A Brand New Day

Chapter 27

Meadow's pov
Everything's crazy. I told mom I was going to bed an hour ago. I left her on the couch. The house is silent, but the tension is loud. I'm burning to feel anything thing but anxious. I want to feel something, anything other than anxiety, fear, and numb. I want to feel something. I know I shouldn't but I'm going to eat everything I can get my hands on. I slip out of my room, and peer into river's door less room. She's not there. I panic and look around. She's in the corner over her closet holding Shadow asleep. I whisper, "I'm sorry." I know she doesn't believe it after Everything I've said and done.
This whole thing is my fault. I leave her room. The hall way is dark so I tip toe silently to moms door and listen to her sob. I then go downstairs and put my ear to the door and listen to dad, snore slightly.
I continue my journey to the pantry. I know moms still awake and I can lie my way out of anything she thinks maybe going on. I slip into the pantry and shut the door and turn on the light. I start my binge with cereal. Once I finish a box of Honey Nut Cheerios. I move one to a can of pineapple. Then a jar of pickles, and a jar of black olives. I open a can of green beans, when I see the light turn on in the kitchen. I freeze. What do I do. I grab the empty cans and box and stuff them in the bottom corner as the door opens. "Oh, shit!" Dad snaps. He glares ar me suspicious, "what are you doing in here?"
"Um, getting a snack." I whisper looking at the ground.
"Green beans?"
"I like them."
"How about we go get some real food? Happy meal?"
I smile, "Big Mac?"
"Big Mac? Since when do you eat a Big Mac?"
"I don't know."
"Okay. Um... what's on your face? Cheerios?"
I shrug as he plucks a cheerio off my cheek. " I ate a handful before I grabbed the green beans."
"Okay. Get in the car then. I'm going to check on mom and Riv."
"Okay... River's in her closet sleeping."
"Okay."
I wait for Dad to leave so I can take the trash I hid in the corner and throw it away. Then I go to the car. I wait for him and he finally comes after five minutes. "Well. How do you feel about today."
"It was nuts. Scary."
"I'm going through your room tomorrow."
I fake shock, "what? Why?"
"You know why. I'm done being oblivious to what is happening in my house. We have a big day tomorrow. I've called a therapist and we're all going once a week, and family therapy, once a week. I love all of you. I'm not losing any Of you."
"Dad, I'm sorry."
"I'm sorry it all had to get to this point."
We get to McDonald's and dad orders for everyone. Which can only mean family dinner. When we get home he tells me to go get mom and he goes to get River.
I knock on moms door before I go in. "Mommy, we have dinner for you."
"I'm not hungry."
"I bet the baby is."
She groans and rolls over to look at me. "You're right."
Mom throws on robe and comes downstairs. I didn't realize how red and swollen her face until she sat down at the table. I sit at the table and Dad hands me my food. River stands over my the counter looking pissed and confused. "River, come sit down, please." Mom sighs.
"Why?"
Dad slams his hand on the table and I jump, "because your mother said so. SIT. DOWN. NOW." he shouts.
I take a deep breath. River let's tears slide down her face. "Eat." He says. River picks up a fry and let's put a sob.
They all eat and I scarf my food down. "Stop that." River whispers. We all freeze and look at her. " what have you eaten before this?"
Dad groans, "who are you talking to?"
She wipes her face, "Meadow. She's binging."
"What?" Mom and dad ask.
"No, I'm not." My face goes red and I'm getting hot.
"No, she's not." Mom says.
River looks panicked and stands up, " listen to me. I know her. I know what Meredith made us do. I know. I know you." She says pointing at me. "Tell them what you ate before this."
"River, stop." Mom says.
" No! Listen to me. Please, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I pulled a razor on you. I know I sound crazy. Im trying to make you aware. Fuck! I'm sorry. I'm losing everything, and I'm trying to help listen to me!" She sobs.
Mom and dad look back at me, "meadow, what is she talking about?" Dad asks.
"I don't know."
"Ugh!" She swipes her meal off the table, "fuck this." She screams and then runs to her room. Then screams again.
Mom burst out in tears and walks away. Then I hear her bedroom door slam.
"Stop, playing me. What did you eat?"
I shrug, "nothing just some snacks, cheerios, pineapple, then I was gonna have some green beans but then You found me."
"Okay, come this me."
I follow him upstairs and he flings moms door open, "living room now." He says as mom looks at him with tears in her eyes. Then he goes to rivers door, "living room now." Then we stop at the closet with all the blankets and extra pillows and he stuffs our arms full. "River and Demi! Please come help us!" He shouts and the come to the closet.
"What are you doing?" Mom asks.
"Get all the pillows and blankets you can carry." He says blankly. "We are ALL staying until he theatre, tonight."
River drops all the blankets and goes back to her room with out a word. "Take meadow to the theater and I'll get her." Mom nods and he set the blankets down.
"Follow me." Mom says.
I follow her, we set the blankets down and she pulls me into her and hugs me tight. "You are important to me." She whispers. "I love you."
" I love you too."
"Tell me. When I look through the trash what am I going to find?"
" snacks."
"Like fruit snacks?" I shrug, I'm going numb. "You can't do this to me. Please, I'm begging you don't shut down."
Dad brings River in and she slams herself into a corner. "Here's the truth. I don't trust any of you to be alone tonight. Not a single one of you. I love you too much to risk anything happening. So if you care about me." His voice cracks. He clears his throat, " if you care about me, you will stay in this room tonight. If you care about me you will not shut down completely, you will fight with me through this. If you love this baby that is coming into this family you will work to fix it. Please, we can." He clears his throat again and a tear slips from his eyes, "I love you, every single of you. Please, try to fix this with me."
"I love you Nick." Mom says.
"I love you Demi." He says back.
"I love you mom and dad and..." I hesitate, " I love you creek."
I wait for her to say something. But she doesn't I hold on mom and cry myself to sleep.
Nick's pov
I sit in front of the door as Demi holds meadow and River glares at me from the corner. Eventually Meadow and Demi fall asleep. I go over to them and tuck a pillow under their heads and tuck a blanket around each of them. I plant a kiss on meadow and Demi's head.
I take a blanket and pillow over to River and the corner. I wrap her in a blanket. "I'm not crazy." She whispers to me.
I sit beside her. "I know that."
"Meredith, was really mean to her. She made her eat until she puked."
"I-"
"But then, she stopped because,"
"River, I believe you."
"I love you daddy."
"I love you too."
"Can you please just stay right here?" She asks as she leans her head on my shoulder. "Dad?"
"Hm?"
"I'm scared."
"Me too."