Step Mother || Omelia

Copenhagen

8:32 AM

Betty sat on her bed, finally getting a chance to charge her phone when a flood of text and voicemails came through from Silas.

If you tell anyone I will kill you.

I mean it.

Not even August.

And I swear to God I'll find that little boy of yours it you say anything.

One word and the same thing My happen to your precious Mia.

Got it?

Betty locked her phone and threw it on the bed. She was trapped. She couldn't hide the bruise on her neck forever and it was way to big to pass off as a hickey. All she could think to do was hide in her room and avoid Amelia and Owen until the swelling and colors went away. Betty dropped back onto her back and stared at the ceiling trying to forget the beating and the rape and the alcohol and anything else that fueled last nights events. She waited for him and he never came. In some twisted way, Betty was convinced that August was in on it. He had to have been. There was no way that he would be gone just long enough for his brother to hurt Betty. There was a line her ass. He wasn't there. He couldn't save her. And she had to accept the fact that there was no one who can save her. Ever. Tears streamed down the sides of Betty's face and even dripped into her ears, which she would've normally hated, but right now caused her no irritation, seeing how numb she was to her surroundings.

——

Amelia wiped away her water works and placed her phone on speaker, so that she was able to listen for Leo and hear Charlotte. "So, she just disappeared last night?" The chief of medicine asked. Amelia ran her hand through her hair and nodded.

"Yep. She said she was going one place and didn't end up there nor home. And she won't say where she went. I'm worried about her," the neurosurgeon replied. Charlotte sighed causing Amelia to hang her head in defeat. "Great. So you think she's using again," she assumed.

"Now, I didn't say that," Charlotte defended.

"You didn't have to. Okay. I know! I know I'm not the best example of how not to be an addict! I killed my fiancé for fuck sakes! I know! But, she's a kid! Why is this so hard? I'm so constantly worried about her relapse, that I'm craving drugs just to keep up!" Amelia snapped. "I'm going crazy, trying to keep Betty safe from the real world. So much so, that I've contemplated the risk of my sobriety and unborn child's safety for it. It's a terrible thing to admit, but before anything else, I'm an addict," Amelia cried. Charlotte knew the temptations first hand, but knew that the tough love she'd used before would only hurt Amelia.

"First of all, before anything else you are a recovering addict. That means you fought the battles and won the war. Now it's time to make your journey back home. And it sounds like you're in Copenhagen and she's in Berlin," Charlotte said. Amelia sat silently, confused as to what Charlotte was going on about.

"What?"

"Listen Shepherd. You're war is over. Now, you're on your way back to your loved ones at home. But along the way you've stopped in Copenhagen to check out the locals and scenery, which has caused you to finally feeling the effects of your PTSD. But you have to remember that you don't live in Copenhagen, and you have over stayed your welcome," her thick southern accent explained. "It's time to get back onto your journey home. That means regular meetings. A check in every now and then with your sponsor, who I can personally say, misses your calls," Charlotte paused, hear Amelia lightly chuckle. "Betty however is in Berlin. The walls of her hell have just been broken down and her Cold War is over. She hasn't started her journey home just yet. And while she knows she needs to get back, Berlin was her home for so long that she's forgotten where she came from. And as the general in command of her journey, it's your responsibility to guide her home without getting both of you lost. Because let's face it, if you fall off the wagon, she's going to jump off in a heart beat. And that's not what anyone wants. So, stay on your horse. Be strong in yourself. And lead the path home. Everyone is waiting for ya'll," she encouraged. Amelia finally was able to control her tears and fully understand what Charlotte was saying. However she was still at a loss.

"How did you do it? How did you get out of Copenhagen? How did you journey forward knowing that what you were leaving behind in Copenhagen was alright," Amelia asked. Charlotte chuckled on the other side of the line.

"Because, I wasn't going to settle for alright. I knew that what was waiting for me at home was extraordinary. And who wants alright when extraordinary is possible?" Charlotte questioned the question. "Well, Shepherd, I have triplet business to attend to. But you give me a call next time your stuck. And don't be afraid to stop by. You know where I am," Charlotte said, before hanging up. Amelia nodded even though Charlotte wasn't present and dropped her phone in her back pocket. Slowly she went back into the house and locked the door behind her. By the bookshelf, Leo smiled at his mother with ten books scattered about his play pen that he had managed to pull off the shelf that was in close proximity.

"Daddy is going to get you," Amelia cooed as she took the small child out of the play pen and to the kitchen for breakfast.

10:18 AM

A plate of bacon, eggs, and grits sat in microwave for Betty, waiting to be consumed. Amelia had made she and Leo pancakes, eggs, and bacon but knew Betty would want grits instead of pancakes. And even though Betty was asleep when Amelia checked, she made it for her anyways. On the other side of the kitchen sat Amelia. Checking emails and responding to the principal of Betty's school when in walked Betty herself. "Morning sunshine," Amelia greeted without even having to look up. Betty groaned and pulled open the fridge in a half assed attempt to find food. "Microwave," Amelia informed. Again, silently, Betty redirect her focus and heated up the left overs. "Is this what we're doing now? Ignoring each other?" Amelia pestered. Betty rolled her eyes and turned towards the adult.

"I guess only one of us is since the other doesn't know what that word means," quick witted the quite irritated teen. Amelia shut her computer screen and picked Leo up.

"Okay that's it! I call a truce! We are taking Leo to Owen and you and I are going out," Amelia demanded. Betty smacked her lips and took her food out of the screaming microwave.

"Can I at least eat first?" Betty rhetorically asked. Amelia shook her head and pushed the plate into the trash.

"Nope. Pack now, eat later. It's going to take at least 17 hours to get to LA and if we leave by 11 we can beat half of the morning rush," Amelia informed. Betty's eyes went wide at the thought of a road trip.

"LA? Like California? Do you remember what happened last time you took a road trip? And what about school?" Betty asked, as she motioned to the splint on Amelia's still fractured wrist.

"Yes, but I wasn't driving then. And as far as your school is concerned you have an illness that just won't quit. They don't expect you back until  Monday," Amelia faux reassured. Betty shook her head and stormed off to her room. "Start packing for the next five days! And remember, where we're going is Satans ass compared to here," Amelia said, taking Leo to her room to get packed.

10:48 AM

"You're doing what?" Owen asked. He watched Amelia hand Leo off to the daycare worker and drop his diaper bag over the half door.

"You heard me. We are going on a recovery trip. I need to get focused again and she needs to open up about where she was last night. So what better way to cut off distractions than to take her to a place she has literally never been before to create total isolation," Amelia stated. Owen furrowed his eyebrows and cocked his head to the side.

"Umm, well that puts a damper on the party Arizona invited us to," Owen said. Amelia bit her lip, realizing what she had forgotten. With a shrug she waved off the thought of Arizona's party and how that did not trump her recovery trip.

"Just go without me. Babe, this is important. Can you please tell me, before I get on this road, that I have your total support?" Amelia practically begged. With an enormous sigh, Owen nodded and pulled Amelia into a tight hug.

"You know you do. But promise to call me every night and when you get there and every morning. I want to know you guys are safe at all times," Owen asked. Amelia gently, but firmly kissed Owens lips and bit her lip and she pulled away.

"Of course. Now I've gotta go. Betty is waiting in the car and she's hungry," Amelia excused. Owen kisses his wife once more before letting her jog to the nearest elevator.

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To Be Continued...