𝙎𝙒𝙀𝙀𝙏 𝙎𝙒𝙀𝙀𝙏 𝙇𝙊𝙑𝙀, 𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙨 𝙚𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩

𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘧𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘦𝘯

the next week was better than you could have possibly imagined. you spent so much time with each of the women and began to form some strong connections. especially with tammy, rose, debbie, and lou.

 daphne was hardly ever there which made it difficult to spend time with her, but she had your number, which she was constantly texting. tammy began to teach you how to make different recipes and how to bake some delicious treats, which lou absolutely loved. rose started to teach you how to sew and different ways to style clothes. debbie even brought home a nintendo switch, which you and lou would competitively play for hours, with you winning the majority of the time. and debbie started to show you around the area you lived, just in case you ever needed to remember how to get home. you even started taking little walks around the neighborhood with debbie, just to have some sense of direction to your new home. 

things were really starting to look up for you. the grief of your grandfather was still there, but it had turned into something of gratitude and respect. on one of your daily walks without debbie, you found a small park near the house, it wasn't too far away and it had a quaint little playground. you began bringing some of your books to the park to read on the bench while enjoying some sunshine and fresh air.

"(y/n)?"

you look up from your book, the sun shining in your eyes through the leaves of a large overhead tree. in front of you stood a brunette woman. her eyes were soft and shining with tears that threatened to fall. she had a ribbed long-sleeved black shirt on and a leopard print coat. it was still chilly, but it was beginning to gradually warm up. you shift uncomfortably on the bench, closing your book, and allowing it to rest in your lap. "excuse me, but do i know you?"

the woman didn't respond with any words, instead, she bends down, pulling you into a tight hug. you let out a surprised gasp as your body tenses up. "oh, honey. of course, you know me! i'm your mother."

you pull away from the woman, shaking your head. "no, no you're not."

the woman is at your knees now, with stray tears dripping down her cheeks. "yes, yes i am. how else would i recognize my beautiful baby girl, hm? you look so much like your--  your dad." she tucks a strand of hair behind your ear, giving you a large smile.

your eyes are wide with shock and confusion. your grandfather told you that your mother took all the money she possibly could from the family and ran, leaving you behind, never looking back. she never visited, called, or even tried communicating with you in any way. "how did you find me?" you ask, pushing your body against the back of the park bench, further away from the questionable woman.

"after your nonno died, i knew that you'd be coming to stay with debbie. i had to see you for myself after all this time." her green eyes search yours, they're filled with kindness and compassion. 

"how do i know you're my real mother?" you ask in a whisper. this is everything your grandfather warned you about, but you couldn't stop the curiosity you felt in your chest. she looked vaguely familiar and she had a point. how would she know it was you? you felt like you had closed off the thought of having a mom for so long and now there's someone in front of you claiming to be her.  

she gently touches your forearm, which causes you to pull away slightly, but she captures your eyes in hers. she slowly gives you a nod before gently rolling up your sleeve, revealing your red star-shaped birthmark. your eyes dart down to you exposed arm as you swallowed. how could she know this was there? "you and your father used to call it.."

"la mia stella." you finish, lifting your eyes to hers.

"la mia stella," she repeats with a small smile. she sits on the bench next to you, her grasp moving from your arm to your hand, which she clasps in between her warm hands.

you start to feel less tense and your body visibly relaxes. "why.." you voice cracks a bit but you clear it. "why did you leave me behind?" your voice is small and quiet. your cheeks flush a pink color in embarrassment. you didn't want to seem clingy to someone that has just come back into your life.

she cups your face with her hands. "my baby," she coos, planting a kiss on your forehead. "i never wanted to leave you," she explains. "but, your grandfather gave me no choice. your father died and he wanted me gone. he never liked me. i tried to take you with me, i swear, but he wouldn't let me. he called me a 'junkie' and threatened court. but i didn't have any money, so i just let him take you." she pauses shaking her head. "it was the worst mistake of my life."

tears start to well up in your eyes from this new information. "i'm sorry.." you whisper with tears falling down your slightly pink cheeks. 

she wipes them with her spare hand before wrapping her arm around your shoulder. "it's alright, baby. it's not your fault," she says reassuringly. you slowly nod before the woman's phone dings. she reads the message before turning back to you with a small smile. "i've gotta go, but i'm going to leave you with my number." she rips a corner off a piece of paper in her purse, writing her name and phone number on it. she hands it to you before giving you another hug. "i really want to form a relationship with you, (y/n). i fucked up, i know, but please give me the chance to make it right." she plants another kiss on your cheek before picking her bag up. she stands up and gives you a slight nod before walking away, before she gets to her car, she gives you a light wave, which you return.

she drives away, leaving you sitting on the park bench with the phone number in your hand. you look down at the paper. 'victoria monroe.' you take a deep breath before you heard a distant voice calling out to you. you turn around and spot tammy waving at you. she's standing outside of her silver car, waving her arms with a beaming smile. you wave back, folding the paper up, and sticking it in your pocket before walking over to tammy's car with your book in hand.

"hey there, sweetheart!" she says with a beaming smile. 

"hi tammy," you respond with a matching smile. 

her golden hair, which is pulled into a side braid, shines in the sun as her beige sunglasses reflect the same glare. "i thought you might want a ride home." she bites her tongue between her teeth before winking at you.

you giggle and nod your head. "i would love a ride home. thank you, tammy," you reply with a grin.

tammy playfully squeezes your arm before hopping into the driver's seat. you sit in the passenger's seat, putting on your seatbelt. tammy sits for a moment before turning to you. "who was that sitting on the bench next to you?" she inquires. 

you bite your lip, thinking of what to say. you didn't want to tell anyone that your mom had reconnected with you. you didn't want to figure out all of the nitty-gritty quite yet. you appreciated everything these women have done for you and you didn't want to spit in their face with the reappearance of your mother. especially with debbie. "some random lady, she was trying to sell me a bracelet." you lie through your teeth. 

tammy pulls her sunglasses to the top of her head, raising an eyebrow at you. she didn't believe you but she didn't feel like prying. "alright then," she says. "if you ever need to talk about anything, know that i'm here for you, and i'm definitely not obligated to tell debbie anything." she giggles while starting her car.

you nod your head with a grin. "of course, tammy. i know."

once you get home, you head up to your room, putting your book away on your bookshelf. you flop down on your bed, pulling out your phone. you grab the paper from your pocket and create a contact for your mother. you put her name as victoria, just in case. your fingers hover over the keyboard, debating on what to type. 

hey, this is (y/n) :)

she responds rather quickly. the three dots only last for a moment.

hey babe! i know this is sudden, but would you want to come out to dinner with me tomorrow night, just so we can catch up?"

your heart fills for a moment. your mother is inviting you out to dinner. you smile at your phone, eagerly typing your response.

yes, of course!

i can't wait! come to the bistro on second and park at 6:30, i'll be waiting for you. <3

i'll see you then! <3