You Never Really Can Fix A Heart (Sequel to LML&L)

Chapter 23

Demi's POV

After laying a peacefully sleeping Cela down for the night, Joe and I walk to Gabi's room. She wants to talk to us. I have insane butterflies in my stomach and I'm really hoping that everything is okay.

Inside her room, Joe sits down at the end of Gabi's bed to face our daughter. She looks nervous as well, which doesn't add any ease to my feelings. I practically force my legs to walk over to her bed, then sit down beside Joe.

"What did you want to say, Gabi?" Joe questions.

I watch her swallow. "I'm not..." She pauses to wipe the back of her hand across her watery eyes. "I'm not better... anymore."

At first, I'm not completely sure what she's talking about. Well, until Joe reaches across her bed to hug her. Then I remember a conversation that we had a few months earlier. The conversation where he had revealed something about Gabi and a specific problem that she used to have. I barely can recall details from that night; I felt too guilty.

Once Joe lets her go, I pull her into my own arms. I notice that she is wearing a t-shirt revealing some red cuts along her arm. She had been hiding them when we walked in, but probably had decided to do this so that she would tell us the truth.

"I'm very proud of you, baby," Joe says.

"Gabi," I begin, "do you want to go to treatment?"

"I don't know!" Gabi cries, and I grab her tight, wishing that I could have protected her before it was too late.

---

Back in Joe and I's bedroom, I relax on my side of the bed. Cela is still sleeping silently in her bassinet.

"She's not going to treatment."

I look up, as if to confirm that I'd even heard him.

"What if she wants to, Joe?" I ask, challenging him.

"I just feel as if she would do better if we were helping her," he says. "I don't want to lay her life in some stranger's hands." His voice starts to raise in volume.

I stand up. "Joe, I know you still see her as a little girl, but you have to see what she needs!"

"You don't think I know the needs of my own daughter?" he argues back. "I freaking raised her! It's not like she's some drug addict!"

"Okay, that's not fair... I went through this, do you realize? Cutting is an addiction! Just like dru-"

"She's not an addict!" he yells, his breath shaking.

"I know that she's your little girl," I reason, "but she's 18. Why don't we just let her choose?"

"Fine," Joe says. He leaves the room.

I lay down and try to sleep without Joe. Why had I thought that the baby would fix us? I don't even know where he's going. He could be walking out on us, forever.

Gabi's POV

I may not voice it, but I can hear when my parents argue, and I hate it. Tonight, they fought about me... about what I told them. It ended with Dad leaving the house. That's how I know it was bad.

I can't sleep. Not only did I confess my secret to my parents, but Dad is gone. No way can I sleep. Once I hear Celesta cry, I know that the night has already gone to waste. Since Dad hasn't come back yet, I walk to their room to help Mom with her.

"What are you doing still awake?" she asks when she sees me. She's feeding Celesta, who is red in the face from crying.

"I couldn't sleep," I reply. I pick a clean pink sleeper from her drawer and take a new diaper from the box, setting the items on the bed.

"Thanks, Gabi," she says.

Once Celesta is fed, burped, and changed, I rock her until she's fast asleep. Then I lay her down in her bassinet beside Mom's side of the bed.

"Do you want me to sleep with you?" I ask her.

"Sure," she responds. 

I smile at her, then lay down on Dad's side of the bed.

"Goodnight, Mom," I say.

"Goodnight, Gabi. I love you."