Nadine and Adele

Family

Cheryl's out back instinctively swaying on a swing, appearing as if in a trancelike state; totally oblivious to the wintry evening. Ever since Adele commented on how the locket would help Nadine get better, her mind has been inundated with thoughts of her ailing daughter. Random memories, from birth to present, good and bad, have been constantly popping into her head; hindering Cheryl from being aware of what's occurring around her...keeping her unaware that Corrine had sat down on the swing next to hers; and, just like Cheryl, is slowly swaying back and forth.

Realizing that her mother isn't about to take notice of her anytime soon, Corrine decides to speak up. "It's kinda cold out here; don't you think?"

Cheryl's jolted out of her incognizant state. "Huh? Did you say something, Cory?"

Corrine let's out a short, soft laugh. "Wow...I can't even remember the last time you called me Cory, Mom."

Cheryl briefly reflects before regretfully conceding, "My God, you're right...it has been a while; hasn't it?"

Now Cheryl begins feeling guilty over the distant relationship she's carried on with Corrine over all these years. She looks to her daughter with sincere, apologetic eyes; then tenderly takes hold of and gently squeezes Corrine's hand.

"I'm so sorry, Cory, baby. I don't know what happened between us. We used to be so close when you were younger."

Corrine looks off to the side and languidly declares, "Yeah...until I was five."

Cheryl appears baffled. "Five?"

She looks back to her mom and explains, "That's when you had Nadine...and you started giving her all your attention."

Derived from habitual bickering stemming from the attempted conversing throughout the years, Cheryl automatically clicks into 'combative mode'; and defensively starts to rebut, "What are you talking about...I didn't give her..."

Corrine curtly cuts her off. "Mom...please; you spent every waking moment with her when she was a baby. And then when we found out she was sick..."she becomes silent; then huffs, "You know what...never mind. I'm going back inside."

Corrine stands and starts to walk away, but Cheryl manages to grasp her wrist before she's out of reach and pulls her back; guiding her back into the swing. "Hold on...you do this all the time."

"Do what?"

Suddenly executing an unsolicited, motherly act, Cheryl gently moves several straggling strands of hair dangling in front of Corrine's face back into place. She affectionately smiles at her daughter; now clearly envisioning that five-year-old little girl in her mind.

"Run away, Cory...you run away. You start to talk about what's bothering you...but then you stop and turn tail. You don't stay around long enough to finish the conversation and come to a resolution."

"A resolution to what, Mom?"

"Your apparent jealousy of your sister."

Corrine adamantly avows, "I'm not jealous of Nadine, Mom..." She lowers her head; then humbly admits, "At least...I'm not anymore. I stopped being jealous of Na the first time she got sick."

At a loss, Cheryl inquires, "Then what is it?"

"I don't know, Mom..." she hedges, "I don't think I'm the one responsible for..."

Corrine suddenly becomes silent, and looks back down to the ground; while a stunned Cheryl gawks at her before going back on the defensive.

"Wait...are you saying...I'm the cause of this problem between you and me? How? What did I do that..."