| Episode: | Season 1, Episode 1 – Chaos! At The Gala |
| Location: | Morgan Residence |
| Written By: | Addison Morgan Riley Bennett |
| Date: | 08/12/2026 |
| Word Count: | 1,107 |
Riley hadn’t really slept all that well for most of the night, having tossed and turned in the sleeping bag she’d been laying in on the floor. At some point, early in the morning she found herself staring straight up at the ceiling inside the bedroom. She was unaware that the person who was in a sleeping bag next to her had also been awake.
“What’s wrong?” Addison had finally found the energy to ask her best friend. She looked over, while still remaining on her stomach. The eleven-year-old had been looking at Riley for a moment, she didn’t know how long that moment had been though.
Riley shrugged, “Not sure.” She answered quietly. Riley didn’t know if Addison’s parents were awake yet and she didn’t want to wake them if they weren’t. “Didn’t sleep very good.” She added softly, even as she was aware of what day it was.
Addison didn’t exactly believe what she was being told by her friend. The older girl could see something was wrong, and even though Riley’s voice was soft and quiet, filled with sleep even, Addison knew something was wrong. “Why didn’t you sleep very good?”
Riley furrowed her brow as she tried to decide whether or not she really wanted to talk about the problem or not. “I’m supposed to be going to the prison visitation thing today.” Riley admitted, “I don’t want to go though.”
“To see your Mom?” Addison asked her.
Riley didn’t say anything, she nodded her head once. The girl wondered if her brother felt the same way, of course he was at home so she couldn’t ask him about it. She eventually looked over at Addison, “Am I evil for not wanting to see her?”
Addison didn’t have the answer to the question, at least not in the way she felt that she should have had it. “I don’t think so,” Addison said. “If my Mom was in prison I probably wouldn’t want to see her either.” Addison didn’t know why Riley’s Mom was there, she’d never asked about it. Addison didn’t really want to ask either.
Riley’s sigh was long and rather heavy as she looked back upward. Her arms shifted from above her head to either one of her sides. She twisted her head just a little bit so that her neck was bent to one side slightly. “This is the first time I’ve seen her since it happened.” Riley said softly, almost as if she were mumbling a little bit.
“I know I’ve never told you why,” Riley said without really missing a beat. And, she wondered if she was really ready to even talk about it. Then, Riley made that decision, “She tried to hurt Todd and me,” Riley shrugged. “I don’t really remember it. We weren’t that old, one I think Daddy said once.”
Addison felt the weight shifting suddenly as the pit of her stomach roared to life and lurched. Their mother had tried to hurt them? She found herself wondering as she continued to look over at Riley while laying there. The words didn’t make much in the way of any sense, “Why?” She managed to ask.
Riley didn’t move, “Nobody really knows.” The girl said quietly, as if she were trying to come to terms with the revelation she’d known for the last three years. “I don’t think that’s why I don’t want to see her. And, I don’t know if I wanna know the reason either.” Riley swallowed, “The reason I don’t want to see her I mean.”
Addison understood that part, she was still trying to figure out her own thoughts on the matter. The situation was rather heavy, but it wasn’t difficult for the older girl to understand. “Todd probably doesn’t wanna see her either.” She said assuming that Todd was also aware of what happened. “When did your father tell you?”
“When Todd and I were seven,” She pointed out. “I was dumb and asked him why Mom wasn’t around, and I guess he decided it was time to tell us.” She finally shifted, rolling over until she was on her side and locked eyes with Addison. “We’ve been seeing Missus Gibson ever since then.”
Addison didn’t know who that was, “Your therapist?” She asked, wondering if that was who. Because anytime Riley had ever brought up the therapist it was only to call her that and not the name.
“Yeah, sorry,” Riley replied.
Addison nodded once she understood who Riley had been talking about. She hardly blamed her best friend for not wanting to see her mother. And, she found herself hardly blaming Todd if he didn’t want to see her either. “So why are they doing this now?”
Riley shrugged, “Daddy and Missus Gibson think it’s time.” She replied, “I guess.”
Addison slid a little closer and hugged the younger girl softly before sliding back and sitting the rest of the way up. She stretched her arms and yawned before looking over at Addison, “I’m sorry their making you do this.”
Riley had sat up as well, and mimicked the same general motions as Addison had done minus the yawn. It was going to be a long day for both of them, “It’s okay I guess.” She said and shrugged before standing the rest of the way up. “What time are you supposed to be getting ready for this gala thing?”
Addison got up to her feet and shrugged, “I don’t know,” She said as she began folding the two sleeping bags up to put them in her clothes closet. She pressed a small panel on the wall and the sliding mechanism pulled it open. “What time is your thing?”
Riley had sat down on the edge of Addison’s bed, “This afternoon. Daddy wants us to meet with Missus Gibson first and go over a few things.” There were a number of things Riley was thinking, and she couldn’t quite get them all straight in her head. One of them was whether or not she thought this was worth it, and another was dread. Riley couldn’t quite express why the second one existed either.
Addison had closed her closet and sat down next to Riley, “I can bring my comm unit.” She suggested, “I’m sure I can slip out of the gala and call you.”
Riley smiled warmly, “I’d like that.”
Addison nodded once she’d slip it into her little handbag that she was going to bring with her. She hugged the other girl again, “Come on let’s go get food.” Addison told her just as she took Riley by the hand and led her out of the bedroom.