Saving Talia

Did you think this was smart?

Did you think this was love?
Is love a feature of your kind?
Don't you think I would mind
If I would've wasted all my time?
I can't love if you lie.

Is this love? - Governors

"No Mom, it's okay. I get in late and I know you have to be up early tomorrow. I'll grab an Uber at the airport" Talia says on the phone, packing up the last of her belongings in her Rhode Island apartment "I'm actually running late now so I gotta go Mom. Love you, bye" She kisses her mom through the phone before rushing out to grab a taxi to the airport.

Talia Hotchner is now 24 years old and 3 months into her Master's program at Brown University. Life has been good for the past few years despite her family's unique living situation, with her father and brother continuing to stay in Portland and her mother living alone in DC while she completed her studies in Boston. But they made it work, they always did.

Her parents' relationship is also quite unusual. They are divorced, they have been for 6 years. But they are still committed and loyal to one another. It's just that time continues to run away from them and legally remarrying becomes a harder task every time.

Jack is in his senior year of High School, months counting down quickly before he starts his program at Rutgers. Moving to Portland was the medicine he needed. He had changed and matured, becoming a young wise man who had found comfort in completing puzzles and analyzing data and numbers.

Talia has 2 weeks off school in November, a semester at break is what they call it. To give students and their brains a break before assessments and deadlines are met. She chooses to go back to DC, missing her old room, her mom, and her grandmother's company. Aaron and Jack are also flying in, excited to be back all together.

She lands in Reagan at 1 am in the morning, her body feeling all of a sudden energized from being back home. The thin, crisp air hitting her as she closes her eyes to feel it all in. Home.

There's a honking she hears coming nearer, when she opens her eyes she's not surprised to see that it's her mother and grandmother. There's a big smile and a laugh that leaves her mouth when the black SUV pulls up in front of her. Elizabeth exits the passenger seat "Oh my beautiful Talia!" She gasps, wrapping her now frail arms around her granddaughter. "Grandma! Beautiful as always," Talia greets her, accepting the kisses she was receiving.

"Mother, let my daughter breathe!" Emily says, joining in on the hug. "Mommy!" Talia's squeal is muffled when she's almost being suffocated by the love.

Elizabeth pulls away "Now where are those two boys of yours?" She turns to Emily "Mom, Aaron and Jack are flying in tomorrow. Remember?" Emily responds, her voice calm and even. Talia gives her mom a look, realizing how much her grandma's memory has declined from the last time she saw her.

"Why don't we all get back in the car and start the drive home," Emily suggests, leading her mother back into the car as Talia follows with her luggage behind. Elizabeth turns to look "B-But Aaron and Jack," she repeats with a confused look on her face.

"They're coming Mom, they're coming..." Emily tells her, finally getting Elizabeth back inside the car.

5 minutes into the drive, Elizabeth is knocked out asleep.

"How's grandma doing?" Talia asks, leaning forward from the middle seat in the back to get a good look at her mother. Emily sighs sadly, "She fired the nurse I hired after 2 weeks..... And she can't live alone so grandma's been staying with me" She explains as Talia hums "I'm sorry Mom, you must be under a lot of stress right now" She gives her arm a supportive squeeze. Emily shakes her head "It's nothing I can't handle. Plus, my family is coming to stay for two weeks!" She shrugs her shoulders excitedly.