CHAPTER 5: REACHING OUT

Carla woke up in the hospital with her mother at her bedside. Frieda was waiting in the waiting room. Carla couldn't believe that she had overdosed on cocaine. She knew her mother would tear into her about doing drugs. But when her mother saw that she had woke up, she was emotional.

"Oh, my baby!" her mother wept, as she hugged her daughter.

"M-Mom?" said a groggy Carla. "What happened?"

"You were passed out in your room, baby."

"Oh my god!" Carla started crying. "Why did I do something so stupid?! Mom, I am so sorry! Mickie had me try some of it, then I got a habit, and…"

"Wait a minute! Mickie gave you the dope?! As in your cousin Mickie?!"

"Yeah, she told me it would help to stay awake when you had a ton of homework."

"I should have known! Her mother was addicted to drugs; it was obvious that her kids would get hooked. Even worse was that they got you on that stuff!"

"I didn't know it would land me in the hospital! Mom, I really am sorry! I know I broke your trust by doing cocaine, and I will work to make it right again!"

"Baby, it's not entirely your fault. Yes, you should have said no when they offered it to you, but, being your cousin, they should have respected you and not offered it in the first place. We will get through this together."

"You're not mad at me?"

"No, not at you. You became a victim of peer-pressure, and by your own cousin! I will have a talk with my brother, your uncle, and his wife for what Mickie did to you, Carla. And we will get you help."

"We?"

"Frieda had come over when we saw you passed out. She told me she saw you snorting yesterday. She was planning an intervention to happen at her boyfriend's house."

"Man. Well, she won't have to do any kind of intervention now, because I am never touching cocaine ever again! Where is she right now?"

"She's in the waiting room. I think she's waiting for her boyfriend to come."

Frieda was pacing back and forth, waiting for some results. Charlie Brown had just come in and saw his girlfriend in the waiting room.

"Frieda!" he called out.

"Charlie Brown!" said Frieda, seeing her boyfriend. She hugged him and cried a little. "I'm so glad you're here, baby!"

"What's happening with Carla right now?"

"I have no idea. Her mother is in her room right now. They were able to save her from the brink. She's stable now."

"The gang left after you called and told what happened. I told them we'd let them know what was going on when we heard more."

"Thank you, honey." Frieda kissed Charlie Brown. "By the way, did Snoopy bring you?"

"He did. He's parking the limo right now." At that moment, Carla's mother walked into the waiting room.

"Frieda," she began, "Carla is awake. She wants to see you."

Frieda and Charlie Brown, along with Carla's mother, was with Carla. She was ashamed for doing drugs and her new friend seeing her doing it.

"Frieda," she began., "words can't describe how sorry I am for doing drugs. Mom told me you were planning an intervention. You must really hate me."

"Carla, if I hated you, I'd never even bother planning an intervention in the first place," said Frieda.

"We all care about you, Carla," Charlie Brown added. "We didn't want anything bad to happen to you."

"Yeah, so much for that happening, right?" Carla retorted.

"Well, the fact that you see that you need help and want to stop is a good sign, Carla," said Frieda. "And not just Charlie Brown and I, but the whole gang will support you in your recovery. And we still expect you to see the CB's debut at Violet's New Year's Eve party!"

"I'm still invited?" asked Carla.

"Like you even have to ask!" Violet came in, along with the rest of the gang.

"I told you we tell you once we knew," said Charlie Brown.

"Well, you know how our patience is, Chuck!" said Peppermint Patty.

"We just wanted to know if she made it through, Charles," added Marcie.

"Plus, we couldn't just wait without knowing," said Lucy.

"Well, as you can see, Carla is awake and alert," said Frieda. "And she's agreed to get the help she needs to break her addiction."

"That's great!" said Linus. "We will be rooting for you, Carla."

"Thank you, everyone," said Carla. "I won't let you down."

"I know you won't, baby," said Carla's mother. "You know I love you."

"I love you, too, mom," said Carla, who then hugged her mother. She turned to Frieda and said, "Thank you, Frieda, for caring enough to get me help."

"Always, Carla," said Frieda. The two friends then hugged each other. Everyone smiled. Carla was one of the lucky ones. Most folks wouldn't accept or admit that they need help with their dependency on drugs, but Carla saw where she was headed before it was too late. And she had gotten a second chance to get the help she needed. And with the help of her friends, she knew she could do it.

THE END

Next time, Rattler's parents have reached the end of their marriage, Charlotte Braun meets a boy while volunteering at a church, and Peppermint Patty, Marcie, and Claudia find a stray dog.