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𝐓𝐇𝐑𝐄𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐒 after Montana's birth, Stella began feeling sad and moody. When she wasn't sleeping, she was crying, and that wasn't like her at all. It also seemed like her daughter loved Johnny more than her, and the only thing she wanted Stella for, was feeding time, and to put her to bed, and that's something that really stung.

Lately, Stella had been missing her mother. Her post partum depression has taken over in the worst way possible. Janette, Abilene, and the girls advised her to get help, but she refused to accept the help. She was a true southern woman.

But the incident that would occur would change everything. Both she and Johnny had not had a real meal in weeks.

"So what do you think about having dad and grandma Janette over for dinner tomorrow night? August went to see Sam, so he'll have to come when he gets back." Stella asked as she set a sleeping Montana in her cradle

"Princess, you honestly think that's a good idea?" Johnny asked in concern

Snapping her head over to her husband, Stella spat angrily, "What the hell is that supposed to mean? I actually enjoy spending time with my father and my grandmother."

"I meant nothing by that, I just meant..." Johnny calmly defended

Stella sarcastically rolled her eyes. "Yeah, of course you didn't mean it. Why don't you take care of our daughter. She loves you more than me anyway."

The next day, while Johnny was working on the ranch with Aaron and Nathan, Stella and Robby went to the local grocery story to pick up a few things she needed for a pot roast.

As she walked down the produce aisle, while Robby was in the bakery picking up a blueberry pie for dessert, Stella saw there was only one bag of yellow onions left. As she was walking, Montana started to fuss.

She turned turned her back to tend to tend to her daughter and in that time, another customer turned around and grabbed the onions instead

"Oh. Sorry, those were my onions." Stella said

"I'm sorry?" the woman rudely said

"Those were my onions. You just took them from me." Stella said pointing to the onions

"No, I got them from the display right here." The woman said

"Yeah, I under..." Stella started. The woman was about to leave, but Stella grabbed her shopping cart to stop her.

"Excuse me, where are you going, lady?! Stella asked raising her voice. "Those were my onions, and you took them from me. I want them back, so give them back to me!" 

"Is there a problem here?" the grocer asked, walking up to Stella

"Yeah, I... Yes. Okay, there is a problem. I went to grab that bag of onions, I turn my back for two seconds to tend to my baby, and that woman took them from me." Stella said

"Ma'am, just calm down." The grocer said

"I-I'm calm, okay? I'm not gonna calm down though, because what I want is for you to tell her to give me my onions back, okay? I have a recipe that calls for four ounces of yellow onion. And-and I have been planning this dish for a whole week, and I'm not gonna leave here without my yellow onion." Stella said on the verge of tears.

"Miss, would you like to sit down?" The grocer asked

"No! I don't, I don't..." Stella said, as she raised her voice, then she calmed down. "I don't want to sit down. I want you to tell her to give me my onion back. I just, I want...I want what I came for, okay? I want my yellow onion. I want what's fair. Will you, will you, will you tell her to give me my onion back?"

The grocer didn't know what to do. It was just a bag of onions, why was a customer getting so upset over a bag of onions? There was no rhyme or reason.

"Because it's not fair that I have to sit here and go without my yellow onion. It's not fair. It's not fair! It's not fair! It's not fair!" Stella wept. 

Robby, hearing the commotion, walked over to the produce aisle from the bakery with a look of concern on his face. He knew his stepmother hadn't been herself.

Placing the blueberry pie in the shopping cart, he got down on his knees beside his stepmother and wrapped his arms around her. "It's okay mom. I've got you. It's gonna be okay." Robby said

Back home, Stella and Robby walked in the door. He carried in the groceries, while she carried a sleeping Montana upstairs to the nursery.

Once Montana was in her cradle, Stella walked to the kitchen to prepare the pot roast, when Janette arrived. As Stella seasoned the roast, Janette cut up the veggies.

"Since I don't have onions, you think I could use onion powder?" Stella nonchalantly asked 

"Yes, that or minced onion will work just fine honey." Janette said

In the living room, Johnny opened the front door as Nathan followed suit. "Hey, dad, I need to talk to you about something. You too grandpa." Robby said

"Sure." Nathan said as they walked into Johnny and Stella's bedroom

"What's going on?" Johnny asked as he and Nathan sat on the bed

"Mom had a meltdown in the grocery store today." Robby said

"What?" Johnny said in concern

"A melt down, what do you mean?" Nathan said in concern, even though he had a feeling, he was dreading the answer.

"I mean, we were shopping for things for the dinner tonight, and this lady who was rude, came up and took the last bag of yellow onions, and mom flipped out. It's not like her at all." Robby said. "I didn't even suggest going to another grocery store, because I knew she's not herself, and—I just want her back you guys. I want my mom back."

"I know." Johnny said as he pulled his son in for an embrace.

"Let me talk to her." Nathan said.

In the kitchen, Stella set the pot roast on the oven rack, while Janette made herself a glass of iced tea and went into the living room, when Nathan walked in and gave Stella a kiss on the temple.

"Are you okay honey?" Nathan asked as he poured himself a glass of iced tea

"I'm fine daddy." Stella said

"Look, I'm not going to make you talk about it, but when you are ready to talk, you know where I'll be." Nathan said

"Mmm-hmm." Stella hummed in response

"In the living room, Nathan sat down beside his mother, and placed his head in his hands. "I'm so worried about her. This is killing my soul."

"I know, honey." Janette said

"I'm just as worried about her." Johnny said as he and Robby sat down on the couch. "I'm at a loss on what to do."

In the kitchen, Stella was in her own little world, she didn't hear her husband, stepson, father, and grandmother speaking about the events of today. She didn't notice she set the temperature on the oven for the pot roast too high. She burnt the pot roast.

Not expecting her daughter to wake up so soon, she dropped a plate on the floor, when Montana wailed. It was a gift from a patient she had when she was in clinicals. She loved that plate, and now it's broken.

Her baby is crying, she misses her beloved mother more than words can describe, she broke a plate, and now she's angry. Life is great. Johnny, Robby, Nathan, and Janette, came into the kitchen, to find Stella staring at the plate, a blank expression on her face.

"What happened?" Janette asked

"The plate broke." Stella said on the verge of tears. "My baby's crying. I need to tend to her. I'll clean it when I get back."

"Let me help—" Johnny said

"John please!" Stella snapped. "Let me handle it. For fuck's sake, I'm not an invalid."

──────

After getting Montana fed and settled down, Stella came in the kitchen, to find Janette sweeping up the bits of the shattered plate, and the pot roast burnt.

Not caring about the pot roast, she looked at the broken plate on the ground. It was shattered. "It's broken." Stella said through tears as she looked at the plate.

"Stella..." Nathan said

"Stop it!" Stella cried. "Everyone stop it! I heard you talking about me, if you're gonna talk about me, at least talk about me to my face."

Feeling horrified with herself and how she spoke to the people she loved the most, Stella ran out of the kitchen and out the door, ignoring the calls of her husband, stepson, father, and grandmother

"What is going on with her?" Johnny asked. "I just don't understand. One minute she's fine, and the next she wants to rip my head off."

"Johnny, Stella has postpartum depression." Janette said as she placed the pieces of the broken plate into the trash. "A couple of weeks ago, Abilene and I advised her to get help, she wouldn't. Now it's only gotten worse."

"But why wouldn't she?" Johnny asked in concern

"She thought she would be fine. I was the same way. She needs to see her doctor and get treated for it. Both of you have to understand that Stella is not in her right mind right now." Janette said as she put the broom and dust pan away

"So everything she has said was the postpartum talking?" Robby asked

"Yes. Once she accepts the help, she'll be back to her old self." Janette said

"I have to find her." Johnny said.

"Put yourself in her shoes." Janette said. "Where would she go?"

"Ava's old room." Johnny said

"Go on." Robby said. "I'll stay here with Montana."

"So will we" Janette said. "Go find her honey."

──────

Johnny pulled up the drive way to Abilene's ranch, who was out of town, he used the spare key to get in, and walked up the stairs to Ava's old room. Upon opening the door, he found a heartbreaking sight: his beautiful Stella laying on the bed, hugging the pillow to her side.

Johnny, not being able to stand it, laid down beside her, and snuggled into her, kissing the back of her head.

"How did you know I would be here?" Stella asked as she wiped her tears

"I just knew." Johnny said as he laced his hand with her dainty one. "When you truly love someone, you find them."

Turning to face him, Stella spoke. "I'm so sorry I exploded like that. It's just when I'm not sleeping, I'm crying. And our daughter loves you more than me, which I'm not complaining, but it does sting."

"Princess, you should have told me you were suffering from PPD." Johnny said as he caressed her face and wiped her tears.

"I didn't want to believe I had it." Stella said. "John, I'm so sorry I snapped at you."

"It's alright, princess." Johnny said as he held her close. "I love you no matter what. We're in this together until the end."

"I need help." Stella said. "Lori knows a good doctor at St. David's, Dr. Charles. I'll see him first thing tomorrow morning."

Helping her up, the couple left Abilene's and Johnny helped Stella into her truck and followed her home. Once they got home, they were greeted by Janette, Nathan, and Robby. Janette had just finished changing Montana and put her back to sleep.

"I'm really sorry you guys, about snapping like that." Jenna said as she began to cry. "Please forgive me. I didn't mean to hurt—"

"We know, honey. we know." Janette said as she embraced her granddaughter. "It's okay, honey." Nathan said as she also embraced his daughter.

Janette let go of her son and granddaughter, and Nathan kept his daughter in a tight embrace. "I'm so worried about you, honey. "Please go see someone, and get help for your PPD. If not for us, then do it for your daughter."

"I'm going to daddy." Stella said through tears.

The next day, Stella met with Dr. Charles before going to the dance studio. After explaining she was sad, moody, and had frequent outbursts, Dr. Charles definitely agreed that she had PPD.

After running a few tests, reviewing the results, Stella for sure has PPD. Dr. Charles wrote her a prescription for lexapro, starting her out on a low dose, since she had never taken the medication before, and if needed, he would increase the dosage. After running a few errands, she picked up her prescription at the pharmacy, and headed home.

About two weeks later, the full effects of the medicine started to kick in. Stella noticed her sleep cycles returned, she was happier, her libido returned, and she and her baby girl were bonding more.