A/N: Hey guys! I don't really have much to say. I just wanted to get a short chapter out there so you guys could have something to do, something to read. I'll try and post a lot for both of my stories, I might even finish up this story soon. So, anyway I hope you guys enjoy.
Chapter 48
"Bayley you up? Pamela will be here in a bit to come get you"
Bayley pulled her eyes away from the mirror she was looking in and slowly moved to the door of her room to open it, revealing Stephanie standing there. The woman looked tired, her hair was up in a messy bun and she had bags under her already puffy eyes and she wore baggy clothes that made her look smaller than usual. It had been a week since Becky left and there was an obvious hole in the family. Stephanie had fallen a part the day Becky left and Sasha definitely wasn't helping. She and Stephanie got into a really heated argument and the two currently weren't on speaking terms. Not without arguing at least. While Charlotte hid her sadness behind cooking and Hunter focused on work as he tried to keep a positive attitude for the family, but Bayley had seen him downstairs crying on the couch at 2 in the morning. So she knew he was hurting on the inside too.
"Yeah...I'm up." Bayley answered softly causing her mother to give her a small smile. Everything about Stephanie seemed different, lighter almost and not in a peaceful kind of way, more like she was walking on eggshells.
"Good well, Pamela will be here in ten minutes" Stephanie stated again.
Bayley nodded and looked back at her messy room and scratched the back of her head before looking back at her mother, "I just gotta change and grab my guitar and then I'll be ready"
"Okay...and try to get some food. Charlotte's been cooking since 7" Stephanie said before slowly raising her hand to the side of Bayley's face, carefully running her fingers on her cheek, "and I noticed you haven't been eating and I-"
"I'm fine" Bayley said as she brushed off her mother's hand, not wanting to have the conversation, "I'm just not hungry"
"You've been not hungry for a week," Stephanie said in a low tone causing Bayley to sigh, "Just...please...eat something...for me"
Bayley sighed again but nodded, "A-alright. I'll eat...can I get ready now?"
Stephanie nodded and walked off leaving Bayley to get ready for her work at the homeless shelter. Stephanie and Hunter wanted them to keep their routine so Bayley still got to volunteer and sing at the shelter. Bayley looked around at her messy room, the floor was covered in dirty clothes, papers and books from school and her songs and her sheets from her bed spilled over the bed and covered the ground as well. The girl slowly got dressed in a black button up shirt and jeans before she moved to the bathroom to brush her teeth.
Once Bayley was ready for the day she walked back into her room to grab her guitar before heading downstairs to the kitchen. Sasha was sitting at the island counter doing homework while she talked on the phone, probably with Finn, while Charlotte was plating a stack of blueberry pancakes. The blonde stopped quickly when she saw Bayley standing at the entrance of the kitchen before she gave a light smile, "Hey Bayley...you hungry?"
Bayley frowned at the plate of food but nodded her head none-the-less. She sat her guitar down against the wall before walking over to the counter to take the plate from Charlotte. Sasha looked over at her as she sat down beside her and gave her a small head nod in acknowledgement before she went back to her conversation, "No. Finn I already told you...ye-yes I did that...I still got 4. How the hell did you get 25!? I'm not yelling"
"You are yelling," Charlotte said after hearing her sister's end of the conversation only to have Sasha flip her off before she went back to her work. Charlotte rolled her eyes at Sasha before looking back to Bayley who was picking at her pancakes, "Do you not want blueberry? I made some plain ones too because Sasha doesn't like fruit in her pancakes"
Bayley quickly shook her head, "No...uh no this is fine...thank you"
Charlotte continued to stare at Bayley making the girl feel a little self conscious before she took a small bite of the pancakes. Once she took a few more Charlotte stopped staring at her and turned back to the stove. Bayley watched her for a second, taking in the blonde's well kept appearance. The blonde's hair was straightened neatly down her back and she wore a white turtle neck with a pair of light blue, high waisted jeans. Bayley almost felt envious of her sister's ability to keep her calm composure, but that feeling suddenly faded when she looked to the right of the blonde to see a set of chocolate chip pancakes placed neatly on a pate beside her. Bayley frowned as she realized that the late was for Becky. The redhead was the only one who ate those because she hated blueberries.
Bayley looked back to her oldest sister before saying, "Charlotte?"
"Hmm?" the blonde asked, turning to Bayley with a small smile.
The youngest opened her mouth to speak but soon found she couldn't find the words. She was only saved by the doorbell ringing followed by her mother yelling that Pamela was here, "nevermind"
Charlotte nodded before she turned back to the stove and grabbed the pan of eggs and bacon and placed them on the plate left for Becky. Bayley watched sadly, only turning to see Sasha doing the same, she looked like she wanted to say something but she quickly shook her head and looked back down at her work. Bayley sighed before standing from her seat. She took her plate and threw away the excess before placing the plate in the sink. Then she said a quick goodbye before she grabbed her guitar and headed out to the front door where she saw Pamela and Stephanie talking while she put her shoes on.
"Good morning Bayley" Pamela greeted as she saw her daughter causing Bayley to smile and wave once her shoes were on.
"Have fun Bayley." Stephanie said with a small smile as she handed her daughter her jacket, "Hunter or I will come pick you up later on today."
Bayley nodded at this information as she took the jacket before Stephanie placed a kiss on her forehead. With that Bayley and Pamela headed out and to the car where Dakota was happily waiting. The little girl smiled brightly at her older sister as she got in the car, "Hi Bayley"
"Hey Dakota. How are you?" Bayley asked politely as she looked back from the passenger's seat at her little sister.
"Good" The girl answered. She was wearing a nice black and purple top and jeans and her hair was down her shoulders. After a few moments, Pamela started the car quickly and pulled off, heading in the direction of the homeless shelter.
Back inside the Helmsley house Stephanie wandered back into the kitchen, where Sasha had ended her phone call with Finn and Charlotte was now cleaning up, washing dishes in the sink. The woman walked up beside her oldest daughter and just stood there watching for a second, taking in the fact that the blonde had grown taller than her over the years. She smiled at how peaceful the blonde looked. Charlotte slowly looked up at her mother with a smile before asking, "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"No reason…" Stephanie said before she pushed away from the counter and walked over to where the extra plate of pancakes was sitting by the stove. Stephanie looked at it confused before asking, "What's this? Did Bayley not eat?"
Sasha looked up at the plate before looking back down at her notes while Charlotte slowly turned to see what her mother was talking about. Once she saw the plate she quickly said, "Don't touch it! It uh…"
Charlotte trailed off, never finishing her sentence as she took the plate and placed it on the other counter away from her mother. Stephanie watched with a raised eyebrow before she slowly walked over to the blonde, "Charlotte? Are you alright?"
"Fine" Charlotte said seriously as she avoided eye contact and went back to washing dishes
Stephanie walked across the kitchen and moved to stand beside her but Charlotte continued to ignore her. Stephanie tilted her head down to look at Charlotte's face only to frown as she saw the sadness in the girl's eyes even though the rest of her face remained stoic, "Charlotte...it's okay if you're not fine. This whole thing has been a big...adjustment...for all of us. Nobody expects you or anyone else to be 100 percent okay or fine with this and if you're not okay then you can tell me. I just want to help"
"Like how you helped Becky?" Sasha muttered bitterly causing Stephanie to turn and look at the girl who just glared back.
Stephanie sighed and crossed her arms, "What's done is done and right now it's for the best that Becky gets professional help."
"But if you couldn't help her why should we believe that you can help us?" Sasha questioned harshly causing Charlotte to look at her
"Sasha enough" The blonde said quietly
Stephanie stood up and snapped, "I don't know what else you want me from Sasha? I have done everything in my power to talk with...lawyers and social services and...they all say the same thing. There was no way around losing one of you."
Sasha's eyes widened for a second as she sat up straighter, "One of us? You mean they would've taken someone other than Becky?"
Stephanie shook her head and sighed, "I don't...that's not what I-"
"Who?" Sasha asked
"Sasha" Charlotte said but the younger girl ignored her
"Who else would they have taken?" Sasha continued but Stephanie just looked down at the ground, "Was it me? Was it Charlotte?...W-was it Bayley?"
Stephanie's hands clenched slightly at the last name and that was all Sasha needed to know. She sat back in her seat and stared in shock before she asked again, "They would have taken Bayley? Why? She didn't do anything wrong"
Stephanie sighed, "They would have taken all of you if they could. It didn't matter what I said or did..it just...didn't matter. Our family has been through a lot…not a lot of it has been good. They would've taken you all if our lawyer didn't put his foot down. They saw Becky's anger and they reasoned that her being here without proper treatment and help could put the three of you in danger."
"Becky wouldn't hurt us" Sasha said seriously
"I know!" Stephanie nearly yelled before calming herself, "I know...but they didn't want that risk. It was literally her or all of you. I'm sorry that I couldn't help her myself...I am...but I'm glad she's getting help now, and I won't apologize for letting her get that help. As your mother I will try with all my power to help you girls...but if I physically can't...then I'm more than willing to step aside and let you all get that help from someone who can."
The family sat in silence for a minute before Stephanie let out a deep breath and placed a hand on Charlotte's shoulder, "You have a meeting with Tori in an hour."
"I know," Charlotte said quietly as she looked at Becky's plate.
Stephanie looked at the plate of food and sadly spoke, "Becky...isn't coming back for a while. We'll still see her and talk with her...but she won't be living with us for a while, and that's not a bad thing. It may make you sad and you may miss her but she's getting help, just like you are."
Charlotte nodded, never taking her eyes off the plate, "I know"
Stephanie watched Charlotte for a second before she placed a kiss on the side of her head, "Take your meds Char...and please clean this up"
With that Stephanie slowly exited the kitchen leaving the two sisters in silence. Charlotte still looked at the plate while Sasha watched her slightly nervous. The younger of the two slowly leaned forward in her seat before she quietly said, "Charlotte...you good?"
Charlotte clenched her hands around the edge of the counter for a second before she quickly let it go and turned back to Sasha with a smile, "I'm fine."
Sasha nodded, not completely sure but she didn't argue none-the-less. Sasha slowly closed her books, having finished her work and stood from the island. Sasha watched her older sister before she carefully said, "I uh...I'm heading upstairs."
"Okay" Charlotte answered as she went back to looking at the plate
"Hey Char...you know if you need me...we can talk right?" Sasha stated quietly
"Yeah...I know" Charlotte didn't look at Sasha and she didn't say anything more causing the younger girl to frown before she slowly left and headed to her room.
Charlotte stared at Becky's plate for a few minutes before she picked it up and threw the whole thing roughly in the trash, ignoring the fact that the plate was actual china. The blonde sighed and turned around from the trash can to see Becky staring at her curiously. Charlotte's eyes widened slightly in fear and shook as Becky stared back at her. Charlotte shook her head and clenched her eyes tightly for a few seconds before opening them to see that Becky was gone.
Charlotte looked around the kitchen to make sure the girl was actually gone before she opened the cabinet above the far counter and pulled out her medication. The blonde slowly turned the bottle in her hand, reading over it before she looked back up to where Becky had been standing. Charlotte slowly opened the bottle and poured her pills into her hand. She ran her fingers over them for a few seconds before pouring them all back into the bottle. She carefully closed the bottle and put it back in the cabinet. This would be the fourth day that she didn't take her medication. Charlotte slowly closed the cabinet and turned back to see Becky smirking at her from the Kitchen entrance. Charlotte stared back at the girl for a second before speaking, "What?"
Becky shook her head and walked off.
With Bayley
"Bayley is everything alright?" Pamela asked quietly as she walked up to her daughter snapping Bayley out of her trance.
The girl had performed three songs, two covers and some stupid kids song that Dakota requested her to sing but nothing too serious. Bayley had been a bit distant. She didn't feel like she had the best energy to sing these positive songs to all these people and that just made her feel guilty. These people had little to nothing and her only job was to come here and entertain them, give them something to look forward to, something to give them a little bit of happiness, especially the kids. So for Bayley to not be able to do that right now, she felt bad.
So instead Bayley hung back for a while, she washed dishes and helped Pamela fold clothes and blankets. Things to keep her out of the limelight for a while and while Bayley was grateful for the time away, Pamela was a little worried.
The young girl smiled and nodded, "Yeah...yeah I'm fine. I've just been distracted lately"
Pamela gave Bayley a small smile and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Anything you want to talk about?"
Bayley thought for a second, she didn't see any problem talking with her birth mother, the woman gave her good advice before with Carmella, who was supposed to meet her here soon to help volunteer. So Bayley found herself nodding at the woman's offer causing Pamela to usher them to a quiet corner away from everyone else.
"So...what's on your mind?" Pamela asked with a serious look
Bayley sighed and shrugged, "I don't know. I just...a lot has been going on at home and I don't really feel...positive right now."
"That's fine. Nobody is asking you to be positive right now" Pamela assured her
"Those people out there are! I mean I know they are physically asking me to be positive but...they come here for help and we help them, we make them feel better, give them a place to stay for the night, food shelter...and we entertain them. I...entertain them. I just feel like if I can't be this happy, positive person for them then...what good am I?"
"Bayley...your worth here or anywhere else isn't determined by how happy you make other people feel. If you're not feeling positive today that's fine. Nobody has to be positive all the time. That's unnatural. Honestly, these people have been through a lot. They aren't happy all the time and they don't expect anyone to be either." Pamela said seriously, "If you want to go out there and sing a sad song or a song that's from the heart then do that. Do what will make you happy. That's all I or anyone else can ask for"
Bayley took in Pamela's words before she nodded and hugged the woman tightly, "Thank you."
"No problem" Pamela said with a bright smile as she hugged her daughter back before letting the girl go, "Now...do you want to go out there? Or do you want to stay back here with me? Either one is fine...it's your choice"
Bayley looked around before saying, "I'll go out there"
Pamela smiled and nodded, "Okay, you can go out there. You don't have to get on that stage until you feel like you're ready okay?"
"Yeah" Bayley said before she slowly walked out the door and headed to the main area of the shelter.
Bayley looked around. There were beds set up all around the side walls of the building and then there were tables in the middle some that had people eating or playing games and there was the stage at the far end of the building in front of a space where a bunch of kids were sitting and talking. Dakota was one of them, she spotted Bayley and smiled brightly before waving at the girl causing Bayley to smile and wave back before the door to her left opened causing her to look back and smile as she saw Carmella enter. She was dressed warmly in a tan trench coat and jeans with her blonde hair flowing down her shoulders.
She had told her friend about her volunteer work here and she and Dakota managed to convince Carmella to come volunteer with them. The blonde looked around nervously before she spotted Bayley and smiled before she rushed over, "Hey Bay!"
"Hey Mella" Bayley said with a smile as she hugged the blonde, "Did you find the place okay?"
"Yep, my mom dropped me off" Carmella said before looking around, "So this is it huh?"
"What?" Bayley asked confused causing Carmella to smile
"The place where Bayley the rockstar will take off"
"What are you talking about I'm not a rockstar" Bayley said only slightly blushing
"Not yet...but from what Dakota told me about your singing, you're amazing."
"Dakota thinks everything I do is amazing" Just as Bayley said this the young girl ran over and hugged Carmella, "Speaking of…"
"Hi Dakota" Carmella said as she hugged the young girl back
"Mella you came!" Dakota said happily with a big smile
"Yep. I promised you I would, so here I am" Carmella said as she waved her hand over herself and posed like a model causing Bayley and Dakota to laugh, "So...what do I do?"
"Mommy can tell you," Dakota said before she took Carmella's hand and dragged her to the back where their mother was.
Bayley smiled at the two fondly before she followed after them. She was glad to have her friendship back with Carmella, she had missed the blonde after everything that happened and she was just glad that she took her back as a friend. The two spent a lot of time together getting to relearn each other and their new lives. Bayley learned that Carmella's parents had gone through a divorce and her brother Enzo had chosen to stay with their dad while she stayed here with her mom. After learning this Bayley felt guilty that she wasn't there for Carmella when it happened but the blonde shook it off and told her that it was okay and she was glad to have her now.
Pamela smiled politely at Carmella as Dakota ushered the blonde over to her, she had met the young girl before at Dakota's soccer games when Carmella and Bayley showed up to cheer the young girl on, "Hello Carmella. Thank you for coming to volunteer"
"Oh it's no problem." Carmella said with a smile, "Where do you need me?"
Pamela looked around before spotting a woman carrying a large basket. She waved her over and took the basket from her before saying, "These are toiletry bags. You three can go hand these out to the people staying here. Everyone gets one, there's a toothbrush, toothpaste and a few other things in it"
The three girls nodded and Bayley took the basket from Pamela before they headed out to the front. Dakota grabbed a handful of the bag and began to run off, handing them out to people with a bright smile causing Carmella to laugh as she stood beside Bayley, slowly passing out the rest of the bag, "Your sister is a ball of energy"
Bayley gave a tired smile in Dakota's direction as she handed a young woman a bag before saying, "Yeah. She's just a kid, she has all the energy in the world"
Carmella looked over her friend before raising an eyebrow and asking, "What's wrong?"
Bayley looked confused for a second, "What?"
"Something's bothering you. I can tell" Carmella stated as she handed out two bags to two older men who were playing chess at one of the tables, "Your eyes are tired and you aren't up there singing. Dakota says that you sing for hours in here. I fully expected to come in and see you on stage. So what's wrong? Is it Becky?"
Bayley frowned and sighed, "I don't know. I guess so. I just...haven't been feeling in the best mood lately"
Carmella nodded understandingly, "That's fine. No one expects you to be 100 percent. I know when everything happened with my family I wasn't 100 percent for a while. It's...it's hard losing family. Having people there one minute and then leaving the next. It can really tire you out, but my mom told me, sometimes people have to leave to get better, to be better. That's how it is with my dad...and maybe that's how it is with Becky"
Bayley sighed, "I feel like I've heard this before"
"Well then it's not a coincidence" Carmella said with a laugh as she took the basket from Bayley causing her to raise an eyebrow at the blonde
"What are you doing?"
"Taking over." Carmella said with a smile, "You have a show to do"
"Oh come on Mella I...I don't think I wanna perform. I jus-"
"Just don't feel like you're in the best mood" Carmella finished before waving the girl off, "These people aren't either. Sometimes they need a little reality, not some happy cheerful crap."
Bayley sighed as Carmella restated what her birth mother had told her earlier before she nodded, "Fine...fine."
Bayley walked back across the building to the back where she left her guitar. The young Helmsley ran her fingers over the guitar as she thought about what she was feeling and what she could sing. She looked over to see Pamela smiling at her causing her to blush before she strapped the guitar on her back and shakily walked back out to the front.
Bayley could feel people watching her as she slowly walked to the front of the room. She stopped quickly when Dakota ran up to her with wide eyes, "Are you going to sing again?:
"Uh...y-yeah I think so." Bayley stuttered before Dakota smiled
"Good, it was starting to get boring around here, and I love when you sing"
Bayley smiled but she didn't know what else to say, luckily Carmella saved her as she came up behind Dakota with an empty basket. She placed a hand on Dakota's shoulder before saying, "Hey D why don't you take this basket back to your mom?"
Dakota nodded and took the basket from Carmella before she ran off to the back leaving Carmella and Bayley standing a few feet away from the stage. The blonde smiled at her before she asked, "You ready?"
Bayley looked at the stage before looking back to the people who had started to slowly gather around prepared to hear her sing. Bayley took a deep breath, "I think so"
"Hey" Carmella carefully grabbed Bayley's shoulders, "Sing whatever you want. Whatever you feel right now...I'll support you no matter what, and I'm sure these people will too"
Bayley looked back at the crowd to see them all staring at her along with Dakota who ran back in, ready to listen to her big sister sing.
"Yeah...yeah. Okay" Bayley said before Carmella stepped aside allowing her to walk up to the stage where a mic was waiting. Bayley slowly looked around and cleared her throat before she said, "Uh...he-hello again. Uh...most of you all know me but uh...I'm Bayley, and I'm going to sing an...an original song that I wrote"
Bayley took a deep breath and swung her guitar around the right way before she began to sing.
How long did you say you'd love me?
Forever take too long
If I'd held my breath
You'd be the death of me
Bayley had written this song originally about Alexa, right after she left. She had written many songs about the blonde and their relationship, most of which she didn't have the heart to sing out loud. Not without crying. She didn't know why she felt the need to sing this particular song but her mood at the loss of her girlfriend was similar to her feelings of loss at her sister Becky, and some of the words related to both the blonde and the redhead.
You told me you'd always be there
Guess I must have heard you wrong
Cause if I'd held my breath
You'd be the death of me
Promised you'd never leave me
Well never seems to of come and gone
You find yourself somewhere else
I find myself all alone
Baby, tell me where you've gone?
Bayley looked into the crowd to see Carmella recording her on her phone with a bright smile causing her to smile a little before she focused on the song.
Yes, we might just be meant to be
You might just come back home
But if I'd held my breath
You'd be the death of me
You promised you'd never leave me
Well never seems to of come and gone
You find yourself someone else
I find myself all alone
Baby, won't you come back home?
Bayley found her mind wanting to wander to thoughts of Alexa but she frowned and shook her head as she strummed her guitar. She tried to focus on the here and now, looking out to see Pamela and her husband watching her from the back while Dakota and Carmella stood in the front smiling up at her. Bayley could see some people smiling at her, while some stared seemingly deep in thought and there was even an old woman who was in tears.
How long did you say you'd love me?
Forever take too long
If I'd held my breath
You'd be the death of me
If I'd held my breath
You'd be the death of me
A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed. Let me know what you think, who you want to see the next chapter focus on and make sure to follow, favorite and all that good stuff so you can be updated for the next chapter.