A Brand New Day

Chapter 20

Demi's POV

"I can't believe this." I mutter to myself trying to keep my voice down and calm so that I don't wake Meadow up.

"What?" Nick asks, as he loads Meadow into the the front seat of the car.

I climb into the back and he joins me. I sigh, "I knew she wasn't okay. I knew they both were not okay. But being the selfish person who I am, I had to continue my tour." Nick starts to interrupt me, "No. Just let me say this. I know that I'm selfish. I just needed to finish this tour. I needed it. I knew after that fight that Meadow and River had, that River was down. I could see it in her eyes that she had plans to forget all about recovery. But I thought that I could juggle it all. This vacation was more important than getting time with my girls. It was my time to tell you that I..." I stop, I don't want to jinx it.

"Tell me what?" He asks.

I slide closer to him and lower my voice into a whisper, "It was my time to tell you that I'm pregnant. When I stopped taking my medicine was because I thought that they would hurt the baby. I was being selfish, not telling you. I'm so sorry. I wanted this vacation to a good thing. But now..."

"pregnant?" he says. "it all makes sense. But now, this vacation is going to be about healing."

"We need to discuss what's about to go down."

"What do you mean."

"Diana has already texted me that she will be taking Maddie home. I can't really disagree. I mean ever since she has started school, it has been a downward spiral. I don't think that we are helping her. I think that since we left for tour she has really become worse. After tonight, I don't think that I will have it in me."

"Are you giving up?"

"No, I'm asking for help, from Diana, Eddie, Dallas, and you. I can't help her by myself. She doesn't want my help. I- Nick, I need help to help her. We have a lot to deal with River. River had or has a blood alcohol level of .15, her anxiety levels are high, which to me means she's stopped taking her medication."

"Which means, room inspection, find the alcohol, get rid of it. Increase therapy and tighten the leash."

"We're here. Um... do you want to me to stay with Meadow in the waiting room?" Max asks as he parks the car.

"Please." I say to him, "Thank you."

We get out of the car. Nick grabs my hand, while Max plucks Meadow out of the car. He carries he past me and whispers, "Congratulations, Max is a great name for a boy or a girl."

Nick and I chuckle, "Thank you. We'll consider it." Nick says.

As we enter the hospital, everything hits me at once. Mom and Eddie are huddled in a corner. I would like to run away, but Nick holds my hand tighter as we approach them. "Momma." I whisper.

"You did this." She says without looking at me.

"Wh-What? I-"

"You. I let you into her life and look where we are. Right, where we were with you. I would have done anything to prevent this."

"Mom, have you heard anything?" I ask her, not allowing her continue to put me down.

"No." She nods.

"Okay, well I have to go deal with my daughter. Eddie will you let me know if you hear anything on Maddie. I will do what ever I need to in order to support her. Please, Eddie, don't leave me in the dark." My eyes begin to water, "Dad, please. Promise me you will let me know."

"I will, D." He says earning himself a glare as he lets go of Mom's hand and comes over to me. "Come here." He holds his arms open for me and I practically dive into him.

I notice that Nick takes the opportunity to force mom to hug him. She clings to him and repeats, "I'm scared, I'm not strong enough to deal with this."

"Diana." Nick says holding her, "Diana, we will be strong enough as a family to deal with this. But, you can not take this all out on Demi. Please, just let us be a family." She clings to him tighter.

"Delagarza family?" A doctor walks into the room.

Eddie instantly lets go of me grabs Mom's hand and Nick grabs mine. "Us. That's us." Eddie says breathlessly.

"Well, Madison, is stable. She is sleeping."

"What- what happened?" Mom asks.

"Well, Madison, slit her wrists." Mom gasps, "which we stitched up and wrapped. She also attempted to hang herself, if her sister didn't get there when she did oxygen would have been cut off from her brain, and there would have been brain damage. She is also severely underweight, and I believe suffering from an eating disorder. She will be held for a 72 hour suicide watch. I can go into more details and provide you with a list for treatment centers."
"Thank you, can we see her?" Mom asks.
"Yes, this way." We follow him into a room and she's asleep. Mom and Eddie rush to her side and grab her hand.
"Go, find River. Thank her for me." Mom says,I nod and nick practically drags me out of the room.
I follow him to the nurses desk, "hi where is River Lovato-Jonas' room?" He asks.
"I can take you. Um..."
"What?" I ask panicked.
"She's agitated and wants to go home there has been some very loud discussion. Just to warn you what you are walking into." She says nervously.
We follow her around the corner and we here her, "Marisa, we have to go!" River yells.
I turn to the nurse, "I think we can find it. Thank you." She nods and turns a way. I rush into the room and close the door behind Nick. "River Jordana Mendez-Lovato-Jonas. Shut the fuck up, now!" I shout at her. She freezes. "The doctor said you can't leave for another hour, so I suggest that you close your mouth and those eyes. You want to go to school fine, when we they discharge you, I will take you home, I will sleep with you in the guest room. You will be monitored in your to get dressed. I will drop you off at school, then your dad and I will search your room. You will then go and do your normal after school activities. When you get home we are having a lengthy family meeting. I am allowing you to go to homecoming, but you can forget about the after party."
"Mommy, please." She begins to sob.
Nick mouths to me, he can tell I'm cracking, "Don't. You are in more trouble than you know."
"Maddie tried to kill herself, not me! Why! Why am I in trouble!"
"Your in trouble for the alcohol, this incident has happened now twice, and we let you off easy the first time. Your first punishment is no after party."
"But!" She cries, I mean complete and utter break down.
"Close your eyes. I'm going to talk to Marisa and Bryan." She cries but closes her eyes. Bryan and Marisa follows Nick and I to the hallway, "What the hell?" I say as I close the door.
"I know," Marisa says with tears in her eyes, "I messed up."
"No, what the hell is wrong with her?"
"I don't know, she just started acting like this." Bryan says as Marisa grabs his hand and winces.
"Marisa." I say as he face goes pale and Bryan catches her limp body. I scream as the nurse rushes over to her.