Chapter 14
Hi Everyone thanks for sticking with this story, I know it all seems a bit depressing right now but things will get better for Spencer, I promise. However, this story is going to be a slow burn, because I don't believe in telling a story without true elements of what recovering from an assault is really like. I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Hearing a loud thud from upstairs, Mrs. Hastings panics rushing to check on her vulnerable daughter. Finding Spencer in an unconcious heap on her bedroom floor Veronica, can barely breath, images of Spencer in the hospital on the night she was attacked flash through her mind, but scanning the area and her daughters still breathing body she realises that she was not hurt by anyone this time and she quickly rings an ambulance gasping "Please help, come quick my daughter fainted and she won't wake up". The Ambulance arrives an agonising ten minutes later and the paramedics struggle to get the terrified mother out of their way so they can treat the young woman passed out in front of them. Assuring the older woman that her daughter's vitals are normal they expalin that she most likely fainted from low blood sugar and load the two women into the ambulance to head to the hospital to check the pale young girl out for sure.
Clinging to her daughter's hand the whole way there, Veronica Hastings is overwhelmed with fear and more predominantly guilt. How had she not noticed how little her baby was eating, but she had noticed she just didn't do anything about it. She was useless she thought to herself, how had she let the monster that was Ian into their lives in the first place?
She spends what seems like hours but is really only minutes in the hospital waiting room, calling her husband and then Toby and the girls and telling them wha happened but encouraging them to give Spencer space, before a young doctor finally comes out to update her on her daughters condition.
"Mrs. Hastings, your daughter fainted because of low blood sugar and exhaustion", the doctor clinically informs her.
"Is she goung to be ok?", Veronica inquires
The doctor purses her lip before offering the older woman a sympathetic smile and saying,
"Mrs. Hastings, I read your daughter's notes and I understand that she's been through a lot, but she really needs to take better care of herself. She'll be fine this time, we'll release her this afternoon but, you need to make sure she eats better and tries to get some rest ok?"
"I will make sure she does", the mother replies and even though she knows it will be hard she has to find a way to get through to her baby girl, who is clearly struggling way more than she had thought.
Moving into her daughters hospital room, she notices the young girl sitting up in the bed looking more drained and haunted than she had ever seen anyone look before, even in all her years of being a lawyer. Staying strong she settles beside the young girl on a chair and squeezing a frail hand in her own she whispers, "Baby I'm am going to help you get through this but you have to look after yourself better too, ok? I need by little girl to be healthy".
"I'm sorry mommy", Spencer whispers back "I just don't feel hungry ever and I can't sleep without thinking of him".
Mrs. Hastings reassures Spencer that she understands but that things have to get at least a bit better and gently coaxes her daughter into seeing Dr. Sullivan again. Reluctantly Spencer agrees and they make an appointment for two days time shortly after leaving the hospital that afternoon.
The rest of Spencer's day is spent sleeping on the living room couch followed by her mother practically force feeding her toast and fruit, which sits in her stomach like a heavy stone and does'nt do anything to improve her energy levels at all.
Her cell phone rings and pings with text messages incessantly but she refuses to answer or read a single one. She can feel herself gradually entering a stage of full on depression and although it should scare her and she knows she should fight to get better she just can't find the energy or the will to recover.
Hours later when her mom has long since gone to bed and her dad and sister have sneaked back into their own house like fugitives, Spencer sits in her room, manically counting the flowers on her wallpaper pattern, feeling and array of emotions, guilt at causing her family and friends and Toby so much worry, fear at the thought of Ian still out there and defeat and not being able to will herself back to normal. Hoping to find some positivity in a dark mindset she contemplates her appointment qith Dr. Sullivan and wonders if she will be able to help, after all, people, victims survived and recovered all the time right? But maybe she just asn't as strong as those other women and men, as Mrs. Marin, maybe she was just a weak, pathetic little girl who was destined to live the rest of her life in misery.
Hi guys hope you enjoyed this chapter even though it was a bit short. Please Review!