Hey, guys! LOL, so many people thought that was the last chapter…I would never do that to you guys! That would suck. Man. anyway, TGIF, right? This is my writing day, so let's see how much I can get done….
Disclaimer: I do not own Lemonade Mouth
"Of course, they've been a huge distraction." Emma stage whispered into her Bluetooth as she stood in the corner. She cast a disgusted look over at Avery, who was sleeping on the hospital bed. "And ugly," She added, scoffing. "Child custody fights like these always are. Wen will be dragged through hell, his endorsements will be torpedoed. The band will never be able to function under the pressure from the press. He's worked way too hard to have it end like this, they all have."
Avery turned over to face Emma, having heard everything that she said. Why was it that adults always fell for it whenever she pretended to be asleep? Was she really such a huge distraction to Wen? Surely what Emma was saying wasn't true. Sure, Wen didn't seem overjoyed to have Avery and Jaxson around most of the time, but….
She turned her head and observed Olivia and Wen fighting outside of her hospital room, voices rising and faces growing redder by the second. "I just don't seem them getting through this. The mother is right – he barely knows how to take care of kids. It would be hell to all of them." Emma was still speaking into the Bluetooth. She leaned against the wall. "All my hard work goes down the drain. This is exactly the sort of thing that could end his career."
Avery let out a shaky sigh and turned back over to the hallway, wondering why someone wouldn't think to close the door. "That is not your decision to make. I am their legal guardian-"
"I missed nine years out of those kids' lives, and I am not going to miss any more." Wen fired back. Avery glanced down at the IV in her arm in her arm and began to fiddle with it, whimpering when she felt a stab of pain. Instantly everyone's heads snapped towards her.
"Hey, Avery, you're awake." Wen walked back into the room with a faint smile on his face. "How are you feeling?" He asked, taking a seat on her bed. "I want to go home," She whispered, trying to keep the tears from falling. Olivia walked over and started stroking her hair. "It's okay, honey. The doctor said you could come home tomorrow. We can find a flight back later in the day." She whispered.
Avery shook her head, pulling away from her mother's hand slightly. "No, I want to go back with Dad." She croaked, her throat beginning to hurt again. "But he doesn't want me."
Wen and Olivia's eyes widened simultaneously and Olivia turned and shot an accusing glance at Wen. Wen shook his head, reaching out to touch Avery's hand. "Avery…if, if it's what I said at the restaurant…honey, I didn't mean that. Not at all." He shook his head furiously.
Tears pooled in Avery's eyes. "Then why did you say it?" She asked. Wen looked down at the blue bed sheets. "I don't know…sometimes I just say things…I guess…" His voice trailed off. Avery stared at him, her expression unreadable. "So we can stay at your house?" She asked hopefully. Wen turned and looked over at Olivia, who seemed to be calculating something. "Mom?" Avery whispered. Olivia's head snapped back over to her. "Sure, honey, if that is what you really want." She forced out. Avery smiled softly, nodding her head up and down. "But Jaxson has to want it, too. And I'm staying here with you guys, clear?" Avery was nodding. "Thanks, mommy." She smiled. Olivia rolled her eyes the slightest bit. "Okay. Oh, I'll have to see if Luke can fly in too…" She started walking out of the room, pulling Wen's sleeve with her.
Wen waved quickly at Emma before being pulled back out in the hallway by little Olivia. She practically slammed the door of the hospital room and glared at Wen. "Look, she may want to stay with you, but that doesn't mean that you have custody of either of them, and we defiantly do not have to get along." She hissed; her eyes narrowing as she spoke. Her eyes reminded Wen of the kitten that he had given her a long time ago…
Wen nodded slowly while Olivia shook her head. "And you have to prove a few things to me, got it?" Wen nodded again. "God, can you still speak?" Olivia exclaimed. Wen's eyes grew a bit wider. Had Olivia always been so…so…hormonal?
"Look, I'm sorry…" Wen started, but Olivia was already on her way back to the waiting room.
"I can't take this. Are you going to talk to us?" Stella exclaimed, startling Olivia. They all sat in the waiting room, either playing on phones or reading magazines. Wen was out taking care of "errands" or whatever, and Jaxson was in Avery's room keeping her company. The rest of the band sat in the waiting room in ever so awkward silence.
"What do you mean?" Olivia asked. Stella sighed and rolled her eyes. "We have been sitting here for hours and you haven't said a thing to us! We're your best friends, Liv. You gotta tell us something. It's been years!" She exclaimed. Mo nodded in agreement. "You just got up and left without saying anything. I mean, now we kind of see why, but you could've spoken to us." She pointed out, sounding hurt.
Olivia set her magazine down, taking a deep breath. "I...I was young, guys. I didn't know what to do. Mo, your parents were pretty strict about all of…that dating stuff. And Stella, who knows what you would've said. I just…Wen was already acting weird. Scott was a douche, and Gram was getting older. I didn't…I couldn't…I… ARGH!" Olivia sighed and threw her face into her hands.
Charlie looked over at Mo worriedly, who got out of her seat and walked closer to Olivia. "Liv, we already had told you – we'll always be more than a band. Nothing can ever change that. It doesn't matter what my parents think or how weird Stella is," She continued, ignoring Stella's shocked expression. "We would've helped you if you had just said something." She smiled, placing an arm around Olivia's shoulders.
There was a small silence before Stella spoke. "Well, obviously Scott wouldn't have, because, you know, he's a douche." She clarified. Another small silence and Olivia lifted her head out of her hands. Tear stains were visible on her cheeks, but her body shook with laughter. "Oh, God, I've missed you guys." She said in between gasps.
"And we missed you!" Stella exclaimed, squeezing Olivia in a giant bear hug. Mo joined in wrapping her arms around Stella, while Charlie took a picture with his phone. Stella eyed him. "Come on, you too, pretty boy! Just because you like to tell yourself that you can shave whenever you want doesn't mean that you're so much of a man that you can hug us!" She exclaimed.
Charlie laughed and joined in the hug, and for once it felt like old times.
(Little Epilogue thingie for this chapter)
"So you are going to be staying at Wen's apartment with the kids?" Mo asked, smiling at Olivia across the table. She still couldn't believe that her friend was back, but she was just starting to hear the full story. Olivia shrugged, and then nodded. "I think so. I'm not really sure how I feel about them staying with him alone, even though you guys rock for watching out for them." She smiled tentatively. She hadn't seen her friends in so long – it was so odd. She couldn't get over how old everyone looked; even though she imagined that she looked older as well.
She understood that Charlie and Mo had been dating for a while – she always knew that was going to happen. She just couldn't understand why Charlie hadn't asked the big question yet. Was he afraid of commitment or something, as she knew Wen was?
Part of herself couldn't really blame him – things had been so unstable when he was younger, with his parents always fighting all of the time, and then when they got the divorce. From what Olivia understood, Wen's mother never came to visit her children at all. That had to be tough on a person.
On the other hand, that wasn't necessarily an excuse. Olivia had the right to be worried about her kids. She didn't want them to go through the same thing, even though it seemed as if they already were.
And Stella….when would she find a boyfriend? Olivia knew that she must be lonely as she cast a glance at her friend, who was gazing longingly at Charlie and Mo.
Olivia shrugged to herself and took a bite of her pizza. True, Brooklyn style was delicious, but she would never taste any pizza better than Dante's. She smiled to herself before pulling down her shirt, trying to make sure that it covered the multiple bruises on her arm….
….
So you kind of got a glimpse into Olivia's thoughts here. I am so sorry that my chapters can't seem to stay longer! It might just be because I am tired, but every time I write I'm only hitting like 1500, not counting author's notes. Sigh. I don't want to force myself to write, because then I think it comes out worse, you know? Sigh. Anyway…
Thanks to:
Rose: LOL, I know. I am going to have a bit of fun writing that….
Chocolatelemonade: Hmm…somehow, I imagine that it wouldn't be…:p
I actually started this because Living on a Highwire was getting kind of sad to write, and I needed something happy. Now this story is getting kinda sad…new story alert!
SpiffyLittleNerdette: LOL, I was laughing at your review for a while. Olivia is pretty intense but I guess it is just because she doesn't want to lose her kids, or have them hurt like she was, you know?
Gabby 23: Oooh….you're good. ;)
But I still refuse to say anything! LOL, my aunt has a stuffed broccoli like that and I thought it would be something that Stella would do.
Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice (your name wouldn't show up...sorry): Ha-ha, when it first came out we went to see it in the theater, and then we got the DVD and used to watch it all the time. Now….. Well, I know most of the scenes by heart, but I think I need to watch it again :)
MewxMewxLove: heehaw… Wow, that was in my dictionary on Word but hehehe wasn't…
Lemonademouthluver: yes, I am very good :) I mean, pretty tired, but I don't have diabetes or cancer or anything like that, so thank God. How are you?
Oh… I was called your favorite…YEA!
Superbatnerdxx: Oh, thank you! I think I will be starting another story here, but I feel like I have so many for Lemonade Mouth and people….well, what do I care? I think I will be starting another story, but there probably won't be a sequel for this one :(
Jessica: No, that wasn't the last chapter. Did it seem like it? I mean, it was such a huge cliffhanger! LOL.
Alyson Foster: Got this a…maybe an hour ago. That is why this story is being updated first :)
Alrighty then…leave me any thoughts. I love them :)
Oh, and does this thank you section annoy any of you? I mean, I do this instead of PM's because I know a lot of reviewers are anonymous, but like if it is annoying when you are reading the chapter let me know.