Chapter 7: First Day
Third Person POV-
They arrive late at night so they both agree that Mal would stay with Julia and Ben with Aden. So they said goodnight shared a kiss and went their separate ways, with Mal going to the kids room and Ben going to their room. Both carrying a sleeping child. Ben ended up sleeping most of the night besides Aden waking him up with having to use the bathroom and not knowing where it is. Mal, well she wasn't so lucky. She ended up getting woken up 5 times. The first was a bathroom, the second was a nightmare, the third was being hungry, the forth was being scared, and then the fifth was because of another nightmare. And she didn't get to go to sleep after that, because Julia was afraid it was a dream and she would wake up and she would be bak with her dad. So after getting woken up at 4:30am. Mal decided she was going to take Julia and make some cookies. So Mal took Julia and they made cookies and then ended up making pancakes for later. When they were done, they were a mess so Mal ended up showing Julia how to turn on the shower and then started some music playing. Then she carefully snuck out of the room and over to Evie's room to see if she could find a outfit that Evie made the night before. Only to find that Evie had fallen asleep at her sowing machine. So Mal carefully went over and woke up Evie. Evie woke up on high alert. "Evie, Julia's in the shower and need some clothes. I'll take her shopping later." "Hmmm.. What time is it?" Evie asked rubbing her eyes and looking around. "Eh.. 5:30." "Mal are you okay. Why are you up so early?" "I'm fine. Julia just couldn't sleep anymore. So where are the clothes?" "I have the shorts ready. I just fell asleep making the shirt." Evie said handing Mal a black pair of shorts. "Okay I think I can get a old dress I can wear anymore and see if she wants to wear it. If not I'll just get Lonnie to bring over one. Just until I can go shopping with her later." "Yeah that should work. Can you leave so I can get back to work?" "Fine. I'll send Mrs. Potts up with some coffee in a bit." "My life!" "Yeah, yeah. Oh and I'm telling Doug." She said walking out the room with the shorts. "I hate you!" "Love you too!" She said walking back to the room. She walked in to find that the shower was turned off, but Julia wasn't out. So Mal quietly went to her side of the closet and dug out her old box of clothes that she meant to go through and sort. She saw a lot of stuff and decided to let Julia decide. So she walked back to the bathroom and knocked. "Julia, you in there?" "Yeah. Come in." So Mal walked in to see Julia sitting in her vanity chair with a towel around her body and one around her hair. "You doing okay?" "I guess." "You guess?" Mal asked walking over and sitting on the bath tub."it feels numb. I can't really feel anything. I see all these marks on my body and I get flashbacks of when and how I got them. But I don't even cry anymore. I don't feel like doing anything." "Yeah I know what you mean." Mal said shuddering at her own flashbacks. "Really? How? Your the Queen of Aurodon, everyone adores you. Including my so called father." "Yeah. But have you ever heard about what happened before that? Or even who my mother is?" "No. My father just said that you weren't exactly meant for this life that's why everyone loves you. That's why he liked you so much." "He's right about one thing. I wasn't exactly born for this life. I grew up on the island of the lost. I was born to be this evil girl who was going to take over the island and hopefully the world. But something always told me I wasn't meant to do that. So I sometimes did something good and well my mother wasn't very happy. Julia what I am about to tell you, you can't ever repeat. Okay? Not even my husband knows." Julia nods her head. "When I did something good she would punish me. The punishments were always different. She often would make me go without food, do dangerous chores or if I did something extremely good like help someone she would make me stand there while she walked around my body as she please doing whatever. She usually would give me a while bunch I marks then she would end up beating me." "Who was your mother?" "You know her if you've ever read Sleeping Beauty." "Maleficient." "Yeah." "Did she ever run into a dragon?" "No, we lived on a island with no magic or wifi." "Woah." "Yeah. Now come on its almost 6, we can go check out the library." "Okay. But what do I wear?" "Right come on." Mal said opening the door. "Um.." Mal quickly censed that she was uncomfortable walking out there in just a towel. "It's fine. They are all asleep. I can even lock the door if you'd like?" She quickly shook her head saying yes. So Mal walked over and closed the door and locked it. Then she walked over to the closet and motioned for Julia to follow. Which she did. She found Mal sitting on the floor in front of a box that had clothes in it. So Julia slowly walked over and sat down, and then adjusted her towel. "Okay. So these are some of my old clothes that I don't really need or don't wear anymore. You can look through it and find something you want to wear or something that will fit you. So look through it and I am going to go shower and change. Oh and Mrs. Potts should be by with some tea soon, so go a head and let her in." "Okay." Was all Julia managed to say as Mal walked away with an outfit under her arm. With Mal gone she turned around and started looking through the box. She found a purple dress with different shades of purple and these cools straps. (The dress Mal wore on her date with Ben) She tried it on and found that it for pretty well. She ended up finding her shoes from last night so she put those on and then ran her hand through her hair. Then she went and sat on the bed waiting for Mal. While she was waiting she heard a knock. She went and unlocked it and open it. Only to find that it was a lady. In fact it was the guy from last night. She tensed and just looked at him. He smiled and started. "Hey Julia. I was just looking for Mal." "She's in the shower." "Okay. Tell her to come pop in my office when she done. Thanks." Ben said trying to get away and not make her feel awkward. "Okay." Julia said looking back at the door. "Oh and by the way you look nice in that dress. Ask Mal about it later." Ben said walking away hoping he didn't make it awkward for her. Julia smiled and looked down. And grateful she didn't feel scared or awkward towards him after that sentence. She actually felt loved and cared for. She closed the door and then went and sat on the bed, she got caught up in thinking about her new start that she didn't hear the shower stop. So when she walked out, dressed and ready to go Julia got scared. "Sorry Julies. I didn't mean to scare you. Hey your wearing the dress." "It's fine. I was just deep in thought. And yeah. Ben said to ask you about it." "Ben was here?" "Yeah. He came to talk to you. I told him you were in the shower so he said or you to pop in his office later." "Okay. He didn't make you feel uncomfortable did he?" "After first cause I didn't expect him to be at the door. But after I realized I knew him, I calmed down. I even talked to him without cowering in the corner. I didn't even think about crying, I kind if felt safe. And I knew he was just trying to be nice and careful with his choice of words when he said I looked nice in the dress." "Yeah that's Ben for you. If your not comfortable with him then he works towards it, he won't push. So how about we go grab the breakfast we made earlier and see if Aden wants to go shopping with us?" "Okay." So Mal grabbed her shoes and then grabbed Julia's hand and walked out. She told Julia that they would go find Aden and ate. So they headed off towards Ben's office to search first. When they got there they found that Aden was sitting on the couch watching something on an iPad and eating some apple slices. He looked up and saw two of his favorite people. "Mama! Sissy!" He called as he forgot about the iPad and snack and ran towards them. "Where were you? I couldn't find you? I only saw Daddy." "We'll I was showing Julia what your new room looks like. Guess what? You guys get to share a room. And then when your older and decided you want lot space for your toys we'll get you your own rooms. How does that sound?" "Yay! Sleepover every night!" "Yeah but if you don't go to sleep you'll have to come sleep with us okay?" Ben said walking up. "Okay." Aden grumbled. "So I want to talk to Mal
So, Julia why don't you head to your room and show him around? We'll come he you for breakfast?" Ben said not expecting an answer. "Okay." With that Julia grabbed Aden's hand and walkout the room. "How was it?" Ben asked Mal. "Ehh. I mean I got at least 5
Hours last night. But I am still running on adrenaline, so were good until at least tomorrow night." "Better than I thought. How many times were you up?" "Five and then she gave up and didn't want to go back to sleep so we went and made cookies and some pancakes. Oh and if asks we didn't have any chocolate chips for a week." "I'll remember that." "Then we were a mess so we went back to te room and I showed her how to work the shower, set some music and she was good." "That's good. She didn't seem nearly as jumpy when I talked to her." "Yeah she said you scared her at first cause she was told Mrs. Potts was coming but calmed down when she realized she knew you. She even said she felt safe and knew you going slow with her." "She figured that out huh?" "Yeah. But she said she was fine with it. In fact she happy about it." "I'm glad. And I am glad to here she felt safe when she realized it was me." "Me too. I honestly was think I would be with her for the rest of the month." "You might we'll see." "Did Aden wake up at all?" "Yeah...to use the bathroom as e didn't know where it was." "She woke for the bathroom once. We need to set a limit f how late they can have liquids." "Probably yeah. But i mean no accidents so not yet." "I guess." "So what else do you have planned?" "Well I need to go shopping for her because Evie is slacking i found her asleep with only shorts done." "Well we had a long night." "Yeah but I am still going." "But your you." "Fair enough." "Well lets go get'em I am sure they are hungry." "That makes all of us." Then they walked over towards the kids room and found that Julia had fallen asleep on her bed watching a show with Aden on the IPad, while Aden just saw them and said, "shh! Sissy sleepy." "Okay, well let go eat and come bring her something when were done, Mr. Guard." "Okay. But she likes eggs. Old mommy said that is all she is allowed to have." "Well lets give her some pancakes and see how she likes them?" "Okay." So he kissed Julia's head and walked over to Ben and Mal and grabbed there hand. And then they walked to the kitchen to find Mrs. Potts making some sausage. "Hey, so I found pancakes in the warmer so I figure Mal had another baking freenzey so I am using those with some sausage and hash browns?" "Yeah. I made cookies too but they are in the dish on the table." "Saw those or what was led anyways. Lumiere decided he was going to see the big fuse over why everyone loves your cookies and then Adam came in and snagged a few." "Of course he did. I swear he has the sixth censed of when I am baking." Mal said grabbing the apple juice from the counties and giving Aden a cup. "I mean so do I. So I can't really blame them." Ben said looking to see if there was anymore cookies. "Well lucky for you I made another batch. There in the Library on the east wing. I'll go get them." With that the left. "Ben." "Hm?" He responded not paying attention. "Has your mother not taught you any manners?" "What? Of course she has. Why do ask such a thing?" "Well I mean you have a young guest here and you have her to introduce the babe." She said as thought it was the easiest thing to do. "Oops. Sorry . This is Aden the child who one the contest and Mal's heart?" "Ah, of course. I saw it on tv. You really shouldn't have married Mal if she was going to find Aden right after." "Hey! Not you too! Even Evie said that, and it's Evie. Well I am done being abused. I am leaving." Ben walked out of the kitchen but feeling like he forgot something, but before he could figure out what, he heard a scream from upstairs. He ran as fast as he could. He ran up the stairs and realized that it came from the kids room. He random the hall and walked into find Julia crying and breathing heavy trying to catch her breath it seemed like, with her arms around her legs, with her eyes closed.(a panic attack.) "Julia?" Ben called slowly walking towards her not wanting to scare her. "Ben?" She asked as a whisper. "Yeah it's me." "It-it hurts. I cant make it stop." She panted between her breaths if you could call it that. "Julia? What hurts?" "I brain." "Okay. Well lets do something to take your mind off of it okay." "How?" She asked as fresh tears came. "We are going to tell stories. But first I need you to calm down. Okay?" "I don't know how." "Can I pick you up I have an idea." She shook her head as her brain became really clustered and with her breathing so ragged she was very close to passing out. And she knew it but couldn't make it stop. As soon as she shook her head she was being lifted up. She was put in someone's lap and she felt her head being gently guided to someone's heart beat. She knew who it was, she felt safe with it. "Jules I need you to try and copy my heart beat okay?" She couldn't do anything her head was taking over. She knew that this point was coming, she had bottled it all up and purposely made herself feel numb. She knew she wouldn't have been able to deal with it all. So she pretended she was fine and that she was okay. She became a little actress she hid it from everyone, hoping that if she pretended long enough and convinced enough people that she would believe it herself. Her head was pounding, she couldn't make it stop. All the demons she worked so hard to contain were now everywhere and making her question everything. She was getting to tired to fight it. She knew she only had a few minutes before she passed out. Her eyes were getting heavy and her body only ached more. But she knew that she had to be okay. If not for herself Aden, because he still loved her and needed her, right? He's young wouldn't he get over it? She knew this was what she felt and knew in her heart but those demons were only getting stronger. But she focused as hard as she could on the heartbeat, her energy was going down but she refused to give up. While she was still crying hard she was slowly calming down. But that's only when she realized how much her head and body actually ached, and how much her head really was spinning. "Julia? Honey are you okay?" She heard someone ask, it was all becoming a blur, she was becoming trapped in her head. "I'm okay." She managed to whisper right before she passed out. She woke up only to find her head hurting like she got ran over by a truck and that she was in her bed, well her new bed. She turned to her side to see that some guy was sitting right next to her, looking as though he was crying and trying bring some sort is solution to this problem. She knew she had seen him before and she knew that she knew his name, but her head was hurting so much that she couldn't think straight. So she sat there for a few moments trying to think. "Julia? How are you feeling?" "It hurts. I can't even think straight. And why is my head swarming?" "Well I would imagine. You had quite the scare there." "I did?"
She questioned. "Do you remember?" "I think I do. My head is still kind of foggy." "Well that's okay. How about you try and sleep some more and then we'll talk and if you don't remember I'll tell you. Okay?" "Okay" she mumbled as she fell asleep. Once Ben knew she was asleep, he carefully got up and asked for them to send a guard up. Once they did, he asked for him to watch her and notify him if she woke. Then he stumbled off. He somehow found his way to his office and sat down on the couch. He stared blankly at the floor for a few minutes until he started thinking about what just happened. He couldn't get her to calm down. He promised that he would never let her get hurt again. And here she was in pain-both mentally and physically. He stood up and ended up nocking over the lamp, and then the chair, and then the desk. And then he sat down on the floor and stared blankly at the mess he just made. He had only know about the girl for a little under two days and here he was- sitting in his office just having destroyed it, now staring and the floor trying to figure out what he did wrong and why that little girl was in so much pain. He almost wanted to kill the guy that was supposedly her father, the guy who started it all. But he knew that was just his anger and mind talking. But he wouldn't lie when his heart may have considered that idea more than once in the last few minutes. But all he wanted was for him to feel just a bit of the pain he caused that little girl while not dying a few minutes after. He sat there deep in thought until he heard a knock at the door. "Yes?" He called out as though he was on autopilot. "Sir, she is awake." He heard, then he turned to the clock to find that he hadn't just geeing there a few minutes but more like 3 hours. He quite got up and walked to the door, unlocked it and left towards the room he dreaded so much. And he couldn't just send Mal, she had a last minute meeting with the princess on a ball, he found out from . He thought about calling her an telling her. But he knew he had to learn to handle it. Sure he would pay for it later from Mal and his mother but he hope when he explained it that, he wouldn't die. He carefully walked in to find Julia was lying on her bed facing up towards the ceiling. Neither said a word, until Ben broke it, "do you want to talk about it?" "I don't know. It's all so confusing and scary. I mean why me?" "I don't know maybe something good was meant to come from it." "Yeah like any good could from that." She scoffed. "Yes. But think about it, you get to live out every little girls dream, of living in a castle and being a princess." "Yeah. That is pretty nice." "Exactly and not to mention all of the toys and clothes you are going to get." "Yeah." "And all of the love your going to get here. I mean think about it, more people the ore love you'll get." "Yeah and more names to remember." "Yes but it will be fun. You'll get to watch Aden try and say them." "Yeah that is pretty great." "Yeah. I mean how do you think I got Mal to fall in love with me?" "All the strawberries?" "Well I was going to say love- but now that I think of it, every time i saw her i always had strawberries in some shape or form." "Told you." "I suppose you did." "Of course I did." "You remind me if Mal a lot. Minus the hair." "Really?" "You think I'm like Mal?" "Of course. Now how about we grab some aspirin and go and see if we have anything to snack on." "Please I am starving." With that they got up and walked out of the room. Meaning Julia was a little weak so Ben gave her a piggy back ride down to the kitchen.
Mal's POV-
I get home to find that the kitchen is a mess. So I go to find Ben to ask him about it. I go to his office and see that it's a mess as well. What happened? Did a tornado come through here? I decided I check the bed room next. I walk in to find that Ben had both of the kids in bed with him, one on each side and they were watching a movie. So I carefully walk in. "Mommy! Your back!" I laugh and say, "I am. Did you miss me?" "I did." "I did" "I did." Were heard from all three of them. "Well I missed you too. So what are you watching?" "We're watching Charlie and the chocolate factory." "You like it?" I asked walking into the closet and grabbing my pjs. "Mmh. I want chocolate." Aden said. "Well I am going to get dressed and see what I can go grab as a snack okay?" "Yay!" They all said together. I just laughed and then went to go get changed. I walked out and then walked out of the room to the kitchen. I saw that we had some chocolate covered strawberries and banana chips so I grabbed those and some popcorn with some chocolate and strawberry milk to share. I even grabbed some cookies. I also grabbed some carrots and ranch cause why not? Then I walked up to the room and went and put the snacks on the bed and then grabbing my favorite blanket and coming to jumping in the bed. I end up finding that Julia wanted to be with both of us, and that Aden just wanted to be with me. I wonder what happened today? So we got settled and finished the movie and then watched some of R.L haunted cabinets of souls. We only watched a little cause we were all tired so we turned off the tv and put the snack remains by the door to take tomorrow. Then we all cuddled and went to sleep. We ended up all sleeping through the night minus Aden cause he had to go potty. We woke up around 9 and decided to get ready. I told Julia to get ready and we'll go shopping and grab something on the way.