[Panda Bear]

Chapter 6

Edna: Well?

Blair: Look, Mrs. Garrett we’re married we have good times and bad times. Okay.

Jo: No, it isn’t.

Natalie: Just how bad is bad?

Blair starts to whisper.

Blair: Really bad, but I can’t tell you what’s wrong, I just can’t. Please don’t make me.

Tootie: Whatever’s wrong Blair you can tell us.

Blair voice starts to crack.

Blair: Everything’s fine, it's no big deal. You all know how I exagerate.

Natalie: Blair, don’t lie. If everything was fine and it were no big dea, you wouldn’t have flown into Mrs. Garrett’s arms sobbing uncontrollably.

Edna: Don’t think that we missed Jayden’s remark, either. Why does he have to protect you if Daddy gets mad? What exactly happens when Daddy gets mad?

Blair closes her eyes and looks just about ready to confess when Bruce walked in.

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Edna saw Blair jump when the door opened. She was getting angrier by the moment, she knew that Blair jumped out of fear that it might be Don and that he might here what she said.

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Bruce was sorry when he entered the house. It was obvious that something important had been about to happen, when he showed up. He hoped that the last part of his gift made up for the interruption.

Bruce: Edna, now that you’ve had a little time with your girls; I’m going to give you another part of your gift. Guys come back in, you need to hear this too; it involves you and is impossible without your cooperation.

Rick: What is it, Bruce?

Bruce: Edna, do you remember when I told you that my friend Earl was going out of town for two weeks?

Edna: Yes.

Bruce: Well, before he left I asked him to lend me his apartment for this week. He agreed. If the guys are willing. The five of us will stay over there; you five can stay here with the kids and stay up all night talking if you want. So, what do you say guys.

Jeff and Snake: Sure.

Don: I don’t know, Blair seemed upset earlier. I don’t want to leave her alone here.

Rick: The girls will take care of her don’t worry.

Blair goes and raps her arms around Don, knowing that he wants to tell her something privately.

Blair: Honey, I’m sorry if I worried you. I was just a little overwhelmed. Don, you know how emotional I get when I’m pregnant, and then to see Mrs. Garrett and the others for the first time in a long time, it just kicked my hormones into high gear.

Don: If you’re sure, I don’t want you to over due it.

Edna: Donald we won’t allow anything to happen to Blair.

Jo: That’s right.

Don: Okay.

He holds Blair close and whispers in her ear.

Don: Blair, you’re already in trouble. Don’t make it harder on yourself, and behave. May be, just may be if you keep your mouth shut I’ll go easier on you.

Don lets go, and speaks out loud.

Don: I love you, sweetheart. I’ll see you tomorrow.

While Don was putting on his act, the other men were saying good-bye to their wives.

Bruce: Come on Don, let’s go.

All five men leave, and Blair sighs a sigh of relief.

Edna: Okay, sleeping arrangements. The boys can sleep in my room, the girls can sleep in Tootie and Natalie’s old room, and we can stay up all night in Blair and Jo’s old room.

Blair: It’s a deal, let me just get the kids down for the count.

Once all of the kids were in bed, and the junk food was out. The girls sat down to talk.

Jo: Come on, Blair take off your make-up and put on your pajamas, everyone else has.

Blair hesitates, causing everyone to become suspicious.

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Blair immediately notices the other’s suspicions, and knows deep down inside that she has to make some decisions and now. She can either avoid the truth, or she can go change and let them try to understand her reality. Blair decides to go change, and thinks to herself, “ I’ve got some explaining to do, we’ll see just how much they understand when they see without my make-up and long-sleeved turtle neck.”

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Blair came out of the bathroom and they all gasped. She had bruises all over.

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Tootie didn’t know what to think anymore. She had never in a million years thought that Blair would end up like this, anybody but Blair Nicole Warner. Blair had always been so confident, thought that she was perfect; how did this happen?

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Natalie was devastated. This couldn’t happen. She knew one thing for sure, if it was the last thing that she did she would get Blair out. She wouldn’t leave Peekskill, until it was accomplished and Blair was with one of them. Blair had always been there to save her when she was in trouble, now Natalie was going to save Blair; no ands, ifs, or buts about it.

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Jo wanted only one thing, she wanted five minutes alone with Don Westland. She was going to kill him for what he’d done to Blair. She’d start by giving him identical bruises to Blair’s, one by one. She would make sure that he paid dearly for what he’d done.

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Edna was having trouble keeping the tears in. It just wasn’t right; Blair shouldn’t be living this. This was something that Edna couldn’t make all better, and it angered her.

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Blair could taste the anger in the room, and knew that she had to say something and now.

Blair: Guys, he’s a wonderful husband.

Jo: No, he isn’t! He beats you that isn’t being a wonderful husband.

Edna: Sweetie, you have to leave him.

Blair: No, I can’t, I won’t.

Tootie: Why not?

Blair: I knew that the four of you would never understand.

Natalie: What is it that we don’t understand?

Blair: He loves me.

Edna: That isn’t love, when someone loves you they don’t beat you.

Blair: It isn’t like that.

Tootie: Then explain it to us.

Blair: He hits me, when I do something bad. He cares what kind of wife, mother, and woman I am. If he didn’t love me, he wouldn’t care what kind of person I was.

Jo: That’s bull, Warner, and you know it.

Blair starts to get really upset and by this time is screaming.

Blair: Westland, Jo! Donald Oliver Westland loves me, me and only me! I thank God for everyday that I’m with him! He loves me!

Natalie stands up and goes over to Blair. She puts her arms around her.

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Blair felt Natalie’s arms around her and fought it, but after awhile she couldn't, it just felt so good to be held.

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Natalie sat down with her sobbing friend and just held her.

Blair: He loves me, Nat. He really does love me.

Natalie: Shh, Shh. Let it all out, sweetie. It’s going to be okay.

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Natalie held Blair until she fell asleep.

Natalie: This stops now.

Tootie: She’s a grown woman, we can’t force her to leave him. We can do our best to open her eyes, but in the end it has to be her decision.

Edna: Tootie, we can’t let her leave with him. Don has to be stopped, before this situation gets any worse.

Jo: Don’t worry, Mrs. G. Blair isn’t leaving with him. I won’t let that happen, and that’s a promise. Don Westland’s reign of terror will be over before the week is out. I don’t care what it takes; Blair will open her eyes and file for divorce. Blair Westland is going to leave soon and we our going to get Blair Warner back. Kalle and Jayden are never going to have to worry about protecting their mommy, from their daddy’s anger again.