A Brand New Day

Chapter 47

Meadows pov
Mom left and now dads in the gym. I'm freaking out. So, I go to the one person who I'm trying to let in without thinking. "Creek." I whisper. She doesn't move or say anything. I slide in her bed and wrap myself in her covers. "Creek." I say louder pushing her shoulder. She turns over. "Creek, wake up. I'm freaking out."
"Why?" She asks half asleep.
"Mom and dad are fighting."
"So, they've been fighting for two weeks."
"Yeah but—" I begin to cry and she sits up quickly.
"What?" She asks confused rubbing the sleep off her face.
"He called her a slut." I sob.
"What?" She asks as her face turns red. "What happened?"
"I don't know, they were in the back and I heard dad say she's crazy. They were screaming. She said she was leaving."
"She left?" River gasps.
"Then, they were in the garage, and she said the only reason she was going to come back was because she promised. Then he was like, 'you weren't in New York alone, you slut.' And he said something about divorce and called her a slut."
Then River takes off. Leaving me to follow her. As she runs through the house screaming, "Nick!" Until he comes into the kitchen. I stand in the doorway crying.
"What did you do! Where's mom?" She screams.
"She left." He says tired looking at the two of us.
"You made her leave!" She screams. Staring at him across the counter.
"She chose to leave."
Then she stands toe to toe with him, "and what did you call her?" He stares at River crying. He looks embarrassed and ashamed. "What did you call her dad?"
"I— I didn't mean to."
That's when I see her as if she's in slow motion, swing her hand back behind her and slap him across the face. "You called her a slut! That's my mom. You dick! I can't believe you would do that."
Dad stands there in shock as River pants and I cry. I'm so scared. Then, he grabs her arms hard and shakes her twice. I don't know what to do. So, I scream, "let go of her!" at the top of my lungs and charge him. While, River just stands there frozen as if made of stone.
"Go to your rooms now." He whispers.
"You made her leave!" River screams.
"She promised she wouldn't leave! And you made her."
"Well, you'll learn that she's not good at keeping promises."
"I want her here now!" River screams.
I can see rivers about to explode. I'm just so freaked out I don't know how to help.
"Go to your room!" Nick yells.
River and I jump. But River stands her ground. "No. Call my mom. Make her come home."
"No. I want you to calm down and go to your room. She'll be home for dinner."
"I want you to call her now, NOW!"
"Damn it." Nick yells and picks River up. And begins to carry her up stairs. He takes her to her room and sets her on the bed. "Stay here and don't come out."
"I want my mom." River sobs looking up at him.
"I know." He whispers. "I'll call her. Just stay here."
"I want to talk to her."
"Okay, I'll get your phone and bring it to you. Then I want you two to fucking leave me alone. I mean it. Don't talk to me." He says then walks out the room.
I sit beside River as she cries. I don't know what to do, so I just sit there. I can't believe she slapped him. Dad comes back in and sets River's phone down on the bed and walks away silently. He looks sad and miserable.
River, immediately picks up her phone and dials moms number, but it goes straight to voicemail. She gasps. "She promised." She sobs into momo.
"She'll come back." I whisper, "what was her promise?"
"She promised she wouldn't leave me."
"She didn't leave. She would never do that. She just took a break, she'll be back soon." I whisper, hoping this is true.
"What if—" River sobs.
"We're not going to think of the what ifs. She's going to come back. I know it."
"How do you know?" She asks me.
"Because, she loves you."
"Meadow , she loves both of us."
"Okay. So she'll come back. Lay down, you're going to school tomorrow."
"How do you know."
"Because mom said you were going." She lays back as I play with her hair. "Why is this happening!" She sobs.