Little Girl Blue - 𝐖𝐋𝐖

𝐈𝐈. Eros- Forty

Jane

The porch swing creaked as we slammed into the back of it. Large sighs exhaling at the relief of it all. "I've always appreciated your sponeteninety Janine."

"I don't plan to be here long..."

She rested her arm along the wooden rest when she looked out across her open lawn with a soft mourning. "Not if you're speaking earnestly." She finally looked over with a half smile. I must've just caught her after waking up. Her face was fresh and baby like even as she aged. The hair she failed to have dyed recently ways receding into a chestnut-greyed ponytail.

I adored Linda for all she has done for me, and sometimes I wonder where her threshold will be. "What are you here for?" She asked after I let too much time pass. "Though you must know I have a feeling."

This time I wasn't nervous or ridged, I just spoke. "About what my mother or Florence?"

"I figured the latter but now I'm curious about your mother."

"Well she showed up on my doorstep asking for my father's things."

"As in...?"

"Everything. The money, paintings, books. The house." I scoffed with my arms folded and suddenly we were no longer rocking.

"Let's go inside Janine I can't stand this heat."

She lead me into the kitchen where she pulled out a wooden chair with a crocheted doily in the seat. I sat hesitantly, more familiar with her office or living room and surprised at how casual she was being. She motioned for me to sit while she busied herself with the coffee machine.

With her back turned, she added, "She hasn't seen you in years and that's all she came for." She made a mental note of it for her own judgement, but because she could not deflect that on to me, she simply peered over and asked, "how does that make you feel?"

"Angry." The answer was easy. "I didn't expect a harmonious reunion but she is my mother." She said nothing while the coffee brewed, making a terrible sound that sounded as if someone was clearing their throat of a bad cold. In an instant, it seemed the sun disappeared behind the clouds and the room was now dull as was the day.

She stayed in the corner where the granite tops met, cupping her hands around her freshly made brew. "And what was you response?"

"Well I heard it from Nicky before I did her. I was taken aback of course, partially offended. He's my father and she never cared to marry him legally. He always made sure we were taken care of even from a distance. I don't know why she wants to keep taking from him." I felt myself start to shake. I hadn't spoke of him in this much depth in awhile and it was making my never ending wound reopen and start to sting.

Linda took a quick sip, "It's diabolical. But if she wants to drown in him let her. Maybe her guilt has finally caught up to her."

I disagreed. She didn't have enough conscience for sympathy. The father of her child dies and she's looking for her name in the will. "Well anyway, I'm letting her take it."

Linda's eyes widened and averted from her cup, so shaken and reddening she had to place it down.

I shook my head. This was not what I intended for us to be talking about. "No. It's settled. I'm not stupid Lin, I kept what I needed to, sold what she doesn't know about to galleries and libraries. She has greed, he has a legacy. That was most important to me. She can get the scraps if that's what she needs to cling onto to make herself feel better."

Linda stood erect, somewhat astound at my words while searching for her next ones.

"May I have a cup myself?" I motioned. Linda seemed thankful at another opportunity to stall while holding her tongue and repeated her steps from earlier. Truthfully, I felt a headache arising and was ready to talk about what I felt to be a more pressing situation. I was hoping something hot would distract from how cool things had turned. The sun was no longer out and Linda was not happy. Both were unlikely and unnerving for the time being.