Discoveries | TMR | Three

2:7

Upon her departure - which was immediately welcomed when she realised how emotional she was becoming over being called 'mum' - Lily tried to approach the mother and daughter duo, only for them to flit in opposite directions the moment she got too close.

"Maggie." She opts for the younger girl first, her pace quickening and hand reaching out to gently grab her arm. "Maggie, darling-."

"What?!" Maggie's brutal tone and abrupt way in which she spins around causes Lily to jolt, and her eyes to widen when she notices a soft stream of tears cascading down her face.

"What happened, petal?" she asks soothingly, risking the action of caressing the girls upper arms.

Her expression holds that of sympathy, for she can already gauge by her appearance that nothing good has come of the conversation. It is no secret that Betty has a favourite child; she always has, and it is certainly no secret that she lacks the emotional maturity required for navigating anything to do with having a daughter.

"It's ma, she- she's been- she said-," the young girl stammers, clearly overcome with emotion. She inhales and lets out a sharp breath, trying to compose herself. "It's fine." She smiles. "I'm fine."

But Lily sees right through it. "My darling." It is unlike Maggie to proclaim that she is okay when it is evident that she is not. That is one of the traits Lily admires most about her; her transparency. So, to see her react in such a withdrawn and shrinking manner, it... well, it just breaks the Lily's heart.

"Talk to me, petal," the older woman softy urges. "What did she say?"

It takes a second or two, but the pleading nature of Lily's tone finally forces Maggie's still-teary eyes to meet hers. "She said not to come back if I don't have Travis with me," she admits, and although Lily can feel immediate fury rumbling in pit of her stomach, she manages to mask it well. "I mean, it's probably my fault she said it; I told her that she needed to get over it, but-," she continues, her words getting faster and more frantic the longer she speaks. "I know I shouldn't have said it but it was in the heat of the moment and I didn't mean- I didn't mean to-."

"Oh, Maggie," Lily gently cuts in, raising her right hand to delicately wipe a singular tear with her thumb. "None of this is your fault."

Oscar's domineering voice calls to her from the car, and Maggie flinches to look at him for a quick second before darting her head back to her. "I need to go," she mumbles. "But can we talk about it? When I get back? Please?"

"Of course we can," Lily assures her as she encases her in the warmth of a cuddle. "I will speak with your mother. You just focus on doing your best." She pulls away, still wearing that soothing and reassuring smile. "That is all you can do."

Lily keeps that same expression locked on her features as Maggie thanks her and paces away to join the others, not allowing it to drop so much as a fraction until she is out of view. The second she is, the older woman cannot stop the fury from defeating her. She charges towards the kitchen - an old restaurant that was once used as one of the Harbours attractions, knowing that Betty will be there.

By the time Lily reaches the diner, Betty is already in the kitchen at the furthest side, and the clattering of pots and pans can be heard echoing throughout the empty room. "Betty!" Maggie's mother ignores the woman's calls, though this does not deter her.

If anything, it simply makes her all the more furious.

"Betty!" She paces purposefully across the diner, weaving her way around each table and chair until making her way to the kitchen doors. She barges through the double-swinging doors, listening to it whip in the other direction when she clears it.