Walking Fragile Lines

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Liv gave a heavy sigh as Brian shut the door behind him. She had told him what Carmen had said because he had asked, not because she wanted to hurt him. If she had known he would react this way, she would have refused to say a word. He may have hurt her, but Liv still cared about him and she believed he had suffered enough for what he had done. But right now, there were other concerns that needed her attention. After having put his stuff away, Zac had already returned downstairs and had gotten comfy in front of the television, whereas Maci had remained in her room.

Her hand firmly pressed against her lower back for support, Liv waddled up the stairs and headed straight for Maci's room, giving the door a small knock before allowing herself entry.
"Hey bunny", she said sweetly, shutting the door behind her before she waddled over to the bed and sat beside her daughter. "How are you feeling?", she asked her as she ran her fingers through Maci's hair. Maci shrugged her shoulders as she sighed sadly. "Do you feel nauseous or anything?", Liv asked. Maci simply shook her head.
"I just have pain in my tummy", she sniffed. Liv furrowed her brow in concern as she wrapped her arm around Maci's shoulders snugly.
"Have you eaten anything strange or different?", she asked further. Maci shook her head once again. "Okay sweetie, I'm gonna give you some more medicine and if you feel the same tomorrow we'll go and see the doctor, okay?", she said. Maci nodded as Liv kissed the top of her head. "You wanna sleep in with me tonight?", she asked with a smile. Maci returned the smile as she nodded her head, causing Liv to chuckle before getting up and heading out to get the medicine to give to her daughter.

Later that night, Maci had fallen asleep before Liv and so, she sat up in bed reading a book before settling down herself and getting comfortable, feeling her eyelids become heavier and heavier until she drifted off.

"Mom! Mom!". Liv shot up in bed at the sound of her daughter's frightened calls. She eyed the clock on the wall to discover she had only been asleep for an hour and Maci was nowhere to be seen until Liv spotted the en-suite light was switched on. She got out of bed as quickly as she could, rushing towards the bathroom as she began to panic.
"Maci sweetie, what is it?", she asked upon reaching her destination.
"There's blood in my underwear!", Maci panicked as she sat on the floor by the side of the bathtub, her underwear discarded on the other side of the room. Of course, Liv thought to herself. Now it all made sense. Liv smiled warmly as she shook her head before putting down the toilet seat so that she could perch upon it.
"Bunny, it's okay - there's nothing to be worried about", Liv spoke softly. "Do you remember when we talked about periods?", she asked. Maci nodded as she looked up at her mother expectantly. "Sweetie, this is it", she told her simply.
"It is?", Maci sniffed. Liv nodded as she smiled brightly. "Is it supposed to hurt?", she asked further. Liv sighed as she began running her fingers through Maci's hair.
"Yeah, unfortunately it is baby. For some girls it hurts more, and for some it hurts less - but it's all super normal", Liv explained. "But the good news is, now I know what's wrong? I know how to help", she smiled before getting up and reaching into the small storage box just by the toilet, talking out a wrapper. "Okay, so first you need to get some clean underwear and then you need to use a sanitary pad - do you remember how I showed you?", she asked, handing Maci the wrapper. Maci nodded as she took it hesitantly. "Okay, and whilst you're doing that, I'm gonna head downstairs and get you a pain pill and a heating pad", she continued.
"What's the heating pad for?", Maci asked.
"To put on your tummy. It helps ease the pain", Liv smiled. Maci nodded as she took everything in. "It's okay sweetie, this is all a part of growing up", Liv gave a watery smile before kissing her daughter on the top of her head and leaving to get her her meds and heating pad.

The pair of them fell asleep quite soundly later that evening. But because Maci fell asleep later than usual, Liv called her school first thing to let them know she was sick and wouldn't be going in today, leaving her daughter to sleep soundly in her bed.