What happened?

Part 16: Lauren!

Dani

Tuesday morning, ready to join Lauren at work. Since my therapy sessions were reduced, we found a way to cover myself with positivity. I was allowed to join Lauren at work every Tuesday. We got up, had breakfast and waited for Katherine to come downstairs.

"Good morning girls, are you ready?" she smiled and grabbed the car keys.

"Yes! I'm so excited for today!" I said, and I really mean it. It's the perfect conclusion for all of us. I know I'm safe because I'm with Lauren, the girls know I'm not alone, I'm learning how to adjust to my normal life again and they finally started to pay me! Not that much, but partly. It's only Tuesdays for now, but we are talking about a second day a week already. Plus, I'm distracted.

Katherine dropped us off at the orphange and I rushed it. At the beginning, I was really insecure and panicked, that's why Lisa had to pick me up most of the time. From time to time, I started to feel safe and realized it's a place we are all the same in. We all lost someone important to us. We all are just in a place we actually don't belong in. We all support each other the same.

"Dani!!!" Ally screamed when she saw me. Ally was a 6 year old girl who lost her parents about two years ago then, due to a fire. She stayed with her grandma until she died about a year after. I really love her. I was able to connect to her on a way deeper basis. Children really ARE magical. Ally sadly just started school, which made it hard to see her regularly.

"Ally! How are you?" I asked and kneeled to hug her.

"I'm so happy to see you again! Where were you last week?" she looked at me with her little eyes full of curiosity. I was sick last week.

"Awww, I was sick last week. I missed you." I answered and she hugged me tight. Then she walked away, because someone else yelled from the kitchen. Ah, brekfast time. We were kinda late, that's why.

So excited to bring Ally to school. Nothing lifts me up more than watching these kids seeing me as the real me. Well, besides my sisters I mean. My sisters did everything to bring me through this. I knew about every single one of our problems and I knew that I'm the reason for that.

Later that day, Lauren sadly felt sick, so was sent home at noon. Such a low for me, because I had to go with her.                                                                                                                                                                I felt kinda sad and down because I wanted to stay so badly. To distract myself, I went on a walk and bought tea for Lauren. Little did I know it was worse than I thought...

When I got home, Lisa already sat next to Lauren, cooling down her forehead with a wet towel. Lisa gave me a really worried look when I spotted them in the living room. Right after, she saw me, she got up and walked up to me. She took me to the side.

"Dani, where have you been? Lauren really isn't doing well. She threw up and her fever is extremely high right now. She was alone when I came home. She told me she called you multiple times." she told me with an expecting look in her eyes. Oh my gosh, what happened? I forgot my phone at home and totally forgot about the time. How could I? I didn't think it was that bad... I just cared about myself...

"I.. I bought tea for Lauren..." I mumbled into myself. I felt guilty.

"That's really sweet Dani.... Hey, look at me. I know you just wanted to help. Don't feel guilty." she said pulled me into a hug.

"What are we gonna do now?" I stuttered.

"I don't know. If her fever won't go down in the next 30 minutes, I'm gonna call Katherine to pick us up to go to the hospital." she said, still hugging me. She only let go when Lauren called her. I looked at her and suddenly my heart started racing really badly. I panicked. Not now, not again! I stood there, not able to move until Lisa called me to bring her something. But I couldn't understand a word. I ran away. I ran to my room. The demons were back. I sat on the floor next to my bed covering my ears trying to blend out the voices that were screaming at me.

The next thing I actually heard was a car pulling up under my window. I slowly moved and spotted Katherine running into the house. Just like two minutes later, Lisa and Katherine kind of carried Lauren outside and into the car. She looked so bad. Pale, weak and sweaty. She could barely hold herself up, because she was shaking. It was painful to see her like that. It was like I saw this scenary in slow motion because it just hurt and everything started to blur out. The last thing I saw until I slipped down the wall were the taillights of our car.

Lisa

I had to call Katherine, because Lauren almost lost her consciousness in front of me. She told me that she has had fever the past days, so that was it. I panicked.

We drove to the next hospital where we were told something we never expected. She was diagnosed with Lyme disease, which means she was evilly bitten by a tick. They showed us a huge circular, outwardly expanding rash on the back of her neck. She probably didn't see it, because of her hair. They wanted to have her at the hospital for the night, so Katherine and I decided that she's gonna stay and I will take care of Dani. "Take care of Dani" - that sounds weird, but she was a mess earlier that day.

I went back home, trying to find Dani. Nothing. Where was she? I panicked - again. We shouldn't have left her alone. I checked every room, but she just wasn't there. I tried to call her, but soon I realized her phone was on the kitchen counter. I walked to the kitchen window and typed in Katherine's number to tell her that Dani's gone - that was when I suddenly spotted Dani on the other side of the window. She leaned on the tree... and prayed. I walked to the back door and waited until she finsihed her prayer.

"Hey." I said and smiled. She looked up to me and suddenly ran into my arms.

"Is she okay?" she sobbed and stared at me with her big emerald green eyes.

"Not yet, but the doctors know what they do. They keep her at the hospital tonight. She will be fine." I replied, not knowing if I lied or said the truth. There was no clearance about her diagnosis. It can take months to get her back on her feet. But I really didn't wanna tell Dani. Not yet.

Author's note: If you can, listen to that song while you read this. It got me.