Just Imagine...

Mother

Owen furiously slammed his phone on the table, so hard it bounced away from him. He sat there with his jaw and fists clenched, trying to repress any emotion besides anger. He looked up when Sam slowly walked in, seemingly trying to read the room and figure out what had just happened.
"Hey." She said awkwardly.
"Hi." Owen muttered in response, not looking at her.
"You okay?"
"I'm fine."
"You don't look like you're fine."
"Just leave me alone, Sam."
"Okay, but... are you sure you don't wanna-?"
"NO, SAM, I DON'T WANNA TALK ABOUT IT!"
Sam looked shocked when Owen snapped at her, then frowned, looking fed up.
"Well, FINE," she said hotly, "I'm just trying to show you that I care about you, but you obviously don't want me to. Go ahead and mope, I'm not saying I won't care, but you act like you don't, so I'll leave you alone!" She turned to storm away but Owen grabbed her hand.
"Sam, wait!" He exclaimed, looking at his feet, "please... stay. I'm sorry." He looked up into Sam's surprised face as her features softened into a kind smile.
"It's okay, Owen," she murmured, ruffling his hair, "I forgive you."
Owen felt his eyes fill with tears but he tried to blink them away. They sat down together at the boardroom table and Sam held Owen's hands in hers, gently stroking his wrists and palms with her thumbs.
"So who were you on the phone with?" She asked softly.
"My mother," Owen muttered, still averting his eyes, "I just... after all that's happened recently... I almost died. I just... wanted to see her."
"And what did she say?"
"Something along the lines of 'I don't have time for your silly problems, you're a doctor, take care of yourself for once! I had to do everything for you when you were a child, I deserve a break!'."
Sam actually laughed.
"Sounds to me like your mom's got a silver spoon the size of Athra's Rose stuck up her butt!" She exclaimed. Owen bit back a laugh.
"Don't say that!" He said.
"Oh my God, I can tell by your face, she definitely does."
"She's a bitch."
They both laughed at that for a few minutes.
"She sounds awful!" Sam murmured when they had their breaths back, wiping her eye.
"She is awful," Owen replied, "she blamed me for my dad leaving, belittled all my achievements, forced her opinions on me-"
"She sounds like my dad's mom. Fucking hag. She was always 'Samantha Ryder! You are to act like a proper young lady and sit here and do nothing all day! You are to marry the man we chose for you even though he's a scumbag! You are to break contact with all your friends because they are a bad influence on you as they want you to love yourself! Now run along and get a big book so we can practice your ladylike posture!' I'd've liked to hit her over the head with that goddamn book!"
Owen was laughing again.
"She's your dad's mother, right?" He asked, "wouldn't she be your grandmother?"
"She was never that to me." Sam growled, suddenly serious and angry. Then she softened. "Sorry. Sore spot." She murmured.
"I get it," Owen said, nodding, "she spent your whole childhood misgendering you on purpose and forcing you to be someone you're not."
"And your mom spent your entire childhood blaming you for her problems and trying to take away your happiness," Sam agreed, "and then when you feel you really need her, like now... she still doesn't care. I'm so sorry, Owen. For everything."
Owen felt his throat closing as his chest constricted. Sam seemed to sense this and pulled him into a hug, wrapping her arms securely around him and cradling his nape with one hand. Her soft, short, golden and red hair fell around his face and he breathed in its scent - the smell of some faraway wilderness where the trees seem to touch the sky and the air always carries the warmth of the sun.
"I love you like a brother, Owen," Sam murmured, voice breaking, "and I'll always be here if you need somebody to talk to. Okay?"
Owen nodded, knowing he couldn't speak without sobbing harder. Sam just held him, rocking him gently, as the wounds from their pasts finally started to heal.