Maybe This Time

Momma Knows Best

"WHAT?" I half yelled to my mom.

So I was really hurt, yet again, when I left Oliver at that tree, that used to be our tree. It wasn;t easy for me to hurt him or leave him like that. But on the other hand, it was also not easy for me to forget what he did. Yes, I could probably forgive him, because that's what mature people do. But the truth is, I wasn't ready. I wasn't ready to have him back in my life. 

I wasn't ready to trust him, again. I wasn't ready to give him another chance to break my heart.

But trust my mom to put my heart at risk. 

So my mom came up in my room, about an hour after I got home. I was reading John Green's The Fault In Our Stars for the millionth time and was thinking how life was so unfair, because even cancer kids have love lives, and I dont, when I heard a knock at my door. I invited her in, and she sat on the edge of my bed. She looked at me and started talking about how I was such a lady now, how she missed bringing me to my swimming class, and piano lessons. It was a kinda weird, if you ask me. Then she went "do you remember when you and Oliver were inseparable.? He was such a nice kid. Its a shame, he left. But he's back, right? I really hope you could work things out. and.." Before she could finish her senseless rambling, I interjected, and went, "Mom. I don't like where this is going. What are you really trying to say?." She just kinda sat there with a poker face, and said in the most monotonous voice, "Georgia and her son Oliver is coming for dinner."

That brings us to the present time, where I am being hysterical, and it might sound really wrong, but at this very moment, I feel like strangling my mom with the telephone wire I see located at my bedside table. 

While I was having  a mini panic attack, my mom just sat there, and shrugged. She SHRUGGED! I am sweating, and trembling and all she did was SHRUG! What kind of mother does that?

"WHY WOULD YOU INVITE OLIVER FREAKIN WILLIAMS OVER? I mean, Georgia, I'd understand. But OLIVER?" I breathed.

"Oh, Don't be ridiculous, Zoe Jane Anderson! They have been gone for years, and now they're back. They deserve a warm welcome! You know Georgia and I have been bestfriends since college, and you and Oliver were bestfriends since you were born!" She scolded.

My eyes were watery. Had she forgotten about those days in middle school, when I get home dripping wet because some kid had purposely poured a bucket of water on me, or those days when she would drive to the high school at 6pm to get me because I was still at our tree crying my eyes out, waiting for some stupid miracle that Oliver would show up. Oliver and I are no longer bestfriends since he left me. How can my mother be so insensitive. 

I bit my lip to fight sobs, and tears fell freely down my cheeks. Even if it was blurry, I stared at her with disbelief.

"Ohh, Zoe." She cooed, and moved closer to me and hugged me. She repeatedly brushed my hair with her hands and rocked me back and forth to soothe me. 

"Shh. I'm sorry, honey. I didn't mean to hurt you. It was very insensitive of me to say. I'm sorry." she said.

I hugged her back to seek more comfort. Because I was crying, I couldn't find my voice. It really feels good to be in your mother's arms. I feel safe. I feel like noone is ever gonna hurt me as long as I am wrapped in her embrace. 

"Sweetheart, I know you were really hurt when Oliver left. But that happened 8 years ago. It's time to move on, honey. You were both very young, now you're all grown up. Be mature enough to realize that in this cruel world we currently live in, not everything is going to be perfect. It isn't going to be rainbows and butterflies forever. Sometimes, a storm passes by. But we gotta fight that storm. And remember, everything happens for a reason." She said, continuing to comfort me.