A Brand New Day

Chapter 24

River's POV
It's gone. Everything I have is gone. Mom is sitting in the chair just staring at me while I cry. Which is just pissing me off as the tears slide down my face. Dad come into the room after talking to the nurse.
"Here is the stuff they found outside of the tree house on the ground. Riv, what happened?"
I think about telling him the truth, about the letter from Sam. I know he has something to do with this. I know it in my soul. But if I tell them about the letter then they will want to see it. I think of my little hiding spot and all my goodies and I just can give that up right now.
"I don't know." I whisper its not exactly a lie.
Mom looks at me and I want to scream. Then her face turns gray and she takes of to the bathroom. She comes back and I'm confused. "Did you just puke?"
She looks at dad and then winces, "I, uh... yeah. I think its the smell of the smoke. Are you okay?"
"Peachy." I whisper.
"Riv-"
"Demi, I don't want to hear it."
"Demi?" she gasps. I do my best to ignore the hurt on her face, the way she did when Maddie did what she did.
"Don't act all surprised. Like how could I, remember. Well, Demi I'm tired and I just don't care anymore. Don't pretend to care."
"I.."
"I- Nothing! Just go check on Maddie. Make sure the princess is okay and leave me alone."
"Riv-"
"Don't call me that."
"Damn it! Stop!" Mom snaps. "Just stop! Let me talk."
"No you are not allowed to say the shit you said to me this morning and then act like your concerned about me. You're not. How could I, like really Demi. I didn't slit her wrists. I didn't hang her. But I did cut her down and stop the bleeding. Not you!ME! I had her blood all over me. But how could I let this happen?! It's not on me it's on you! So unless you apologize right now and mean it I'm done."
"Demi, what the hell is she talking about?" Dad asks
Demi's shocked, "I-"
She looks at me and then Nick and starts bawling.
"Demi!"
The truth is I know she's sorry and embarrassed by her actions this morning, but I want her to cry. Maybe she can feel what I felt.
I watch the scene unfold before me. To be honest it's one of the scariest things I've seen. Dad's eyes darken as he speaks in a growl just above a whisper, "Demetria, did you really blame Madison's suicide attempt on River?"
"I-"
"Yes or no?"
"I- I..." she starts clenching her chest and starts sobbing. She looks at him "I wasn't talking about Maddie... I'm sorry. Nick... please." She heaves.
"Get out." He whispers.
"What?" Demi and I gasp at the same time.
"Get the fuck out!" He snaps trying to control his temper.
"Wait! Daddy-"
"Now! Demetria-"
"Wait" Demi and I say, I'm scared. I've never seen him so angry. "Daddy, it's okay..."
"No, it's not okay. Baby it's not okay! It is not FUCKING OK! What it is, is disgusting behavior. I'm disappointed. I need you to go pack a bag and find somewhere to stay."
Demi gasps, "what? What about the..."
"No, I need time to figure it out. You need to think about your actions and how you can make it better."
"Nick, I'm not leaving MY house."
Dad grabs her by the arm not hard but fast that it makes me sob out loud. I'm crying and no one seems to care, "Daddy Stop! Daddy!" I scream to get his attention. He turns to me and he lets go of Mom's arm and takes a deep breath, "Daddy, please it's okay. It's okay Dad, it's okay, it's okay." I'm starting to panic, I bring my knees to my chest and begin to rock, "it's okay, it's okay, it's okay." I say over and over again.
Dad gets closer and I don't know what to do. "It's okay. It's okay. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything, it's okay it's fine. Just don't hurt her. It's okay."
"Hurt her?" Dad gasps he looks horrified. Dad looks down and I see his shoulders begin to shake. "I would never hurt her. Never, but she is not allowed to do this to my child, none of them. So Riv im sorry you have to see this. Demi you have to leave this room. you can go home take care of you I will take care of the girls. I mean it I don't want you to even speak to them. Do you understand? I'll talk with you about this at another time. But right here and now is not the right time."
Mom looks dizzy like she might pass out, but she nods and leaves the room silently wiping her face.

Demi's POV
I don't know what to do. I walk down the hallway to Madison's room on the other side of the hospital in the mental ward. I'm allowed a short visit. I sit silently in this off white room with a table in the center heating for her to walk in. But she doesn't she's rolled in restrained to wheel chair. I gasp, "Why is she restrained?" I ask thd nurse escorting.
"Um... after she was transferred here this morning, she took a plastic spoon and attempted to open up her stitches again."
I stare at her as tears roll done my face. I nod showing the nurse I understand. He leaves and I stare at her, she stares at me blank and cold. "Madison."
"Shut up" she growls.
I'm shocked, "what is happening? Please, I don't understand. I'm sorry."
"Go. Be with you little family. I'm not your kid. You are not my mom. So leave."
I'm lost, I stand up and leave. I slowly make my way back to River's room. Nick is sitting in the corner, I take this opportunity to speak. "River, I'm sorry. I don't know what's wrong with me. I should have processed what I felt before I said what I said. I never said thank you. I am grateful for your bravery and I can't imagine what your going through. I'm sorry that you lost everything. I can only hope that you forgive me and that I can prove how sorry I am." I look at Nick who's glaring at me, " I'm going to fix this. I know that this is going to take a long time. I'm going to go home."
She's staring at me. "Demi - Mom. Dad."

River's Pov
She goes on for another minute. Then it clicks, I'll tell them about the letter, let them do as the please. Then I can keep what I have. I take a deep breath.
"- I'm going home."
It's now or never. If she goes home I know she's going to destroy my room looking for what I don't want her to find. "Demi-" I clear my throat. "Mom. Dad." I can't look at them, "I know what happened to my treehouse." I whisper. Dad sits up, Demi takes a seat at the end the bed, they stare at me waiting for me to continue. I take a deep breath, "Sam sent me a letter."
"Sam?" Mom and dad say at the same time.
"He said he has people watching me. He knows where I go to school, about Corrbin, about the tour, my music. He knows everything. He set my house on fire."
Before they can say anything the doctor walks in, "hi, so we're going to discharge her. Her burns are minor, she needs to rest. I'll write her a note for tomorrow. Just so you know those burns although minor will itch like crazy, I'll give you so gauze and ointment to keep them covered. Just don't scratch or they will scar."
I nod, "so I can go?"
"Yes just take it easy." I nod and I look at Demi, "let's go home then." Demi nods and I go change. As I leave the bathroom, Dad says, "When we get home I want you to go get that letter, I'm calling Mr. Tompson. We are then having a family meeting."

"Dad, I'm so tired."

"River, to be honest I don't care. We are having a family meeting, you can sleep after we search your room. Which Max has already started." My stomach drops, "I know, what you were thinking. You are just like your mom in that way, " He says looking at Demi, "You thought that is you told us some of what is going on that we would forget about the other stuff. We didn't. You had alcohol in your system last night. I didn't forget that. I know that you are hiding things and that is coming to an end today."

I nod my head silently. He thinks he knows but I have some more tricks up my sleeve to delay some of this. We get in the car and I send a message to someone who I know if they show up they will derail Dad's whole family meeting.

Three letters is all that I need.

SOS