Chim - Mirrors

CHAPTER 31

Chapter Thirty One

I step into the bakery with every intention of interrogating Sasha until she told me what was going on with her.

But when I step into the kitchen, she isn't there. It's only Alex, Kate, Rachel, Nicole and Eddie, all chatting whilst working.

"Hey Alex, where's Sasha?" I ask, walking up to him. He shrugs.

"She's taking the day off, she's not feeling too good. Hey, I'm gonna ask Nicola today...how do I look?" He asks, running a hand through his hair. I can't help but smile at his attempt to make it flat. His hair is just way too messy for him to tame.

"You look good."

"I'm nervous." He says, chuckling. I reach out and touch his shoulder.

"Just be yourself. You'll be fine." He smiles and nods.

"Thanks, Kimberley." I head out into the back of the kitchen, wondering if I should tell Abbie. But I know I can't. I don't even know if there's something wrong here. Not to say I don't believe Cheryl, but this is none of my business too. And I don't want to jeopardize my friendship with Sasha either...

I'm just about to knock on her door when it opens and Abbie steps out.

And her eyes are red, like she's been crying.

"Oh, hi Kimberley..." She says, sniffing and turning her head away from me.

"Are...are you okay?" I ask, not able to stop myself from being worried.

"Yeah, fine..." I don't push the subject, but I can't help but wonder what's wrong with her. She smiles and touches my shoulder.

"I'm fine, really, I just...oh god you're going to think this is so silly..."

"What?" I ask softly. She chuckles to herself and bites her lip.

"I just...I just finished reading a book your father gave me for the millionth time. It never fails to make me cry." She whispers. I feel my heart drop and she takes my hand.

"I don't know it's just that every time I finish that book, I remember him. And how much I miss him...god, I miss him." 

"I'm sorry." I can't think of anything else to say. I feel bad for her. But in regards to him...I don't feel anything. I don't know him. Never will...

"Kimberley, I just wanted to see...do you think you and I could be okay? I mean...could start something here?"

"What do you mean?" I ask, confused.

"I just would like for us to be...friends, I guess? I don't know..." My heart starts racing but I simply nod.

"Yeah, I-I guess. That's cool."

"Yeah?" She says, smiling widely. I nod again and she nods with me.

"Okay, good!"

"Yeah...I'm gonna just..." I trail off and head into the bathroom, quickly locking myself into a stall.

Friends...is that even a possibility?

Why am I still so confused when it comes to her? Is she my mother? My boss? My friend? I don't know anymore! 

She IS my mother. I can't deny that. And I don't hate her for the last seventeen years. But at the same time, I can't help but wonder what if. What if she hadn't given me up?

I would've lived on the streets, sure...but we would've been together. I wouldn't have been shuffled from home to home, with absolutely no connection to anything for seventeen years.