Into Folklore | W. Halstead

Aunt Jessabelle

Going to see your mom wasn't supposed to be some anxiety inducing thing. It should be something you do at least weekly. Maybe get breakfast for a quick chat. Maybe stop and grab some dinner. In Olivia's case though, it was radio silence until a major holiday or birthday came up.

And even that was a shotty game of chance. Maybe her mom would call her up at some point on Christmas and give her wishes. Maybe she'd send a letter in the mail for her birthday with an I love you stamped to the end of it.

As if that was enough for her daughter to know she was loved. Spoiler alert: It wasn't and she tried to stuff down all the emotions that made her feel. Actively trying to assure herself more than anyone that it didn't matter that she didn't see her mom.

Or that she didn't talk to her. That it was all okay either way. Most of the time it worked, other times she ended up crying Thanksgiving night wishing she hadn't spent it alone. Again. But she had her friends. They were her real family at this point.

Kevin had invited her over plenty of times for the holidays, the only person in the unit that really was close to any of their family and he let her in so she didn't have to wallow alone. (There was an attempt once to put something together as a group but it honestly didn't go as planned so they dropped it.)

But it wasn't a replacement. And you'd think that with the distance between her and her mother that she wouldn't care about looking so put together at the reunion she was currently getting ready for.

You would be wrong. Currently, she was flattening out the front of her dress as best as she could, looking it over two, three, four times. Was it too boxy? Too formal? Not formal enough? Did the black look too bleak? Would Nancy Montgomery, no, Nancy Morgenstein think it was party acceptable?

Everything was going through her mind and Will was very aware of it. She never cared how well put together she looked. Olivia was content with a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt if she didn't have work.

"You look amazing." Will spoke, messing with the tie he was struggling to adjust perfectly, coming up behind her in the mirror. Olivia met his eyes in it, sucking in a breath as she looked over herself.

Quietly, she turned and took over the tie adjustment, shaking her head, "I don't have to look amazing, I have to look perfect." She grumbled, patting Will's chest once he was set. As the girl went to turn back around, Will stopped her with a grasp around the waist, pulling her towards him.

There was nobody in the world that Will thought was more gorgeous than the girl standing in front of him. And he would die saying it if need be. "You always look perfect," He spoke with a smile, leaning down to kiss her lightly.

Usually him saying something along those lines would bring out a blush, light scoff and a muttered 'shut up' as Olivia fell bashful. But the nerves of seeing her mom and other family were too high, the anxiety getting the best of her over everything.

"To you, not my mom." Olivia muttered, shifting out of his hold and once again taking in her outfit. The dress had a square neckline and hugged at her sides until it slit at her mid thigh to her knee. "This dress is fine right? I don't look like a slut or something?"

Will lifted an eyebrow, shaking his head, "No? It's pretty."

"Pretty?" Olivia repeated, exasperated.

"Yes?" Will responded hesitantly, the girl chewing at the inside of her lip. It would be obvious to an astronaut up in space that Olivia was freaking out. It didn't take a genius to see it. The issue was knowing what to say.

And apparently Will wasn't doing too well in that area. "Vi, look at me." He gently grabbed her hand, pulling her gaze away from the mirror and turning her to him. "You look absolutely amazing. Heavenly even. No matter what your mom or whoever wants to say." He meant it from the bottom of his heart.