Loving Hero

confrontation

When I arrive at my apartment all I want to do is sleep.

It's late. I could confront her tomorrow not tonight, but I won't be able to sleep until I talk to her.

I'm jet legged but the need to confront my mother is greater than my need to sleep.

I want to know why she did it. I put my bags in the bedroom and request an uber.

Five minutes later my phone beeps that the uber is here.

I lock the door and rush downstairs. I get in the passenger and the driver drives through the empty road.

I should have known her support was fake, yet I let myself believe she was being sincere and understood what I was going through.

I can't believe I let her encourage me into dating Nick.

I blame myself for that.

She was finally acting like my mother, and I overlooked a lot of things.

Thirty minutes later we arrive at my house, and I pay the driver and climb out. Both their cars are outside.

Was dad in on it?

Did everyone I know, know?

Did Nick know and still kept quiet?

No, he wouldn't do that. He is not like Kane.

He wouldn't keep this from me.

I open the door and walk in and as usual my dad watching soccer.

"Hi, honey?"

"Dad." I hug him.

"Where is mom?" I fill my hand with popcorn.

"Bedroom."

"You are home early tonight." I acknowledge. I expected mom to be home not him.

"I'm on leave." He informs.

"Be right back." I rush up the stairs and to mom's room.

I knock and open the door. She is sitting in front of a mirror brushing her hair.

"You are back early." She turns around.

"I thought you were coming back on Fri...Friday ...did you have a good time? Tell me everything." She says excitedly.

"Uhm...I met Kane." Her smile drops.

"Oh."

"He told me something interesting."

"Honey, you know you shouldn't believe everything that criminal tells you."

"Why did you do it mom?" she sighs.

"I did what any mother would do to protect her child from delinquents." Now she sounds like the mother I know.

"I don't need protecting from Kane!" I yell and she pushes her chair and I take a step back.

Anna is scary if she wants to be, and I don't know what I was thinking when I thought I would have the courage to confront her.

"Yes, you do!" dad walks in.

"What's going on here?"

"The usual."

"Mom controlling my life and I am tired of this! If you can't accept my choices, then I don't want you in my life anymore." I declare regretting my decision upon seeing her face.

"What!"

"You can't say that to your mother no matter how angry you are at her." I know that now. She looks crushed as she stumbles back into the chair.

She is defeated by my declaration, and I caused it.

For the first time in my life, I witness Anna Pierce crying.

"I have failed." She says looking at dad. He walks over to her.

"No, you didn't. she is just angry right now."

"Yes. I have." She looks at dad. "Just look at her." She looks back at me.

"You are exactly like your mother when she was young." I stumble back this time.

"What are you talking about?"

"Caroline told me if I can't accept her choices then I should stay out of her life and a year later she dropped you on my doorstep and no matter how much I tried to make sure you don't turn out like she is back then I have failed. You are the same. You love out loud and that is your weakness." My heart feels like it's going to pop out of my chest.

"My aunt Caroline is my mom? Your sister?" a lot of things make sense now.

Why people kept saying I look like Caroline?

She is turning out to be like her.

Anna once said five years ago.

My world is spinning. The ground is sinking and all I want is to disappear.

All this time they have lied to me.

There's just lies on top of lies.

When does it end?

I can't breathe.

"I need to get out of here." I don't wait for anyone to stop me and run out grabbing mom's car keys.

"Thea!"

"You can't drive in that state."

I climb into the driver's seat and reverse out of the driveway.