welcome to the family [eminem]

Chapter Fifteen

"I'll be back around five!" Marshall called as he shut the door. I turned to the two little girls who were sat on the couch looking at me.

"What do you want to do today?" I asked them. Their eyes brightened. I knew exactly what was coming when Lanie started to ramble.

"Can we go out? Can we go to the movies? I want to see Monsters Inc. 2! Can we please go? Please? Or maybe we can go out to lunch? Friendly's? Yes! Take us out to ice cream, Leila! Please!" Lanie whined. I laughed, pushing a strand of blonde hair behind her ear.

"I don't have a car, remember?" I remind her. Her smile drops and I instantly feel bad. "Maybe we can do something else?"

"Bake brownies?" Whitney chirped.

I smiled. "Sure!" The girls cheered, their feet padding into the kitchen. I followed them, pulling my hair into a high bun as I did so. Lanie had already gotten out the brownie mix and Whitney was getting the pans.

I preheated the stove and poured the mix into a bowl. Since Whitney wouldn't stop whining about cracking the eggs, I allowed her to break the egg herself. "Wash your hands." I scolded her, and she threw her head back and giggled.

"I want to mix!" Lanie practically screamed. I sighed, but couldn't help the grin on my face. I handed her the bowl and the spoon.

A splattered wall of brownie mix later, I pulled the cooked brownies from the oven. I sighed happily once the chocolate scent reached my nose. I placed the tray on the counter.

"Girls, brownies are done!" I called to them. They squealed, running as fast as their little legs can take them towards me.

"Don't burn yourself, they're hot." I reminded them. I served them their brownies and sat them down.

"Hey Leila?" Lanie asked as she took a bite of her brownie. "Where's mom?"

I bit my lip hard. Of course she would bring this up, I knew it was coming. "She's away right now." I answered the best I could.

"Why? I miss her!" she whined. I ran a hand through my hair stressfully.

"She isn't here right now." I said as sternly as I could, and thankfully, she dropped the subject.





-



While I was playing Wii with the girls, I heard the front door open. Marshall must have gotten home already. I excused myself and quickly walked to the door to see him.

As planned, I found Marshall hanging up his sweatshirt. Once he turned around I smiled and greeted him. He nodded, placing his Beats on the table.

"So, how'd it go?" I asked him. Marshall grinned.

"It was good. I only have half of the song left to record." he boasted.

"When can I hear it?" I whined with a smile. He laughed.

"When I finish recording it, obviously." he teased. I rolled my eyes playfully and he just chuckled again.

"Are you ready to go?" Marshall asked me. Go where?

"Where?" I asked, dumbfounded.

"Counselors? Did you forget already?" he asks with a nervous chuckle. Oh. I nodded my head slowly.

"Yeah, let me grab my coat." I said. My stomach churned as I grabbed my coat from the closet. I'm not the one to open up to many people like I said.

"Come on girls." he called to them and they scurried towards us. We crammed ourselves in his surprisingly small car and drove from the massive house. It's ironic how he has a tiny car but a mansion.

As we drove down the road, I anxiously tapped my fingers along my thigh. A conversation the girls have started was clouded from my mind as my thoughts began to take over.

Marshall drove up into a large grey house with white shudders. I sighed, looking at the house through the window before he turns off the engine. I sucked in a deep breath as I began walking along side of Marshall and the girls. Marshall opened the door for us and we stepped inside.

There was an old lady at the front desk. She smiled genuinely at me and I did the same back. She looked friendly, about maybe in her late 60's. Her faded brown hair was curled into a bun.

"Good evening, can I help you?" the woman spoke kindly, batting her eyelids. I allowed Marshall to step forward and answer.

"Uh, yeah, my.. daughter has an appointment for like, now," he said blankly and I bit my lip hard to keep in my laughter. He could be so grammar-lost sometimes.

"Right, name please?" she asked, looking at me.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding. "Leila," I responded, but it came out more like a question. I picked on my finger nails nervously as she scrolled through the files on her computer.

"Ah, yes, please come with me." the lady finally spoke. I looked at Marshall, knitting my eyebrows together anxiously. He nodded his head up, like he was telling me to go. I followed his orders, clutching my small handbag to my side as I followed the short woman.

As we walked down the long hallway, she spoke up. "My name is Mrs. Norris, by the way. You can call me Laura." I nodded silently. My stomach was hurting terribly from my nerves.

"Here we are," Laura piped. After another lengthy hallway, we stood in front of a white door. This is it. Laura pushed the door open to come inside a small, blue room. The room had two black rotating chairs and a computer.

"Ms. Kale should be in here soon," Laura chirped. "You can take a seat right there," she instructed, pointing her pudgy finger towards the chair. I obliged, taking a seat in the spin chair. Laura shut the door behind her as she walked out, and I was left in there all alone.

I really hoped the counselor I had was understanding.

I froze when the doorknob turned seconds after Laura waddled out. I bit my tongue when a young girl walked through the door. She flashed me a grin and took a seat across from me.

"Hi, you must be Leila?" I nodded quietly. "Oh, it's so nice to meet you, Leila!" she beamed, sticking out her manicured hand. I quickly shook her hand before placing it back on my knee where it was resting before. "My name is Ms. Kale, but please, call me Brittney. Using 'Ms.' makes me feel old." Brittney joked, and I cracked a smile.

She was gorgeous, with her long black hair resembling mine. Her dark eyes were warm and didn't make me feel the least uncomfortable. Brittney pulled a clipboard out from her desk and she flipped through the pages. I noticed her frowning when her eyes scanned down pages.

Brittney looked up at me, blinking a couple times as if she was trying to read me or figure me out. I knew it was impossible for anyone to understand me. I wanted to speak up and tell her to not even try with this, that it isn't all worth it, but I owe Marshall everything and I don't want to upset him after all he's done for me. After all, he's trying to help me.

I drummed my fingers on my leg, waiting for Brittney to speak. She sighed.

** BRITTNEY'S P.O.V. **

I should have expected this. I couldn't wrap my head around the thought that this beautiful girl sat in front of me had such a traumatizing past. As I flipped through the pages of Leila's past, a frown stretched across my face.

This girl - this ordinary girl, had some major issues in her life. She was too young for this.

I sighed, looking up at Leila. She stared back at me, awaiting for my words. I couldn't find any.

"I- I don't know what to say," I confessed. Leila blinked a couple times. "I mean.. I'm so sorry," I choked out. I never have had an appointment with a person with such a terrible life. You never would have thought.

My heart broke each time I looked up at the broken girl.

-

SO SORRY FOR THE WAIT OH MY GOD I HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS CHAPTER IT MADE ME TEAR UP A BIT BUTTTTTTTTTTT THANK YOU FOR SO MANY COMMENTS AND SUCH KEEP IT UP PLEASEEE IT MAKES ME HAPPYYY :D:D:D
and also this was a special chapter bc its eminems birthday baby