All The Faith In The World

Chapter 15: She's Back

Faith's P.O.V

Connor and Noah came home at 8:30 that night, which was later than usual. They said that had to help clean up because they were the only ones that showed up that day. I had started using my crutches full time now and tomorrow was the first day back to school for me.

I woke up at 7:00 the next morning and started getting ready. I decided to go with my tie dye purple competition shirt, where I had a solo and got 2nd place, and my black shorts with a blue waist line. My hair, took a little more effort, with the cast getting caught every 6 seconds on a different piece of hair.

"Noah!" I yell.

"Yeah?"

"Can you do my hair?"

"Faith, there are a lot of things I an do in this world, but female hair is not one of them."

"Connor!"

"Not a chance, Pebbles." he said. I laughed. I'll just leave it down, no matter how hot it would be. I wonder if I could walk without my crutches yet. I set them on my bed and keep myself standing. Good start. My left leg takes the first step forward. It get's a little wobbly, but I continue with my right. I walk, slowly, around my whole room. I couldn't go without my crutches to school, but I was so excited I had made so much progress in a day. I went into the living room to get some breakfast.

Mom sat at the counter, sipping a cup of coffee and reading the news paper. Her hair was in a messy bun and she was dressed in a robe with some light purple pants with a matching shirt. She looked at me when I walked into the room.

"Oh, hey sweetie. How are you feeling?" She walked over to me and gave me a hug.

"Uhh, fine," I said, holding on to my crutches a little more tightly. She let go and looked at my wrist and legs.

"I saw the news report. Oh, baby, I'm so sorry," she touched my wrist and pulled it toward the counter. "Come sit up here with me."

"Okay." I hesitated a little, then I sat down in the seat next to her.

"How are you doing?"She took another sip of her coffee. You could cut the tension in the air with a knife.

"I'm okay," I said.

"Oh, good." There was a long silence with only the T.V. in the background. It was on the news. The report today was about a girl from North Carolina who got stuck in a well. I'm really glad it's not us. Mom wanted to say something, I could tell. She sets down her coffee and looks in my green eyes.

"Faith, I know I haven't been the best mom to you. But, watching that news report just made me feel like you deserve better. So I promise, I am going to drink less and be better to you and your brothers." I have heard this speech before, but I was really hoping it was true.

"Okay, mom, thanks," I said. She pulled me into a hug and I stayed there for the next 5 minutes until Connor walked into the kitchen with Noah coming out behind.

"Mom?" Noah asked, bewildered. She let go of me and got up to give her boys a hug.

"What are you doing here?" Connor asked.

"Well, I saw the news report and I felt so bad that I vowed to be a better mother and come back. For you!" Noah looked at me like he wanted to believe her. We all really did, but we learned from a young age to not believe everything she said. I just shrug my shoulders and look toward the T.V.

Connor pulled up to the curb of the school. I get out of the car, by myself now, and immediately, everyone stares at Noah and I.

"You think they saw the news report?" I ask Noah. He looks around at everyone staring.