Chapter 14- Chicken Soup for the Teenaged Soul

            Shane gently knocked on Alex’s door. She got no response. She tried again and nothing. She gently pushed open the door to see Alex dead asleep with headphones on. She walked over and removed the headphones, turned off the stereo and gently pulled Alex’s hair back.

Shane: Can we talk?

Alex groaned and groggily turned around to face Shane, still asleep. Shane lowered her mouth to Alex’s ear and yelled.

Shane: WAKE UP!

Alex jumped and rubbed her eyes as Shane laughed.

Alex: What the fuck?

Shane: Can we talk?

Alex yawned as Shane subsided laughing, trying to be serious.

Alex: Un huh. What *yawns* is up?

Shane gave her, her best worried mother look.

Alex: Right.

Alex grabbed her mouth then leaned over the bed, into her garbage and vomited. Shane rolled her eyes.

Shane: Not so fun once you’ve sobered up huh?

Alex kept throwing up and Shane went over, rubbed her back as she puked. Alex finished up. She sat up and looked at her mother, her eyes welling up with tears, she pulled her knees to her chest. Shane comforted her. She brought her daughter to her chest and held her tight. Alex cried.

Alex: I’m sorry.

Shane: I know.

Alex gripped Shane tightly, grabbing at her shoulders. This is the first time she felt all night. All night, she was numb, but now, she had the warm, safe feeling. She was at home. She looked up at Shane.

Shane looked down to meet her daughter’s gaze. There, she saw it. That same, exact expression that Shane had dreamt about. That expression she told herself to make sure not to see it. She knew how hurt Alex was. She had been there. She had been through the tossing from foster home to foster home. The beatings and molestations. She had been on the street. Then, she had finally broken free. Then she met Cherie.

For the first time in her life, Shane felt at ease and loved. Then, Cherie ripped her heart out. She also remember what she said about it. She felt all those emotions come back, through Alex. She simply pulled Alex in tight and hoped the feeling would go away.