Life in Hiding

32 ~ House

**Part Two of double update**

The sound of a horn interrupts our family time and we run downstairs. What the fuck is going on?

We run outside to find Conner driving Avery's car and I feel like it's Thanksgiving all over again. Did he not learn his lesson?

"Conner, what the hell are you doing?" Scarlett demands.

He leaves the driver's side door of Avery's car wide open and moves for the passenger seat. "Be mad later, I need help. She won't wake up."

Everything happens in a blur. All I can think about is how there's so much blood. Too much blood and Avery looks too much like my mom.

She's too pale. Too still. Too bloody.

"She needs to get inside." Someone says and it snaps me back to reality.

Clay picks her up and I run to get the door. Chloe is on the stairs, "What's wrong?

"Avery. Blood. So much blood." I try to explain.

"What's happening?" Saffron asks, trying to go outside but Chloe holds onto her.

"Let's go upstairs." Chloe says, leading them away from the mess.

Seconds later, Clay storms in with Avery and I follow as he sets her on the countertop. I scramble to find anything to stop the bleeding.

"Paper towels and an ice pack." Clay orders. "Now."

Thankful for clear directions, I get what he needs.

"What can I do?" Ashton runs in alone.

"Go find as many pairs of tweezers as you can." He says and we're gone in a flash.

I tear through my bathroom, knowing I have a pair somewhere. I dump container after container. "Where the fuck are they?"

Hitting my head on a cabinet, I check behind my toilet and under the sink. Something shiny catches my eyes and I grab the blue tweezers from their forgotten corner of a drawer I never open.

I almost run into Ashton in the kitchen. Gently, we pick the glass out of Avery's skin while Scarlett tries to find out what happened.

Conner rambles on about how Karen did nothing but drink today. A new form of rage settles inside of me as he describes how a decanter was thrown at Avery. It didn't hit her, but worthless Karen shoved her own daughter down into the glass.

God, I fucking hate that bitch.

Scarlett declares they're going to the hospital and suddenly I feel like it's that night all over again. She looks too much like mom.

Any other day and I would be able to help more. Any other day and the sight of Avery basically lifeless and bloody wouldn't be an issue but today it makes me want to hurl. Today I makes me feel like it's just another situation I can't control.

Once they're gone, I head up to my room to find Chloe cleaning up the bathroom.

"I can fix that." I join her. "It's my mess."

"Don't worry." She flashes a smile. "Is she okay?"

Letting out a breath, I shrug. "I don't know."

"Your aunt seems like a sensitive topic." She notes and I snort.

"My aunt could die tomorrow, and the world would be a better place."

"Let it out." She says.

"Karen hated my mom. They were identical twins. She's done everything to distance herself from my mom. She basically got a brand-new face. She dresses, acts, and seems like everything my mom wasn't."