A Heart Living On Seams

Who Raven Is

Typical everyday evening for Raven. In her bedroom, laying on her back on her bed, staring at the ceiling, today was those days that was work free and relax-full. Which she was more than happy to exploit. Lexi hadn't bothered her at all that day and as a mother, she couldn't ask for better.

She was surprised when Leevy suddenly called her but more than happy to pass the time, she'd picked it up and talked to her 2nd daughter for a good long while.

"Can I come over, mom?"

Raven's eyes widened in surprise when Leevy said that. "So suddenly? Is your boyfriend not around or something?"

"No, he is... I just wanted to be with you for a bit."

Raven smiled. "You're more than welcome, Leeves."

"I'll see you soon."

"Alright." She'd hung up and let her arm fall back onto the bed. She knew exactly why Leevy wanted to come over. Her daughter was never good at sorting her feelings, even though her mother was a pro.

Raven was a strong woman with a will harder than steel. Any problem, Raven had the solution. She didn't get upset for anything, nothing could make her crack. She couldn't recall the last time she'd cried. She made it a point to stay strong.

But as to the reason Leevy was coming over. She was probably thinking about the past again.

Raven smiled softly. The girl reminisced too much. And why would she look back on a past that hurt her so much? Even still, Raven decided to play the events back.

Raven had Leevy when she was 19, still in college. Yet even still, she had given birth and no matter how many people looked at her pityingly or looked away in disgust, she didn't care. Her parents had been supportive and he had been supportive. When Leevy was older, Raven always said the same thing. "I had you when I was 19 and I was proud to have you."

She had raised her alongside her father, Trace. Leevy was the 2nd, her older sister Lexi had been first. Raven had her at 18. She wasn't afraid, she wasn't ashamed. "I'd given birth to life forms, I'd given life. And I had a responsibility to raise and take care of them."

She knew what she'd done and she'd taken the steps to continue it. Raven was born into a prominent family but she rarely used the rich funding her parents offered. She preferred to live as a commoner and Trace had a nice job that gave them what they needed. She never took the easy way out, it only dulled her and made her weak. Taking the hard way out, she learned and grew in experience.

Raven raised them both alongside her studies. Trace raised money for the little family he'd grown whilst also studying. They were growing quite well. Healthy, carefree, and with each other. So young, yet they were blooming and bonding rapidly. Who knew a teenager could start her life then? And in four years, the studying and work paid off, and they'd gotten married.

Their little family seemed to skyrocket from there. Lexi and Leevy were taken care of perfectly fine and Raven couldn't ask for anything more. She'd started her family young, but it'd grown into something beautiful. With a loving husband and two, cute little girls. It was certainly unexpected but not something she couldn't handle.

Trace had often asked if she'd wanted more kids but Raven just shook her head and dismissed the conversation with a smile. She was content with the three she had. "No more," she'd said. And he'd just smiled, said an okay, and hugged her in response. If he really didn't love her, he'd have left her years ago when Lexi had been born.

It truly felt like life couldn't get any better. They all seemed fine. But of course, things had to change. And it changed for the worse. But Raven was a tough nut to crack. She'd stayed strong and willful and sane throughout the whole ordeal, even if it cost her her life's work.