Adopted by Katie Mcgrath

Chapter 28

It had been a week or so since the incident and I had been home for about two days. I had to stay at the hospital for observations, but I was now home. Dad was unable to come back, but I talked to him at least twice a day. Mum hasn't gone back to work since. We've just watched movies on the sofa for two days straight. Cara came over every day after school to drop off the work I've missed, which would take up a lot of my time as it takes me at least twice as long as other. I still haven't told mum that I struggle with reading, I just don't want to put more pressure on her. Mum has also booked me in to see this therapist/councillor person, which I'm dreading.

Tonight, though, Katie invited Melissa over for a girls night. "So, what do you want to do tonight?" Mum asked as she sat down on the sofa next to me. It was already dark out, and Mel would be here in an hour or so.

"Could we get takeout and watch a movie?" I asked.

"Sure, so like the last two nights?" she replied chuckling.

"Hey, you won't let me cook, and you wanted to have takeout for the last two nights!" I answered laughing.

"I'll text Mel to pick up something," she replied typing on her phone as I scrolled through Netflix to find a movie.

~An hour later~

Katie and I were sitting on the sofa when we heard a knock at the door. Katie got up and opened the door to our apartment. "I come bearing food," I heard Melissa chime from the door. She came over to me, after hanging up her coat, "Hey, spunky, how you feeling?" she asked, using the nickname she and Chyler came up with.

"Alright," I replied, "I'm bored, being stuck with mum alone for two days gets very monotonous very quickly," I whispered, gaining a laugh from her, just as mum walks back in with the food.

"What are you two laughing at?" She asked, suspiciously.

"Nothing," we both chimed, as Mel snuggled next to me under the blanket, placing her arm around me.

"Uh-huh," Katie nodded, knowing to leave it at that.

"So what are we watching?" Mel asked, picking up one of the fries.

"Lion King or Finding Nemo," I replied.

"Lion King!" Mel cried, causing us all to burst out into a fit of giggles.

~~~

As we got to the credits of the movie I wanted to ask mum a question, "Mum?" I said, trying to get her attention, I gained a hum from her as she began to clear up the food waste, "Am I allowed to go to school on Monday?" I questioned, tonight being Saturday night.

"Are you sure?" She replied, unsure on whether I was stable enough to go.

"Yeah, I've missed almost two weeks of school, and I'm kind of missing my friends," I admitted.

"I'll have to think about it," Mum replied, "Now go and get ready for bed, while Mel and I clear all of this up," she said gesturing to the mess on the floor. I got up out off the sofa and headed to my room. I got halfway down the corridor when I heard Mum begin to speak again. "I just don't think she's ready," I heard her admit.

"You don't think she's ready? Or, you don't think you're ready?" I heard Mel ask in reply.

"Both," I heard her admit, although it was a bit quieter.

"She has her friends there to look after her, okay? she'll be fine. You just need to trust her a bit," Mel explained. I decided to continue to my room, knowing I probably shouldn't have eavesdropped. I put on my PJs and brushed my teeth, then went back through to the lounge, to see Mum and Mel on the couch, I plopped myself in between them both.

"How's work?" I asked Melissa. She sighed before answering.

"Alright, still long hours-"

"Still sleeping on set?" I interrupted, with a playful smirk plastered on my face, earning a playful smack from Mel on my shoulder.

"Everyone misses your Mum, and are all sending their love to you," she explained.

"Yeah, but are they missing their favourite actress?" I asked.

"Yes, they all miss your mum very much," she says, before starting to tickle me, making me squirm, Mum soon joined in. We were all laughing our heads off until I ended up falling off the sofa and landing on my wrists.

"Ow," I groaned in pain, letting out a few whimpers trying to take a few deep breaths to stop myself from crying. Mel and Mum quickly came on to the floor to check on me.

"Are you alright, sweetie?" Mum asked, concerned.

"Yeah," I replied after taking a few more deep breaths, "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a bit sore. I think I'm going to head to bed," I said getting up off the floor slowly.

"Okay," Mum sighed, helping me up.

"Come through if you need anything," Mel called after.

~The next morning~

I headed through to the kitchen to be met by the smell of freshly baked pancakes. I walked through expecting Mum to be up, but I was met with Mel. I sat down at the counter, on one of the barstools. "Morning," I greeted, cheerfully. Mel spun around alarmed by my presence.

"Jesus! How do you do that, Clem?" She asked, with her hand on her chest.

"Special gift?" I guessed, "What are you doing here? I thought you have to go to work?" I asked, pouring some orange juice into a glass.

"I don't have shooting today," she explained.

"Where's Mum?" I questioned.

"She needed a lie-in, so I got up to make you guys breakfast," she said placing a pancake in front of me.

"That's very chivalrous of you," I mocked, she replied by sticking her tongue out.

"Well, your dad's not home for another month or so. So, I thought I'd do something nice for her, to give her a break," she explained, turning back to make another pancake.

After a while, Mum came through, "Morning," she greeted sleepily before walking over to me and placing a kiss on my forehead, "How you feeling?" she asked me.

"A bit sore, but I'll be fine," I said, know that she was talking about my wrists.

"I've thought about it, and you can go to school tomorrow as long as you go to bed early tonight and Cara comes and walks with you," she explained. I quickly got out my phone and started texting Cara.

"Thank you! Thank you!" I said going o hug her, but realising that I would have to hug her more gently than I wanted due to my bandaged wrists.

"It's alright," she chuckled, "But you do need to finish your work though," she said more sternly. I understood what she was getting at. I had pushed back my work a lot, which meant I now have a huge pile of work to get through in time for tomorrow. I quickly finished my breakfast and headed to my room. I'm so happy to finally go back to some type of 'normal'.