Broken homes

Will i ever be healed

Lily sat stiffly on the couch, arms crossed, as Marcus and Karen chatted over coffee at the dining table. She wasn't in the mood for their forced attempt at a "family" Saturday. The tension between her and Marcus still lingered from their last argument, and Karen? Lily barely acknowledged her presence.

Marcus glanced at her. "You've been quiet."

Lily shrugged, staring at the TV. "Didn't realize I was supposed to entertain you."

Karen sighed, clearly trying to keep the peace. "Lily, we just want to—"

"I don't care what you want," Lily cut her off sharply. "I'm only here because I live here. That doesn't mean I have to pretend we're some happy family."

Marcus exhaled through his nose, clearly losing patience. "Enough, Lily."

She laughed bitterly. "Enough? You said I act like Mom, right? Maybe you should've left me too, then."

Silence. Marcus' jaw tightened, but he didn't respond.

Lily stood up, grabbing her bag. "I'm going out."

Marcus shook his head. "You're not running off to drink."

She smirked. "Then stop me."

And with that, she walked out, slamming the door behind her.

Lily slowed her steps, narrowing her eyes as she spotted a familiar figure sitting on a park bench.

Andrea.

Her mother was sitting with one leg crossed over the other, a book in her hand, looking... normal. Peaceful, even. Her dark hair was pulled back neatly, and she wore a soft, neutral expression—one Lily barely recognized.

For a moment, Lily debated turning around, walking the other way. She wasn't sure she had the energy for whatever this interaction would turn into. But something in her—maybe curiosity, maybe something else—kept her feet moving forward.

Andrea glanced up, her eyes locking onto Lily's. A small, hesitant smile crossed her lips. "Lily."

Lily shoved her hands into her jacket pockets. "Mom."

Andrea closed her book, placing it gently on her lap. "Didn't expect to see you here."

Lily let out a dry laugh. "Yeah, well. I didn't expect to see you reading instead of passed out with a bottle, so I guess we're both full of surprises."

Andrea flinched slightly, but instead of snapping back, she just nodded. "Fair enough."

Lily raised an eyebrow. "That's it? No dramatic speech about how you've changed?"

Andrea sighed, patting the bench beside her. "Sit with me?"

Lily hesitated before reluctantly sitting down, keeping a few inches of distance between them.

Andrea looked down at her hands, fidgeting with the edge of her book. "I know I've done a lot of damage. To you, to Abigail, to myself." She inhaled deeply. "And I don't expect you to forgive me overnight. Maybe not ever."

Lily scoffed, kicking a pebble with her shoe. "At least you're self-aware now."

Andrea turned to look at her. "I love you, Lily. I always have. Even when I was at my worst."

Lily clenched her jaw, staring straight ahead. "Yeah? Funny way of showing it."

Andrea nodded again, accepting the sting in Lily's words. "I deserve that."

Silence stretched between them, the distant sounds of the park filling the air.

After a while, Andrea spoke again. "I'm trying, Lily."

Lily swallowed hard, still not looking at her. "I don't know if that's enough."

Andrea's voice was soft. "I know."

For the first time in a long time, Lily wasn't sure if she wanted to run or stay.

Over the next few weeks, something changed—not in a big, dramatic way, but in small, almost unnoticeable moments.

Lily found herself seeing her mother more often, but not in the usual chaotic, painful way she had grown up with. Andrea wasn't slurring her words, wasn't making a scene. Instead, she was just... there. Quietly, steadily, and in ways Lily never expected.

When she got too caught up in her thoughts, Andrea would show up with a cup of tea, sitting beside her without pressuring her to talk. When Lily's stress over finals built up, Andrea slipped study guides onto her desk, ones she swore she didn't need but ended up using anyway.

It wasn't some grand gesture. There were no promises of making everything right, no desperate pleas for forgiveness. Just presence.

Lily didn't tell anyone. Not Nate, not Abigail, not even Topanga. Because the moment she did, it would become real, and Lily wasn't sure if she was ready for that.

One evening, she found herself standing in front of Andrea's small apartment. She had been stopping by more frequently, and the excuses were getting weaker. This time, she didn't bother making one.

Andrea opened the door, raising an eyebrow. "Didn't expect you today."

Lily shrugged. "Yeah, well. I was in the area."

Andrea smiled knowingly but didn't push. "Come in."

As Lily stepped inside, she realized something—something terrifying and confusing.

For the first time in years, she didn't feel like she was bracing for impact around her mother.

And that scared her more than anything.

The next day, Lily stepped into school looking... different.

Gone were the overly polished skirts, the sharp blouses, and the cold, distant aura she had built around herself. Instead, she wore a cozy cream-colored jumper and a pair of flare jeans that softened her entire look. Her hair, now back to its natural shade, framed her face in loose waves.

People noticed.

Not just because of the outfit change, but because something in Lily's energy had shifted. She wasn't walking with the same guarded, untouchable attitude she had perfected over the years. She looked... approachable. Like someone you wouldn't be afraid to strike up a conversation with.

Nate walked up next, tilting his head. "Are we going for a '70s aesthetic now?"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Or maybe I just like being comfortable for once."

From across the hallway, Shawn stood near his locker, watching. He hadn't spoken to Lily much in the past few weeks, but this—this was new. He wasn't sure if he liked it or if it just made him realize how much had changed between them.

She caught his stare for a second before looking away. She wasn't ready for that conversation yet.

For now, she was just trying to breathe again.