A single bullet // M.C ✔️

97

A swirling mix of emotions bubbled inside me - anger, hurt, disappointment, and uncertainty. What would happen? Would I be allowed to enter the house or turned away as soon as she saw me? It had been ages since I last saw her, so I had no idea what her reaction would be.

My finger hovered over the doorbell before applying pressure to it, hearing the ding-dong echo around the rooms inside before hearing shuffling and a key slide into the keyhole and turn, hearing a small click before the handle was turned downwards. It seemed like hours before the plank opened, revealing Mum standing there.

She looked drained and lifeless as she stared at me with emotionless, red-rimmed eyes, before scoffing slightly.

"What are you doing here?" It started off in a harsh tone before softening at the end, not even trying to hide it. She was broken, and it was clear to me that she was.

"I needed to see you," I needed, not wanted. My leg started to bounce ever so slightly as I stood there, just waiting for a single invitation.

"You didn't need to see me when it was the funeral."

"I- I had stuff going on," I stuttered, moving my hands and fiddling with the few rings now adorned on my own fingers, ones of Michaels that don't fit anymore or ones of Kensies that she just doesn't wear anymore due to a style change or them being really old and no longer her style.

"So did I, Nicky..." she gripped the door handle tightly, knuckles turning white with how hard she was squeezing the metal.

"I know, Mom. I know I just had to be alone," I began, my thoughts rambling. "I was going through personal stuff, and that's what Alex told you, but you said I was faking." The anger bubbled up as I stood there on the porch, anxious about the neighbours seeing us argue. It was inevitable that we wouldn't be able to stay calm over this.

"It was a lie. You found out you were adopted and just didn't want to say goodbye to him as he was your 'real' dad."

"No, don't say that, Mom, I wanted to say bye but it slipped my mind massively. I had just lost my baby!" My hands were now shaking with anger before I took a deep breath, sighing softly, shaking my head, "this was stupid to come here," two steps back before she stopped me, holding up a single hand,

"I don't know why you came here, Nicky. Were you expecting us to be okay? It'll take us a while to get back to that. I needed my daughter on the hardest day of my life, and you weren't there. I know you were mourning two deaths, as you said you were pregnant, but I needed you. He was your dad, blood or not."

"He will, always be the guy who denied me my actual life, Mom..." word vomit was about to kick off, even though I tried to swallow it down. I couldn't, "I was due to have a good life, a good family life, and another brother. I would have met my friends sooner and had good relationships. I wouldn't have dealt with all my shitty exes because I would have found my boyfriend sooner. That's right, not only did I lose a child, I have a boyfriend."

"Who?" Was the only word she spat out, her whole demeanour changing as her arms crossed, eyes turning into a slit.

"Michael." I wasn't afraid anymore and I was certain now of what would happen. I didn't care if this between us wasn't fixed, and I loathed the fact that's how I was now thinking. I shouldn't be. But the fact there was no sympathy for her unborn grandchild set me off.

"That guy Alex arrested for the murder of that sweet café owner."

"Charges got dropped, Mom. He didn't do it." A buzzing occurred from my back pocket. Michael was calling.

"Yeah, sure, he didn't. He has you brainwashed, Nicky, and if you can't see that..."

"Kensie also knows him and is friends with him, you going to say she's brainwashed too?"