Makin' Sense of Things

It had been such a long month, being born and constantly growing at the drop of a hat. It was weird, all the things that happened in such little time. The worst of it being the loss of her three sisters. She missed them and wondered if they were somewhere safe, somewhere...happy? She had been succumbed to so much in her short life and it only gave her pause as to where her life was going. Braelyn, Charlaine and Danika never got to grow up like she did, get to live and see the things she saw. She still felt guilty that she got to live and they didn't.

Padding down the hallway to her room, she moved down the stairs and heard her father's thoughts nearby.

Shit, now Terry's gone. Arlene is a wreck, I still don't know where I stand with Holly and Maurella may or may never come back...and now I got a teenage daughter to worry about. Fuckin' vampers better not touch her...ever. Shit, this damn town has gone to hell.

"Daddy?" She spoke softly as she peered her head into the den where he sat watching television.

He jolted up out of his seat and turned to see Adilyn standing in the doorway. He reddened and hoped she hadn't heard his thoughts. She had a bad habit of listening in and he wasn't always using his filter. She was only a month old, but she looked seventeen at least. The boys would be calling on her soon, was he supposed to allow her to go? Wouldn't that still be considered...illegal?

He rubbed at his face and sat his beer down, running his hands along the front of his white t-shirt. "Yeah? Come on in, you wanna sit? Is something wrong, you okay?"

He seemed to examine her and took no note of anything being hurt, but you never could be too careful.

"No, no I'm okay. I just...needed to talk?" She smiled softly and her cheeks felt flamed. How was she supposed to talk to him about everything? Miss Holly had said she had to work and she hadn't got up the nerve to say anything til now. Tucking her hair behind her ear, she moved into the den and sat on the couch. He followed suit. Staring into space in front of her, she tried to think of what to say, how to say it maybe.

"Uncle Terry died and everyone is sad. I keep growin' and gettin' older...will I die soon too?" It was a fear she held in until now, now there was extra reason she feared death.

"Naw, Naw..that's nonsense girl. You are part fae and my daughter. I ain't lettin' nothin' happen to ya. I'm sure you'll be fine." He grumbled and turned to face her, pulling her into his arms for a hug. Placing his chin on her head, he sighed. "I know losing your sisters was hard on ya and it's harder without a mother. But I promise you I'll do what I can to be the best parent you have."

He smiled and moved her so that he could look at her, sensing something still wrong. Teenage hormones, already? "What is it Adilyn?"

"Daddy, I'm dying. I'm bleeding to death and I can't stop it. It's like...just everywhere and I tried to hold pressure there like google said and I can't. It won't stop." She was sobbing now, her words coming in and out as she tried to explain and spoke fast, tears running down her cheeks. She looked up at him with the saddest eyes. "I'm sorry daddy."

His brows knit together and he frowned, what was she talking about? He didn't see any blood on her anywhere. "Adilyn....wait, hold up...hey, hey, listen. Shh...okay first...where are you bleeding? How did you get hurt? I can take you to the hospital, it's fine just tell me that." He ran a hand along the side of her hair and tried to calm her, her body trembled with fear which made him equally scared.

She sniffled and blew out a breath, wringing her hands nervously as she looked down at her lap and sniffled some more, wiped away her tears then looked back up. "My...my...down there." She pointed to her lap and met his eyes, full of fear and anxiety.

"I don't know how much longer I have left, it's been doing that all day and it won't stop. Should we go to the hospital?"

He listened to her and let his jaw go slack at her words, his eyes going down to where she pointed and he stood quickly, pacing back and forth with a hand on his hip. Bringing another hand to his forehead, he grumbled and shook his head violently. "No, no, I---this isn't happening. Jesus Christ, tits on a turtle."

She's a month old, she's already going through puberty...getting her cycle? How..is this possible?Does this mean? Sex...oh she should know about that....oh where is Holly when I need her. Fuck, shit, fuck....

He stood quickly and it made her reach out for him. "Daddy...wait....what's wrong? Are you okay, am I dying? Tell me what to do!" Her voice rose a few octaves and she felt even more scared. He began to pace and looked so bewildered and scared himself. That was it, she was dying and he didn't know how to say it. She listened to his thoughts to try to prepare herself.

She's a month old, she's already going through puberty...getting her cycle? How..is this possible?Does this mean? Sex...oh she should know about that....oh where is Holly when I need her. Fuck, shit, fuck....

"Daddy, quit cursing! What is a cycle...puberty? What does that mean? And what is sex?"

He felt like he would soon either a) pass out or b) die from a heart attack or embarrassment. Running both hands over his face, he gave her a stern look and knew he had to be....a father...and well, a mother. Swallowing hard, he moved back over to the sofa. "Okay, listen. We are gonna do this calmly. I'm gonna explain to you what is happening and then we are gonna take a trip to the store." She nodded and he continued. "You are not dying...you are...becoming a woman. Congratulations." He smiled nervously, hoping to calm her. Her face never changed. She wasn't understanding.

"You see, Adilyn...you're part...human and well...human women have cycles, or uh..that time of the month. It's where you...you bleed...from there...and...and....it means...you're.."

Fuck, what does it mean? It just means no sex for a week and stay far away as possible. Think Andy, damn it.

"It means your lady parts are workin'. Holly is way better at this and she is a woman....maybe she can explain better. How about we just go get some things...you know to uh..help."

"Oh--okay...I think. So I'm not dying...and I can't have sex? And my lady parts work...what things from the store could help with this?"

She felt a pain in her stomach and groaned, bending over and looking up at him worried. "See, these pains too, they hurt like I'm dying. Are you sure daddy...are you sure I'm not dying."

"You...uh...you stay here and I'll run out and get you what you need. Just don't move...or or, you know what helps, go take a hot bath and just relax. Works for Holly, so uh...yeah go do that. I'll get you what you need and make sure Miss Holly is here for you when you're done."

He nervously moved around the room in search of his keys as he spoke to her, occasionally looking at her and then back to find his wallet. When he gathered everything, he gave her a weak smile. "And sex....sex is something we'll talk about another night. One thing at a time, okay?" He nodded and mentally felt he was going insane.

She nodded as he jabbered away. A bath, she could do that. That's easy. This would be okay, he knew what was happening...but didn't know. She was going to live. She would be fine. "Ok daddy....I'll do what you suggested." She nodded again and stood to head upstairs. Looking over her shoulder at him before he gave her a nervous smile and jet out the house. She sighed and wished Holly or Aunt Arlene was here. This would be a lot simpler. Becoming a woman sure hurt like hell....