Chapter 4: Kim’s POV
I remember everything about that night, sSitting in that hotel room crying so much my body shook. I should have been protecting my daughter but instead she was looking after me. Holding me while I cried, trying to calm me down. She was only seven. That was the day I started messing up my life. The day she left was the day I started neglecting Summer and not taking care of myself. I was a broken mess. I missed her so much, I still do but my heart doesn’t ache as much as it used too.
I started leaving Summer at home with whoever could babysit on short notice and spent every night in a club drinking so much vodka I couldn’t stand up. I even dabbled with drugs; Cocaine, Ecstasy, LSD… Anything I could get my hands on at the time. It took me overdosing on alcohol and drugs, being found by Sarah and ending up in hospital for me to finally realise how I was ruining my life and the life of my daughter. I just wish she knew how much I needed her. How much I wanted her. How much I loved her. How much I still do.
Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep… I swat my hand at the alarm clock, finally knocking it to the floor as I drag myself out of my bed. It’s 8 o’clock and I have a meeting for a new film role this morning that I am dreading. Suddenly I hear the familiar tones of my ring tone buzzing from its place on my bedside cabinet. I eventually answer to hear Nicolas enthusiastic voice on the other end. I roll my eyes, ‘Nic, It is way too early for you to be this energetic!’. ‘Kimba, we need a good night in, just us girls, what d’ya say, tomorrow night at mine?’ Nicola exclaimed. ‘ok, sounds good Nic, Phone me a bit later next time!’ I groaned in reply. Nicola laughed and replied with a quick ‘ok see ya tomorrow’ before hanging up the phone.
‘Mummmmmmmmmmm’ came my daughter’s voice from downstairs. ‘Hang on darling, I’ll be down in a minute’ I replied before running a brush through my hair and applying some natural make up. I slowly made my way downstairs and took a sip of the coffee that Summer handed me. My daughter is too good to me. I do wonder sometimes how she turned out so well after I neglected for 2 months after her mam left. Especially how close she was to Cheryl. I may have given birth to her but she was a mams girl through and through. Her personality was just like Cheryl’s and growing up, she hang off Cheryls every work even down to imitating her accent. It was hard after Cheryl left, for the both of us. Summer just became withdrawn and reminded me too much of Cheryl and I just lost myself completely.
Summer grabbed her rucksack, ‘Come on Mum, we are going to be late!’ She yelled to me from the car as she climbed into the passenger seat. A little while later I pulled up outside Summer’s school and waved goodbye from the car as she climbed out. ‘Bye mum, love you’ she called. ‘Love you too’ I replied before driving off to my meeting that I was already late for.
Neutral Narration:
Kara smoked a Marlboro whilst waiting outside Taylor’s house for her friend. She stubbed her cigarette out on the ground as Taylor walked over, it was way too early to be up but she had to be on the plane before her mam could stop her.
‘Come with me’ Kara had said into the phone the previous night. ‘I’ll go wherever you go so of course I’ll be there’ Taylor had whispered in reply. Kara wasn’t ready to admit that she had some sort of feelings for her best friend just yet but those feelings were definitely there deep down.
Kara and Taylor quietly got into the taxi with their bags and headed for the airport. On the way Taylor had fallen asleep with her head on Kara’s chest, Kara put her arm around her protectively and slowly fell asleep herself. The next thing they knew the driver was waking them up to say that they had arrived. Kara shook Taylor awake, paid the taxi driver and exited the car. Taylor followed and they made there way into the airport.
‘Excuse me, can I pay two tickets to London please’, Kara spoke softly to the woman at the ticket desk. ‘Of course’ the woman smiled before typing a load of stuff into her computer and printing the boarding passes off. Kara handed over the money and took Taylors hand before edging towards the departure gate. Once through check in and security they spent half an hour in Starbucks deciding what they are going to do once they got to England.
‘Well I have Auntie Nic’s contact details so I guess we could start there?’ Kara thought. ‘Yeah, because she will surely have the contacts for your mum, you said they were still in touch, right’ Taylor confirmed. ‘Yeah, they were always close, still are I think’ Kara agreed. ‘Ok wicked, so we will just get a taxi to Nicola’s from Heathrow then’ Taylor smiled.
Kara and Taylor found there seats and sat down to strap themselves in. ‘I really hate flying’ Taylor mused. ‘Just hold my hand’ Kara replied as she entwined her fingers with Taylors. ‘I’ll take care of you. Always’ Kara continued as she rested her head on Taylors shoulder. And that was the position they found themselves in 9 hours later when the plane touched down in London. ‘God its cold Kara, You never told me how cold the UK actually is’ Taylor complained. Kara smirked with a wink as she replied nonchalently ‘I thought it was public knowledge plus im not a weather report’. Taylor just rolled her eyes as a response.
They were currently stood outside the airport in line for a taxi when Kara decided to send a text to her mam to let her know where she was. The text read:
Mam, in London looking for mum. Please come meet me. Kara x
Kara then switched her phone to silent mode and took Taylors hand in hers and entwined there fingers. Finally they dragged themselves into a taxi and Kara read out Nicolas address. It was now 6 o’clock in the evening and they figured that they would be at Nicolas by 7 at the latest. Let’s hope shes at home thought Kara.
Just under an hour later, the taxi pulled up outside a nice house in central London. ‘Wow, its lovely’ Taylor whispered. ‘Auntie Nic always did have taste’ Kara remembered. As they walked up the short path, Kara stopped in her tracks as a teenage girl suddenly opened the door and started to exit. The girl stopped and stared before opening her mouth to speak… ‘Hi, Im Summer. Are you ok?’ the girl asked nicely. ‘Summer? It’s Kara. Your sister’ Kara replied. Shocked. She couldn’t believe that she had only just got there and she was seeing her sister up close already for the first time in 10 years. Summer gasped, ‘Oh My God! Mummmm, Auntie Nic’ she yelled. ‘What?’ came the reply before two woman walked to the door to see what the fuss was about.
Kim’s POV
‘Oh My God’ I stood there, shocked to the spot. Now this, I was not expecting! ‘Mum’ Kara questioned. I felt my throat go dry and somehow I suddenly couldn’t manage the words so I just nodded in reply. Kara walked forwards slightly. I gasped, Id waited for this moment for 10 years and now that the moment had come, I couldn’t find the words. Suddently I felt Karas arms wrap round my waist. This gorgeous teenager that she had grown into just looking up at me with tears threatening to fall from her gorgeous hazelnut eyes. I smiled down at her and embraced her in the same way and suddenly we both had tears running down our cheeks. I felt my legs giving way as we just collapsed to the floor clinging onto eachother for dear life. I could finally find some happiness again. I found myself thinking If my daughter is here then surely cheryl can’t be far behind and maybe then I can tell her how much I still love her.
