Family Means Everything (Book 3)

Chapter 17

Amy's POV

I'm the first one to finish getting ready so I sit on the couch on my phone. Soon Kath and Dani sit down next to me followed by Lauren.

"Lisa c'mon!" Dani yells.

"I'm coming!" Lisa yells back.

"Probably in like a year," Dani mutters and Lauren, Kath and I giggle a little. Lisa always takes forever.

She finally makes it downstairs and we head to the car. Kath gets in the driver's seat and I sit shotgun. Lisa, Lauren and Dani sit at the back.

At the hospital we go up to the room Christina told Lisa and Kath. We all hesitate at the doorway until Kath knocks.

"Come in!" I hear Christina say and Katherine swings the door open. She walks in followed by Lisa and Dani. Lauren looks a little scared and I take her hand. We walk in together and she gives me an appreciative look.

Bella lights up when she sees us. She seems so unlike herself in a hospital bed though. Normally she's strong and independent and full of energy. Now she just looks tired and fragile, an IV hanging from her arm.

"Hey guys," Bella says. Christina is sitting next to her.

"Hi," each of us says quietly.

"How about Kath, Lisa and I leave for a little bit and Amy, Laur, and Dani can talk to Bella. Then we'll switch," Christina suggests. We all nod and then my three older sisters leave the room. Lauren clings to my hand and Dani gets really close too. I know they're nervous and scared, I am too.

Bella's POV

After Chrissy, Kath, and Lisa leave I watch as Lauren grips Amy's hand tighter and Dani moves close to Amy too. They're scared, I can tell.

"I'm not gonna eat you guys," I say and laugh a little. They laugh nervously but it loosens them up a little. I pat my bed and Dani sits on my right, Amy and Lauren on my left.

"I know you have a lot of questions. I want to be open about everything. So just ask," I tell them.

"So um are you okay?" Amy starts off by asking.

"Pretty much. It hurts when I move too much cause you know... I cut my hips and the IV is to keep me hydrated since I did lose a lot of blood. But yeah I'm getting better," I tell them.

"Why?" Lauren asks in such a low voice I can't really hear her.

"What?" I ask.

"Why did you do it?" she asks again, barely speaking any louder than the first time. I take a deep breath.

"I was doing so much and wasn't able to deal with it all. I needed to talk but was to stubborn to ask. I kept falling down until I hit the bottom..." I say quietly, "It's not any of your faults I promise that."

I watch a tear slide down Lauren's cheek and I wipe it off. She looks a little better now that she knows why I did this though. Amy does too. I turn to look at Dani however she looks like something's bothering her.

"Dan, what're you thinking?" I ask.

"I feel like you abandoned me," she says and chokes up. I do my very best not to cry although a few tear do slip out.

"Oh Dani I was never ever trying to do that. I got too caught up in my own thoughts. I realized one thing last night which is that trying to kill myself was a big mistake. My family means more to me than anything else on Earth and I couldn't ever leave you. I love you so much," I say honestly. Dani is crying pretty hard now.

"Come here," I tell her and she launches into my arms. I hug her tight and look up to see Lauren and Amy crying too.

"You two as well," I say and open my arms wider. Lauren starts crying on my other shoulder and Amy just hugs us all tight.

I keep myself from crying too much. Eventually their cries subside and they sit up.

"I love you," Dani says and Lauren and Amy say the same. I give them a small smile and hug each of them individually. They get up and leave the room.

Christina's POV

As Amy, Lauren and Dani stayed in the room with Bella, I took Kath and Lisa out to a bench to talk.

"How are you two holding up?" I ask.

"Not the greatest," Lisa admits. I nod in understanding.

"How is Bella doing?" Kath asks.

"Better. It hurts for her to move too much because of how deep the cuts were but she isn't in too much pain. She had blood transfusions last night since she lost so much blood but now only has an IV," I tell them.

"Did she tell you why she did this?" Lisa asks, in her eyes I can see her deep sadness.

"Yes but I think she wants to tell you herself," I say. We sit for a moment and I notice Kath become a little shifty. I look at her and she sighs.

"I feel like we could've done something to prevent this. We should've seen it coming," she whispers. Lisa nods. This is basically the same thing I've been thinking about.

"I know but we couldn't have known. She kept pushing away and it's not like we could force her to talk. Don't blame yourself, please. That won't help anyone," I tell my slightly younger sisters.

They sigh and we sit there in silence waiting for our sisters to emerge from Bella's room. No matter how many times I tell myself I shouldn't feel guilty, I still do.