The word had spread like wildfire.
Online entertainment news sites and even a few local papers were suddenly bludgeoning readers with various headlines, such as 'Star of kids show is outed!' or 'Beatrice Beagle is discovered with woman at event!' and, in one instance, a really rude headline that used numerous slurs. Beatrice didn't have time to read them, however, because she was too focused on staring at the tiles on the hospital hallway floor. She had to keep herself distracted for the time being. Leslie, however, was scrolling through her phone, scoffing at various pieces she was stumbling upon, and some unflattering comments as well as some very supportive comments. After a moment she looked at Bea and opened her mouth, but decided against it. Liam, on the other hand, was in front of the public eye, trying to dissuade the general outcry and hounding reporters. How could he possibly handle this? He locked himself in his office at one point, trying to simply escape for even a singular moment, then opened the minifridge and pulled out a beer and popping the top, downing the entire thing in seconds flat. Jesus christ, why had this happened? Wasn't Beatrice aware of what would happen if she was discovered to be queer? Then again, Liam himself wasn't one to talk. He himself had never been very public about his own sexuality. He sighed and sat on his desk, rubbing his forehead. None of this mattered right now, he had to remind himself. What really mattered was Michelle, who was in a hospital bed and on machine that was helping her breath. She was what really mattered in this moment. Everything else could be dealt with later. *** "...what if she dies?" Bea whispered, sitting in the chair in the hallway, the same place she'd been seated for the last day, "...what if...she just...doesn't wake up? What if she's comatose?" Leslie set her phone down in her lap and leaned over, rubbing Bea's back. "She's gonna be okay, okay?" Leslie said, "trust me, she's got health coverage thanks to the studio, and you, and they'll take care of her. She's gonna be just fine. She'll wake up and we'll talk to her about her health and, and..." Leslie trailed off, then sighed. "...I don't like lying to you," she finally said quietly. "I appreciate that," Bea replied, "the last thing I need is dishonest hope." They heard a pair of shoes heading down the hallway and looked up to see a heavier set woman in a business suit walking towards them. She set her briefcase down and looked at the women sitting on the chairs before exhaling and holding her hand out, which Beatrice shook firmly. "My name is Delores. I'm Michelle's social worker," she said, "I tried to get in touch with her only to be told she was in the hospital for the last day. Is she okay? How has she been? Is there any kind of-" "There's been no news for a few hours," Bea said, "but she's...she's strong, she'll probably be fine." "May I sit down?" Delores asked, and the woman nodded; Delores grabbed a chair and pulled it over across the hall to theirs and seated herself before asking, "what happened? All I know is that she collapsed and was taken here immediately. I heard it was at some kind of event?" "That's really all we know too," Bea said, "it was at an event, an event for my show, but I don't know what happened. I just know that she fell over, couldn't breath. I know she has health problems, trouble breathing, that she's been in and out of hospitals since she was a little girl because of it, but I can't say that I know what the problem exactly is or what's effecting her new as a result of it." Delores nodded, sucking on her lip, shaking her head, then started crying. Leslie stood up and walked over to Delores and hugging her, which Deloris appreciated and hugged back. "She'll be okay. I'm sure she'd be so thankful you cared and came," Leslie said. Beatrice had to get away from this for a moment. She stood up and excused herself, heading down the hall and around the corner, then leaned against the wall and shut her eyes. She took a long deep breath and then heard banging nearby. She opened her eyes and looked down the hall to see Eliza standing in front of the candy machine, banging on it with her fist. Beatrice smirked and walked further down the hall, approaching Eliza. "Did it eat your money or not deliver the goods?" Bea asked, "I could get you something else if-" "It just...took it!" Eliza shouted, "It just took my dollar and didn't give me anything in return!" "Well, honey, calm down, it's not a big deal, we can just-" "Why does life keep taking things from me!?" Eliza shouted, putting her hands on the snack machine glass and crying, "why...why does life keep taking people from me?" The sadness, the pain in her voice...it broke Bea's heart. She reached out and pulled Eliza against herself and let her cry as she rubbed her back. "It's okay, she'll be okay," Bea whispered, even if she didn't know if she believed it herself just yet, "...she'll be okay honey." "She's my best friend," Eliza whispered. "I know, I know that, and I'm sure she'd be so grateful you were here and were so worried," Bea replied, "it's okay. Life...just...does this. It takes things from us, whether we want it to or not. We just have to cope with it, learn how to accept it and try to stay strong. But she's young, she has money thanks to the network, and she'll be okay, okay? I'll make sure of it. I'll guarantee she's okay." Eliza didn't even respond, she just cried harder, and Bea just stood there and let her cry on her. After all, she'd dedicated her life to being there for others. Why stop now? *** It was several hours later, and still no change or news had come through. Delores had gone to get everyone dinner, and Eliza had fallen asleep on the couch of the waiting area, which was mostly empty now, thanks to the time of night it was. Beatrice was standing, staring out of a large window and out at the twinkling night city, when Leslie approached her from behind. "Liam's on the phone," she said quietly, "he wants to know how we move forward with all this...you know...queer stuff." "...why is it always on me?" Bea asked, and Leslie furrowed her brow, then put the phone back to her ear. "She'll have to call you back," she said, before hanging up and walking up beside Bea, asking, "...why is what always on you?" "...feels like, my whole life, I've always had to be the one who keeps things together. We helps everyone feel better. What happens when I need someone? What happens when, suddenly, I require the same kind of love and kindness I've spent my whole life doling out? Michelle is why I'm here. Michelle and Keagan are why I came back at all. Michelle proved to me that what I did, even at my worst, had worth. Had value. I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing right now if not for these girls. And now...now she's lying in a bed and I don't even know if she's alive, and...and I feel like I have no one to turn to." "But you do," Leslie said, "you have Liam, you have Eliza, you have me. You have ME, Beatrice." "My name is Amelia," Bea said, surprising even herself at this sudden admittance, "...my real name is Amelia Burden." "Well, whatever your name is, you have me," Leslie said, "I'll be here for you, I am here for you. I know how close you two are, I know how much you must hurt, and-" "No, no you...you don't," Bea said, finally starting to cry silently, tears rolling down her face as she looked out the window, "...everything I've ever truly loved has eventually found its way to a hospital. I wasn't there for my dog because I was too busy doing school and work, and then she got sick. I wasn't there for Michelle because I was too busy dealing with merchandising, and then she got sicker. I've never been there when I'm actually needed, only after the fact, only once there's nothing left I can do to change things." "I don't think you could've changed things, baby," Leslie said, "this shit happens, you just have to deal with it. She's gonna be okay, okay?" Beatrice looked at Leslie, as Leslie, using her sweater sleeves over her hands, wiped her face free of tears, making Bea smile before she glanced back at Eliza, sleeping on the couch. Beatrice sighed and shook her head, looking back at Leslie. "...Eliza is a mess," Bea said, "I don't...I don't think I've realized until now how close she and Michelle have become, and...and it worries me. If something happens to her...Eliza's already dealt with enough loss, she can't...she wouldn't be able to..." "Shhh," Leslie said, kissing Bea's forehead, "it's okay, it'll be okay. Come sit down. You need to rest." Leslie, taking Bea by the hand, led her to a pair of seats, and they sat down together. After a bit, Leslie dozed off, but Bea continued to look out the window, just from afar now. When she checked her watch, it was now 5 in the morning, and she heard the doors to the waiting area open, and turned to see Keagan entering. Beatrice stood up and smoothed her clothes out, then walked up to Keagan and, before she could even speak, flung her arms around Keagan and squeezed her tight. Together they sat down a bit aways from Leslie and Eliza - both of whom were still sleeping - and took deep breaths. "I'm so sorry, I was tied up with something and I couldn't...is she okay?" Keagan asked. "I have no idea," Beatrice said, "they haven't told me anything in hours." "...god I hope she's okay. I feel so bad for not being here earlier, but...I don't know how to explain this, but...being black, I've had a hard time making friends with white people, understandably. But Michelle, she just took me at face value, and she accepted me, and she wanted to work with me. We've become a bit distant lately, but I need to fix that. I need to make the effort to get back with her, like we were before, and work together again." Bea smiled, nodding, patting Keagan's hand. "...she can't die, Bea," Keagan said. "...she won't," Bea replied, "She'll be fine." Even if she didn't necessarily believe it herself, there was no reason to not say it to others. *** Leslie had returned to work, Delores had done the same, and Eliza had been instructed by Bea to go home and get some relaxation in, which she couldn't argue against. Now it was just Bea sitting in the hall outside of Michelle's room, once again counting the tiles, and thinking about her life with Michelle...and a life possibly without her. She sighed and scratched her head, terrified of the idea that Michelle might not be here tomorrow, or even later tonight. She swore under her breath, furious that nobody had come to talk to her in so long. Then she saw a woman approaching, and she was surprised, because this woman looked rather professional. A suit, well done hair, clearly someone who was coming to tell Bea something. "Thank god, I've been waiting for so long, I didn't-" Bea started, but the woman held up a hand to stop her. "I'm not a doctor," she said, "sorry, hah. I'm Celia Helms, I'm...I'm Michelle's mother." This hit Beatrice like a freight train. "...well, where the hell have you been?" Beatrice suddenly said, a feeling of ire in her voice, "I mean, if your her mother, why haven't you been here the last day?" "Well, I was at a gala event for my work, and I didn't even know at first, but once I was informed, I couldn't just leave, that's unprofessional," Celia said. Beatrice couldn't believe what she was hearing. She balled her hands into fists, and spoke through gritted teeth. "Get. out. of here." she said sternly. "Excuse me?" "Get. the fuck. out of here, NOW," Beatrice repeated, "before I pull that stick from your ass and beat you senseless with it. You have the fucking gall, the sheer audacity, to put your work over your own child, make her feel bad about her health issues, then not even show up when she winds up in the hospital? What a conceited blowhard you are, holy hell." "You can't talk to me like this!" "I can talk to you however damn well I want!" Bea shouted, "you know why? Because I've been there for her! I came immediately! I followed the goddamned ambulance to this fucking hospital, because unlike you, I give a shit about her well being! I was in the middle of a work event too, but guess what? This takes precedence! You have no right to call yourself a mother. Just because you give birth to someone doesn't inherently make you a loving person. You still have to put in even the most minimal effort, something you've never done in regards to your family." Celia was in shock. Nobody had even talked to her in this manner, especially not someone in Michelle's defense. She didn't really know how to appropriately respond. Bea walked closer, her face right in Celia's, their eyes locked, and Celia shaking in her heels. "Now," Beatrice said, "you get the FUCK out of her, or you'll find yourself in a hospital bed." Celia nodded, quickly turned and walked briskly away and around the corner. Bea leaned against the wall, breathing heavily, quickly, until she felt a hand on her shoulder and looked to see Liam smiling at her. "When did you get here?" she asked. "Literally a second ago, to see that stunning display of motherly affection," he replied, "God damn Bea, that was...that was heavy." "She doesn't deserve Michelle, and Michelle deserves better," Bea said, before looking at Liam again and falling into him, as he wrapped his arms around her and consoled her while she cried into his shirt. "I'm sorry I didn't come sooner," he said, "I've been trying to fend off reporters and paranoid parents alike about, well, you know. But eventually I realized that could wait. There's no need to clear the air on something that isn't bad to begin with, even for the sake of some lunatics piss poor excuse for a belief system. The network is fielding everything for the moment, and I decided to come down here and-" "I need you to do me a favor," Bea said quietly. "Yeah, of course, anything at all." "Get me my head," Bea said. *** When Michelle finally opened her eyes, it was almost two whole days since she'd lost consciousness. Her eyesight was blurry at first, but she was able to ascertain right off the bat - likely thanks to a lifetime being spent in hospitals - where she was. If anything, she wasn't sure if she should be more annoyed that she was in a hospital, or grateful she wasn't dead. Michelle shut her eyes again and took a long breath, the best she'd taken in weeks it felt like, until she looked to the side of the bed and noticed Beatrice, in the full suit, sitting beside the bed. Michelle's eyes widened and she tried to sit upright. "Bea?" she asked. "I'm here," Beatrice replied, standing up and touching Michelle's face with her costumed paws, "you're safe now. I was in the hospital with you as a child, and I'm in the hospital with you now. You're okay, Michelle." Michelle wanted to cry. This was, bar none, the nicest thing anyone had ever done for her. She tried to sit up more to give Bea a hug, but Bea met her halfway, and hugged her tightly. Michelle couldn't believe Bea was here, nor that she would put on the suit just for this situation. It was in that moment that Michelle realized how lucky she was. After a moment the door opened and Eliza poked her head in. Beatrice backed away and said she'd bring them something to eat, then left the room as Eliza sat on the chair Bea had been in. "...hey," Michelle said weakly, coughing a little. "...you're alive," Eliza said, her eyes darting around the room, as if hoping to look at anything other than her best friend, "...they didn't tell us anything for a long time, so...so nobody really knew if, you know." "Well, I'm here," Michelle replied, "did anything else happen while I was out of commission?" "...the candy machine ate my dollar," Eliza said, making Michelle laugh a little, which hurt. "Well," Michelle said, "When we get out of here, I'll give you a new dollar." And for the first time in nearly two days, Eliza laughed, and it felt good to laugh again. Eliza then suddenly stood up and flung herself on Michelle, hugging her tight, and Michelle hugging her back. Michelle had never had visitors when she was in the hospital as a little girl...and now? Now she couldn't keep people out of her hospital room. And she was SO grateful for that.
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Beatrice Beagle follows a young woman obsessed with a defunct pizzeria and kids show featuring a dog mascot. As she uncovers more about its mysterious past, she becomes sucked into the life of the woman who played the mascot, they both discover just how much they need eachother. Archives
April 2024
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