PRESENTING THE PAST - Paige Bueckers x Nika Muhl, Diana Taurasi x Sue Bird

CHAPTER 17

NIKA

"Excited to go back to school?" Mom asks as she preps some snacks for me to take back to UConn. We're at our Connecticut residence now, after our holiday trip to Paris.

"Yep," I answer briefly while tying my shoelaces. It's just the third of January, we arrived yesterday morning, and school starts the day after tomorrow, but I'm heading back today to settle in.

"Uh-huh," Mom mutters, making me look at her. She gives me an unsure smile before walking to the refrigerator. "Do you want some of these?" She holds up a pack of Arla kids sticks, making me chuckle and shake my head.

"Mom, I'm not in grade school anymore, and that's not great for my diet," I reply, walking over to the kitchen counter to check what she's been packing. She just stands there, looking at me. She sighs and puts the Arla back in the fridge.

"I saw it this morning when I went to grab a few groceries for your snacks. Thought you might need some," she says, her voice uncertain.

I sigh and turn to her. "Mom, I know this isn't about the Arla Kids Sticks. We need to talk about the elephant in the room." She exhales hard and immediately steps closer to me.

"You've been so quiet since New Year's, baby. I'm just worried about you," she says in her concerned tone, gently caressing my hair.

"I'm fine, Mom. Disappointed but not surprised," I say, shifting my gaze from the counter to her. "I'd be lying if I said it didn't hurt getting stood up again. I was hoping to meet some of my siblings. But they pulled the same stunt they've been doing since I was born—leaving me behind."

Meeting Antonio, Elena, and two of my other siblings didn't happen on New Year's Eve. I was hoping they'd show up, hoping so hard that maybe the things unclear to me—about myself, about who I am, and what I might've inherited from them—would become clearer. But all those hopes went flying away with the wind. I wasn't surprised when they didn't come through. They've done it once, years ago, and deep down, I knew they'd do it again.

"I'm sure it wasn't their intention, sweetheart. Maybe they got caught up in the moment?" Mom says, shrugging, trying to justify their actions.

"Being caught up in the moment would be a great excuse if we didn't meet the first time," I counter, making Mom cross her arms.

"Maybe they're on a tight budget, and flying two more people with them would cost a lot," she says, pausing between each word, clearly grasping for an explanation.

"Only if I didn't find out that you paid for everything," I respond, making Mom pout. "Mom, I know what you're trying to do. You want to fill the spaces in my life that only they can, but there's no need for that anymore, Mom. You raised me. I'm your daughter. I am Nika Suezana Bird. I'm no longer Laura, in fact I was never her." Tears start to build up and fall from my eyes. Mom pulls me into a hug, and I rest my head on her chest. I feel her kiss the top of my head.

"I'm sorry, Nika. When they reached out again, I saw it as an opportunity for you... You're growing up, and I thought this would help you..."

I cut her off. "It did, Mom. I want you to know that. Your efforts weren't wasted, okay? Meeting them helped me a lot. But maybe this is also the closure I needed," I say, letting go of the hug and facing her. "Let's put all of this behind us."

"And if they reach out again?" Mom asks, making me smile. I feel like the decision is now mine, and there'll be no more going behind my back.