Chapter 5 Trouble

Maria stares out the window of Madeline's hospital room, the sounds and sight of rain hitting the window coupled with sounds of medical machines beeping softly, with what she was feeling at the moment, sadness, guilt and shame, she sees herself in the reflection of the window, her eyes heavy with exhaustion, dried tear tracks on her red cheeks, face pale as a ghost, remembering the day Madeline was admitted.

Flashback

The drive to the hospital was agony for everyone as they followed the ambulance that held their youngest friend/sister/daughter.

By the time the cars were stopped and parked, Madeline was already in the emergency room, while her family and fellow co stars all had to wait in the waiting room.

Maria and Jerry were busy filling out the medical forms while Katie just put her music on and shut everyone out as she was texting on her phone.

Time seem to pass by slowly for everyone there, Juliet was starting to paces because she was restless and worried about her friend.

"What's taking so long? Madeline's been in there for hours." Juliet complained impatiently.

Danny tried to calm his daughter, "Honey, they are just making sure she doesn't have anything life threatening injuries or illnesses that could have caused her to collapse and fall unconscious in the first place, I am sure that the doctor will be out soon."

"It was a good thing that James and Caroline were there to catch her before she could hit her head." Jason states just as Loise came through the automatic main entrance doors of the hospital, carrying two trays of various drinks.

"Okay, I got 2 coffees, a tea, a hot chocolate, and an empty cup. That machine owes me 60 cents!" she grumbles that last part to herself.

"Just put it down next to the other stuff we didn't drink." Stephanie said pointing to a table full of paper cups still full of liquids.

Harry claps his hands loudly gaining the attention of everyone in their group.

"All right, everybody, we are all on edge right now, but pacing, snapping and complaining aren't going to get us anywhere, now I am open to suggestions of what we can do to pass the time.

He was met with silence, until the main doors open again to reveal a grave Alice.

"Hey Katie texted me about Maddie, hear anything?" She asked.

Everyone shook their heads, as Maria said, "Last we heard she was still unconscious."

"Well, if you want I can take Katie back home, Dennis is over at his friend's for a sleepover." Alice said.

Maria looks towards Katie and then back at Alice, nodding, "Yes, thank you, we will keep you posted."

After exchanging hugs and farewells, both Alice and Katie left for home.

Just then a woman wear a doctor's coat and blue scrubs came out with a clipboard in hand.

"Family of Madeline Jones." she said.

Jerry and Maria stood up and went over to where she stood.

"Mr. and Mrs. Jones, I am Dr. Hailey, I was one of the doctors on call to treat your daughter."

"How's she doing?" Jerry asked.

"She is stable for the moment, but she is still very frail, during other examination she had a seizor which we mange to stop it, she has slipped into a coma, we are unsure as what caused it, we are still running some test, but for now, let me bring you to her room."

End of flashback

"Maria, go home and rest, I will take next shift." she heard her husband, Jerry say from behind her.

"How can I rest? When our child is laying in a hospital bed in a coma! How could I have been so blind!?" Maria said brokenly.

Jerry puts his arms around his wife, pulling her close to him, comforting her as he said firmly, "It's not your fault! They all played us for fools, you couldn't have known, you were just doing what you thought was best to help Maddie understand her role better, no one is blaming you, so please stop blaming yourself."

Maria pulls away and looks Jerry square in the eye her face grim, "Jerold, do I need to remind you that we had see this happen before with other young actors, we even had to go to presentations about how to prevent this, we knew the signs and unwittingly turned a blind eye to it, now I am going to head back home to relief Alice, Katie has been not handling this whole mess well at all and the poor kid, needs me."

Jerry sighs warily, his oldest was blaming herself for not seeing the change in her sister "Just been careful, that rain is coming down pretty hard, I will keep you posted, love you."

Maria nods, "Love you too" then she goes to where Madeline laid and gives her a kiss on the forehead, before heading out the door, grabbing the umbrella, quietly shutting the door.

Jerry sits heavily by his sleeping daughter's side gently holding her tiny hand in his large one. "Please wake up soon, Maddies, we all miss you."

Madeline looks around the abyss that surrounds her faint sounds and pictures of past memories flowed by her, but one memory forcibly sucked her in.

Madeline had just been dropped off by her Mom and was now sitting in a large warehouse made to a classroom surround by other girls that she knew were actors like her, she even spots her friend, Juliet.

"Juliet! Come sit by me." Madeline said waving her friend over in her direction.

Juliet smiles widely, coming over and sits down beside her younger friend.

Everyone was talking quietly among themselves, when the door to the classroom burst open, causing everyone to go silent in both curiosity and fear.

A tall woman with a stern disposition came in, a scowl seem to be a permanent fixture on her face as she said coldly.

"Welcome to "Royal Etiquette and Rules." my name is Ms. Claire, I am here to teach you how to behave like actual royalty through the ages, I will not tolerate failure or childish misbehavior, consequences will be sever, now let's get started."

Madeline watched helpless as she watched herself get scolded and insulted by the teacher, which at first caused the other students to pity her, but once Ms. Claire got through to them, they started to join in on her torment, only Juliet never took part in it and even tried to protect Madeline from the worse of it, but wasn't always successful, especially since Madeline had an hour of extra private lessons after everyone left.

"Sit like a royal Madeline, they do not squirm or slouch!"

"No, no, princess don't eat sweets or any junk food! You will get fat and no one wants a fat princess!"

"Madeline! Princesses don't run or jump or sweat at all."

When Madeline was standing on the makeshift staircase, she decided to slide down the banister, but once she got to the bottom, Ms. Claire grabbed her roughly and said.

"Princesses don't slide on banisters, I want you walk up and down those stairs like a proper princess until you can't, plus you are starting to look a little chubby, lazy girl."

Madeline had tears streaming down her face as she was forced to relive the worst 2 weeks of her young life, especially the second week as Ms. Claire had decided to use physical means to keep her in line, then she would be threaten into silence and had to lie to everyone about her bruises or marks, secretly putting on her mother's make up in order hide her exhaustion and any visible bruises from everyone and even started to wear lairs of clothes to hide her now extremely skinny frame , but she got sloppy and collapsed.

Tears continued streamed down her face as the shame and guilt of the memories played like a broken record on loop, she tried to block them out, but it was overwhelming as she tried run from it only to trip and fall into what seemed like an endless abyss, her screams growing faint.

the next Morning.

The shock of her nightmares were enough for Madeline wake up, as she struggled to open her eyes.

"Maddie? Please open your eyes, sweetheart." she heard a male voice say gently.

'Maddie? Who is that? Surely not me?' She wonders to herself as she finally managed to get her eyes to open slightly, looking around she saw that she was in an unfamiliar room with an unfamiliar man sitting beside her, holding her hand, then another person came in wearing a long white coat, blue shirt and pants carrying a clipboard.

"Well miss Madeline you give us quite the scare there, now I am going to shine this light into your eyes, it might be uncomfortable, but I promise it will be over quickly."

The girl winces at the light on her eyes, but was relieved when it was over quickly.

"Good girl, no signs of a concussion or damage to the brain." The doctor declared

"That is great Maddie!" The man sitting by her side said happily.

Madeline sighs and said, "I am sorry sir and ma'am, but who are you?"

At hearing this both the doctor and Jerry were alarmed.

"What do you mean Mads? I am your Daddy and that is Dr. Hailey." the man answers.

"Madeline? Who is that?" She asked.

Jerry frowns in concern as he said. "You."

Madeline just frowns back in confusion, before letting out a jaw cracking yawn.

"Rest dear, Mr. Jones come with me." Dr. Hailey said calmly.

As soon as they were out of the room the father frantically started to question the doctor, before the women puts her hand for silence.

"As far as I can see, your daughter has amnesia, my best guess it stems from the sever mental, emotional and physical trauma she endured, right now she is just a scared little girl, who needs a lot of support, just try to be patience and understanding and make sure that her friends and the rest your family know about her condition so that they won't be shocked by her lack of knowledge, don't force her to remember, just let it happen, I am sure eventually she was will regain her memories."

Meanwhile a crazy eyed Sarah was sitting her dimly lit room, typing away furiously on her computer as she sends photoshopped pictures of Madeline and how she might be faking her trauma and condition to gain more publicly and status as well as sympathy.

Once click of a button, she smirks sitting back as she turns her attention to where a figure sat in the corner of her room. "I am done Daddy."

Mitch smirks back at his daughter proudly, "Well done my little sunflower, soon you will be the lead role for Sofia The first, after I get Harry and Lois fired and I will take over and make sure that you are lead, soon the name Madeline Jones will be nothing but a forgotten black mark in the history of television."

Meanwhile back at the hospital Jerry stood outside Madeline's hospital talking on the phone with Maria, explaining to her about their youngest condition and what that entails.

"I will let Harry and Lois about this, how is she doing?" Maria asked concerned.

"She is resting for now, but I am at a loss here Maria, I mean amnesia, I thought that only happened in movies, I never would have imaged that it would happen to our little girl." Jerry said his voice cracked with unshed tears.

"Jerry, my dear sweet darling, Jerry, just take a deep breath and then go outside for some air, I will be coming around with Katie to sit with Maddie, while you go home, freshen up and rest." Maria said firmly.

Jerry sighs, reluctantly agreeing with her as he hung up and made his way down the hall, towards the elevators, his body on autopilot as he pressed the button for the main floor and before he knew it, he was sitting outside the hospital entrance.

"Jerry!"

"Dad!"

He turns at hearing his name being called and saw Maria and his oldest daughter, Katie, who practically ran up to him and embraced him tightly, quickly returning it back, scared to let her go for fear she will get hurt as well.

"Dad, can't breath!" Katie said causing Jerry to loosen his hold, until Katie squirms out of his arms and walks into the waiting room.

Feeling a hand on his shoulder, Jerry looks to see Maria staring back at him with both concern and understanding in her eyes, before leaning into to kiss him softly, before saying, "Go, we will keep Maddie company, I will keep you updated."

With that Jerry walks off to where he parked his car and starts the engine, making the trip home.