A Brand New Day

Chapter 46

River's pov.
"I'm losing my mind in this fucking house! I want to leave. I can't just have therapy and no other life. I can't breathe in this house! I want to do things! Please, just let me go for school! And live my life!" I scream at the top of my lungs bawling.
That's all I've done for the last two weeks is scream and cry. I can't eat or sleep. I'm miserable and no one seems to care. They only want to know everything and keep me "safe" locked in this fucking house.
"You can't leave." Mom says quietly. "You know that people are out there looking for you."
"So, I'm just supposed to stay in this house until when? I mean my birthday is in two days. I've missed homecoming and so much school!" I sob, "please mom, I just want to go to school. I won't leave. I'll do anything, mommy."
"I'll talk to daddy, but you know the only thing that will help this situation is if you eat. You haven't eaten properly since the hotel. Daddy and meadow are making dinner tonight. I'll go talk to daddy now."
I sit on my bed and pull momo to my chest. Mom walks over to me and puts her hand next to me. "I'll try. I really I'm going crazy."
"You're not crazy." She whispers touching my leg and I instantly pull in a sharp breath. She moves her hand away instantly, "take a nap. Daddy and I will talk to you after dinner." I nod and lay down. "I love you, dove."

Demi's pov
I wait until she falls asleep before I leave the room. I check on meadow in her room. She seems content. Then I go find Nick. I search the house, but I can't find him. I check the garage for his car, which is there. I can't find him. I find my phone and call him. "Nick, where are you?"
"I'm out back, by the trampoline."
"Okay, I need to talk to you."
"Okay." He sighs.
I've been trying to make sure that I talk to him about big decisions after his reaction to finding Meadows mom. So, as River is begging to leave the house I have to speak to him, before I agree. I grab a water from the fridge and go out to trampoline.
When he sees me, he smiles. He's excited which has been a rare occurrence since our conversation a couple weeks ago. As I get closer he speaks, "I've been thinking, that tree is perfect. I mean I think it's big enough. But it wouldn't be done in time for her birthday. But she would love it. I mean, I'm not her dad, but I think If I get the idea perfect, we can make it happen by Christmas at the latest."
I stare at the tree, "what are you talking about?" I ask leaning into him. He snakes his arm around my waist and rubs my stomach.
"A tree house." He says excited. "For the kids. River, mainly, but they all could use it."
"Sounds good to me." I say. I can't really see it, but he's better at things like this. "I need to talk to you."
"I think I'm going to sketch something and then I'll have someone come out and tell me if this will work."
I turn away and climb onto the trampoline. I sigh as I watch him smile up at the tree. "I think it's a good idea for her to go back to school. In person." I whisper.
I watch his body tense as he turns to me, "what?" He asks serious as he walks toward me. "No."
"She's freaking out. She's going stir crazy. It's not healthy for her to be in this house, constantly thinking about her past. Cassandra said to think about it."
"I know what Cassandra said. River's fine. Are you fucking crazy? People are trying to kill out kid. I mean..." he says intensely.
"Nick, don't fucking talk to me, like I don't know what is going on."
"You do know what's going on! That's why I don't understand why you could possibly think that this is okay? She has at lease ten panic attacks a day, she doesn't eat. She dissociates at least twice a day." He takes a breath, "My answer is No! She's not healthy enough to even focus on school. You're fucking crazy to think that that would even be okay."
I look at him shocked, "what did you just say to me." I screech.
"I said you're fucking crazy if you think I would let her leave my sight. You're nuts."
"Fuck you, nick."
"Fuck me?" He chuckles. "You would have to let me touch you. You want to do this?"
"Do this? What the fuck does that mean? I'm trying to think with my head and not my heart. Im just as scared to let her out of my sight. But at least I'm not a fucking coward. You fucking pussy. I might not think of the what if's but at least I try to do the right thing even if it's scary. I'll see you for dinner, but I'm fucking leaving."
"Where are you going?" Nick sighs. As I climb off the trampoline. I stomp away inside to my phone. "Demi, stop being so dramatic. You can't fucking leave."
I grab my purse and keys as he follows me to the car, "I'm a coward, but you're the one leaving? That makes sense."
"Nick, don't fucking antagonize me. Im crazy remember?" I say calmly. "You fucked this up. If I didn't promise to come back, you would never see me again. Im tired of this shit. I've been carrying this family on my fucking back. While you sit there and do nothing. You fucking mope around like a teenager and are useless."
"Im useless? Are you serious? Don't sit here and act like you keep all your promises. I know what you did."
"What I did?"
"The week before you hit River with your car! You weren't in New York alone! You fucking slut!"
"What?" I gasp, walking toward shaking with rage. "What the fuck did you just call me?"
"You were with Wilmer."
My face drops I'm caught, "what are you talking about?" I scream.
"Did you fuck him?" He whispers looking down at me.
"What?" I sob.
"You heard me."
"N—"
"If you lie to me, I will fucking get the divorce papers out right now. There in the office."
"What? Divorce?" I whisper.
"Did you fuck him?"
"Daddy?" Meadow asks opening the door to the garage staring at us scared.
"Answer me."
"It's not like that..." I sob.
"So you did. how do you know this baby is mine? Get out of my face." He growls.
"Okay." I get in the car. "Nick." I whisper as I roll down the window. "I'm not signing those papers."
"Fuck off."
"Tell the girls to call me at bed time." I whisper defeated and exhausted.
"Okay."
I pull down to the gate and dial Cassandra's office bawling. "Hello, Demi?"
"I need to talk to you." I sob.
"Okay, I'll be there in 10 minutes."
"No, you can't come to the house."
"Okay..."
"Don't you have like a fucking office or something?"
"Yeah. I'll text you the address, have Nick—" I sob loudly, "bring you?"
"He won't. We're fighting and I can't ask him for anything."
"Okay, we'll you can't drive like this, so calm down and stay on the phone."
I take a few deep breaths, "okay I'm on my way." I whispers.
"Okay, I'll see you in about 15 minutes."
I was never going to tell anyone but now I don't have a chose, if I want to save my marriage.