Trusting Fate

Overwhelmed

Ember's POV

"You sure you're ready, Ember?" Mom asks for the twelfth time this morning, poking her head into the bathroom.

"Yes, mom. I need to get back into my normal routine, it will help." I chuckle, very carefully applying mascara to my tender eye.

"Call me if you change your mind, okay?"

"I'll be fine, mom. And tomorrow Paislee will go back to daycare and we will work on normal life again." I sigh.

Mom and I decided after another rough night that it would be easier for Paislee to stay home with her today than go to daycare exhausted.

"Be careful, okay, Em, make sure you're paying attention to your emotional levels. Don't get overwhelmed and overdone."

"I'll be fine, mom. Thanks for the concern though." I smile, passing her to find my phone and bag. Two texts on my phone when I pick it up.

Patti
meet you out front
in 5.

She sent it four minutes ago, so I kiss mom's cheek quickly and head for the door. Reading the second as I go.

Ash
good luck going
back to work
today, baby. Call
me on your lunch
break. I want to
know how the day
goes. I can't wait
to see you Saturday.

thanks babe. I might
have ran to your
house yesterday and
stole your Youngblood
jacket just for a little
extra comfort today.
But I'm determined to
make it through the
day and make it a
good day. I'll call you
later.

"Ready to go back?" Patti smiles at me as she comes out the door from the main house.

"I think so." I chuckle honestly.

"You can do this, Em, I know it. Plus it's a B day, it's easy. Just Humanities, US Government, prep period, and Basketball. Nothing to it." She rubs my arm softly as she unlocks the car.

"If it was an A day I'd probably not have come back until tomorrow. I would much rather start back on a B day." I chuckle softly.

"How have you been holding up the last few days at home?"

"I've been okay. I'm pretty fine during the day, it's more when I lay down to go to sleep that I get freaked out or anxious. When I'm trying not to think of anything so I can sleep, that's when all the events come back into my head. I'm hoping work will distract me and help tire me out so I can sleep better."

"And what about Paislee?"

"She does alright. She seems happy mostly. But she has woken up with a nightmare every night, and I think it's the same nightmare I have. The attack."

"And her arm?"

"She doesn't seem to be in any pain anymore which is good. She gets frustrated with not having two hands to pick things up with, but she's coping so well. I'm so proud of her. But I have to take her to her doctor's appointment during prep on Friday so she'll be at basketball class after. I'm hoping no one mentions her arm online after that. I don't think any of us are ready for that conversation yet."

"We'll just have to make sure it doesn't happen then. The team won't say anything if you ask them not to."

"It's not them I'm worried about." I sigh, "It's the paparazzi and other students. If the paps find out we are at the hospital again, they'll stake it out. And students are allowed in the gym after school."