Older || Sequel To SOS

Thirteen

22 Weeks

"You got up early." Elodie jumps slightly as Luke's hands fall to the top of her shoulders, gently massaging her tight muscles as he bends to press a kiss to the crown of her head.

"Couldn't sleep past about five." She sighs, turning in her chair, "I kept thinking and dreaming about forgetting all my points for today so I got up and started writing them all down, a full bullet point list so when I forget how to use my words I can simply read it off this paper."

"You've got this, pretty girl. Should we get ready though? And go get some breakfast before we head over for the parole hearing."

"Probably. I'm scared shitless, Luke."

"I know, but you're the strongest person I know and you are going to do amazing today." He helps her out of her seat.

"I hope so." She nods though, trying to make herself believe it.

"I know it, and I'll be there to hold up any part of you that needs it." He offers.

"Thanks."

***

"El!" She turns in her chair, hearing the excited whisper, smiling as Lily leans over her back, hugging her tightly.

'Hi, baby sis." El chuckles, somewhat hugging the younger girl back.

"I've missed you, how's the baby? How are you? I need to come out to LA and see you this summer while I'm between semesters."

"I'm good, and so is the baby. We will both be better after today is over though."

"Understandable. Amber and Sadie told me to tell you sorry they couldn't make it today. Amber got her thesis review back and started to panic over the corrections. She's stuck at home doing that. And Sadie's caught a virus that's been passed around at work over the last week or two and didn't want to share with anyone else, especially you. But I'm here, and happy to represent the lot of us."

"I'm glad you're here too. It means a lot to me." El smiles.

"It's good to see you too, Luke." Lily turns her attention to him finally.

"And you, Lil. How's school going?"

"Should have dropped out and become a rockstar." The younger girl laughs, "But I'll survive."

"Being a rockstar is entirely overrated." Luke chuckles, "Besides, the world needs more teachers like you, so keep on it and be the best kindergarten teacher you can soon."

"Yes, sir." Lily grins, moving around the row of chairs to take the seat beside Luke as it seems the meeting is finally going to start.

"Deep breaths, El." Rebecca reaches over to take Elodie's free hand, brushing her thumb across the back of it softly when she notices El tense.

"We got this." Luke agrees quietly, lifting the hand of Elodie's that he is holding and pressing a soft kiss to her knuckles.

"Please bring the defendant in." One of the parole panel members announces to the officer standing at the door.

Elodie feels like her stomach is going to drop out as she watches the door, a rather unsettling feeling when paired with the sensations of her daughter moving around within said stomach. How could she think she was strong enough to do this? How could she have believed she could get up in front of this room of people and tell them she didn't want her mom out of jail, that she doesn't want her in her life. This is exactly the kind of thing that sets her mom off, and yet she is willingly going to do it? There's no way.

Her thoughts are all interrupted as she sees her, looking older than she'd ever imagined she would. Gray whisps growing out in her dark hair, heavy set wrinkles around her eyes, and that same piercing stare from those dark blue eyes. Elodie wants to shrink into the floor when those eyes find her, when her bright green ones lock with those she didn't inherit but knows almost as well as the slightly different shaded blue ones sat to her right. Her mom's eyes had plagued and haunted her mind for years, and she was never sure why that was the feature she continued to be struck by, but seeing them again in person is like all those nightmares, tug-of-war feelings, and pain is brought back a hundred fold.