. The tears keep falling as we pull into a parking spot at the hospital. Maddie grabs the food from McDonald's and I get Joy before we walk inside unnoticed. We see Dad in the lobby, waiting for us.
He smiles softly at us as we walk up to him. Dad pulls me into a hug and says "Mom is up with Demi. She sent me down to get y'all." We walk to the elevator and Dad leads us to Demi's new room in the maternity ward.
I look at my sisters and Dad confused. Dad opens the door and Demi is on the bed, a bundle wrapped in a light blue blanket. Maddie and Dallas push me over to Demi's side. Demi smiles at me and Joy before moving a little bit of the blanket, showing the little head of a sleeping baby.
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I gasp, putting a hand to my mouth, as Joy leans forward for Demi. I set her carefully on the bed next to Demi. "Would you like to hold him?" Demi breaks the silence. I nod and take the small baby in my arms.
"He's so tiny." I gush, instantly forgetting all my issues. "Aren't you just the sweetest little thing." I look at Demi and back to the baby. "Demi, you were pregnant?" She nods and looks down at Joy, who is cuddled into her side. "How? You weren't showing or anything."
"It was the strangest thing, a nurse said this happens sometimes. I was having a sharp pain in my abdomen and they did an ultrasound. I was pregnant and going into labor with this little guy. It was a surprise for you. Mom told Dallas and Maddie to not tell you." She sounded so calm, like this was natural.
I turn my focus back to my nephew. I smile as he wakes up, looking at me with his big dark brown eyes with great curiousness. "What's his name, Dems?" Maddie pipes up.
"Aiden Connor Lovato." She says proudly. I hand Aiden over to Dallas.
"Demi, he is absolutely adorable!" Dallas holds him for a little bit, before passing Aiden to Maddie for a few minutes, then back to Demi.
"So, I'm guessing here, but he's Wilmer's?" Maddie asks. Demi just nods and shows Joy little Aiden.
"I hold baby?" Joy questions. Demi smiles and says to her "No, honey. You're too young to hold him." With one arm holding Aiden, Demi wraps an arm around Joy. I smile at them. I love how Joy has opened up, from that shy little girl to this loud little toddler. I have so much love for this family and I love the love and support I can feel in the room as everyone observes Demi with her babies.
Demi looks at us. "Mom, Dad, Dal, Mad, can you guys take Joy and go buy some stuff for him? Just one or two outfits and the basics. Got it?" They nod and leave. "Deej, babe, what's wrong?" I look down, the floor becoming very interesting. "What is it? You can talk to me." She sounded very calm and I could hear that her words were laced with pure love and care.
I sigh "An old picture of me got leaked. It's the past that I want to forget, but now it's impossible to forget with that picture spreading alone the internet." Tears burn my eyes, but I don't release them. "It was supposed to be deleted with the other pictures." I blink, sending tears running down my cheeks. Aiden starts crying and Demi opens her arm for me to snuggle with her. My tears are falling freely, causing me to sob and gasp for air.
"Oh my poor babies." I could hear the smile on Demi's face. She kisses my forehead and bounces Aiden lightly, shushing him a little. I know she's going to be a good mom to both Joy and Aiden. I sit up and clear my throat, taking a deep breath.
"I'm ready to talk about the story of the picture." Demi nods and I continue. "A few month after you guys dropped Joy off at Sunny's, the orphanage was robbed of money and that meant that food was rationed off in small amounts. I gave my food to Joy. I wanted her to be healthy, even if it meant starving. I was in the shower one day and someone came in, taking a picture of me in the shower. I had cuts and bruises, also you could clearly see my hips, ribs, spine, and collarbones. I didn't know about it for the longest time, you have to believe me with that. They took pictures of all the girls like that." Tears are still flowing down my cheeks, at a steady pace. Demi had tears in her eyes too. She held my hand throughout the entire story, giving a squeeze of support every once in a while. She gives me a small smile, as if to say "Everything will be okay."
We both look at Aiden and he is asleep. Demi places him in a little bassinet and hugs me tightly. I try not to hurt her as we cuddle in her bed. "Thanks for taking care of Joy. I'm happy you took care of her and didn't let her starve."
I smile up at her. "I just felt a pull to protect her." Demi smiles back and we just lay there, comfortable in the silence.
That didn't last long.
A/N
Happy Lovatics Day everyone!!
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