Remind Me I'm Alive (Bechloe)

5 A.M.

"Should we go get Cora?" Chloe said to her dog, who was lying in the back of her of blue Nissan KIA.

They pulled up to the call center's parking lot, where Cora was waiting for them. She was wearing jeans and a grey sweater. Her long dark auburn hair was sticking out of her signature red beanie. Cora wore it almost everywhere she went.

The 21-year-old put out her cigarette and went to get into Chloe's car. Cora usually got a ride home from their neighbor Meredith, but she had just been diagnosed with lung cancer and was taking time off for treatment. So, Chloe was filling in.

"Hey," Cora said, hopping in the car. She noticed the dog in the back seat and asked, "Why is Sunshine in the car?"

"She went to work with mommy today," Chloe said as she began to drive home.

Cora reached into the back and began to pet the yellow lab. She then asked, "Is something wrong with her?"

"Well, it turns out she has diabetes," Chloe said. "So, we need to give her insulin shots in the morning and at night after she eats. I can do it most days, but if I'm ever gone, I'll need you to do it."

"Like you ever go anywhere," Cora said sarcastically.

"You never know. Jamie and I could go on a trip or something," Chloe said.

Cora wanted to tell her sister that she should know better, but decided against it. Things had actually been pretty peaceful since the two had their big fight on the way home from church. Cora didn't want to mess it up. She still didn't like Jamie, but she figured that it was best to wait for the right moment to say her piece.

"Mom called and....." Chloe said softly.

"Shit," Cora interrupted.

"She wants to have dinner with us tonight," Chloe concluded

"Did you tell her I was busy?" Cora said.

"No, I said we would love too," Chloe responded looking straight ahead knowing how her sister was about to react.

"God damn it, Chlo, why?" Cora said.

"Because she's our mom, and she loves us," Chloe said, taking a moment to look at her sister while she drove.

"No, she loves you...." Cora said.

"She loves you too, Cora. She just has difficulty expressing it," Chloe said. Cora ignored her sister's statement. So, the 26-year old added, "Don't worry, it'll be fine. It's just dinner."

Later that night, the two Beale sisters found themselves in Denny's eating dinner with their mother, Mary. The 42-year-old could almost pass for the girls' sister. She dressed like she was still in her 20s, wearing skinny jeans and a tight gray top. Mary also wore a ton of makeup to attempt to hide her age.

Despite looking like her daughters, there was much else that they had in common. For one, even though she only lived a few miles away, Chloe and Cora didn't see their mother much. She was too busy doing her own things to worry about her daughters' lives. Chloe kept in touch as best she could. She felt that family was the most important thing in the world and wanted to make sure that she and Cora had some sort of relationship with her. But her mom didn't share her sentiments. She was more concerned about dating and being with her friends.

In fact, it had been Chloe's idea to go out and eat. She knew Cora would never go to her mom's house willingly. Plus, she felt that her mom and Cora would be less likely to fight in a public place. Their relationship had been strained for years. And after their father died, it completely fell apart. For two years, they barely even spoke to one another. Until Cora got arrested. Then surprisingly, their relationship actually got a little better. They started talking again. But now it was starting to go bad again. And as much as Chloe hated to admit it, it was their mom's fault. For some reason, she just couldn't stand her daughter, and she wasn't afraid to tell her that. Chloe couldn't understand figure why. Her aunt Sharon had thought it was because they were too similar. While her aunt Margaret thought it was because she struggled with depression. Chloe didn't know if either of them was right. All she knew for sure was that their mom needed to be kinder to Cora.