Raura's Daughter

nineteen.

Rydel's POV

The clock on the cream coloured walls read three o'clock in the afternoon exactly. Vanessa and I had been excused from the last hour of school to take a trip to my local therapist; a therapist I had attended for many years due to different circumstances in my family life and personal life that I never chose to disclose to anyone except for my mother.

I could see Vanessa fiddling with her hands and biting away at her freshly painted black nails which was a sure sign of anxiety and distress if I'd ever seen it. I placed my hand on her knee and smiled reassuringly at her. "Calm down okay? I'm going to be with you the whole way through this. I won't leave your side."

Vanessa rocked herself gently back and forth and nodded at me. I could tell that she was scared but there was no reason to be. After all, therapists are here to help us not to bring us down, it's their job to help others in their time of need. Without them there would be a lot of helpless and lifeless souls living on our planet.

A woman with dark brunette hair who looked to be in about her mid thirties stepped out of her office and inspected the name on her clipboard. "Vanessa Marano?" She asked, scanning the room with a smile on her face. I raised my hand and guided Vanessa over to the therapist. "Two of you?" She asked in surprise.

I nodded. "My friend needs some moral support, I hope that's okay."

She smiled and nodded happily at the both of us. "The more the merrier. I'm Angelica but you can call me Ange, it helps people to feel more comfortable around me."

"It's nice to meet you Ange." I said before shaking her hand. "I'm Rydel and this is my friend Vanessa, the one who needs your guidance." I said, pointing my finger to Vanessa who shyly shook Angelica's hand in her own.

"Come on in girls, I'll make you both a coffee and then we'll chat." Angelica murmured, guiding us both into her office with her hand. She sat us both down and began to brew a mug of coffee each for the three of us before sitting down once more and handing us a boiling hot mug each. "So.. Vanessa, what's going on?"

Vanessa turned her head towards mine. She looked nervous but I gave her a trusting smile and held her hand tightly in mine. "Go on Ness, nobody is going to judge you here. It's a safe haven."

"Rydel's right Vanessa." Angelica softly said. "I've had my fair share of demons. I'd never sit here and judge anyone else for theirs."

With a deep breath Vanessa released the grip from my hand and smiled cautiously at Angelica who had her hands cupped around her ceramic pink mug. "I gave my son up for adoption."

Angelica nodded. "Why's that Vanessa?"

"I... I don't know-"

"Yes you do, Vanessa." Angelica murmured, pointing her index finger at her. "You've buried it deep inside but I need you to uncover it for me okay?"

Vanessa exhaled and held her head in her hands. "I thought I could cope... I was so ready to become a mother. I was preparing for his arrival for weeks... but the second he was born... I didn't want to be a mom anymore. I wanted it all to go away."

I squeezed her hand for comfort and to remind her that I was still here to support her. "And now you'd like to have him back?" Angelica asked with a knowing smile. Vanessa nodded in response to her question and wiped a quick tear away from her eye. "Vanessa... before I am able to pull a few strings, I'd like to get to know you better. I want to understand your pain and help you before we can get your little baby back."

I gulped and stared at Angelica with wide eyes. "You're seriously able to get my nephew back? You have the power to do something like that?"

"I'd like to try." She said calmly before finishing the last sip of her coffee. "But first we... I... need to be able to provide evidence that Vanessa is fit enough to be a mother again."

"I am! I am!" Vanessa exclaimed. "Please believe me, I really am."

Angelica wearily smiled and handed Vanessa a small piece of card. "Come back in a few days for another appointment with me and we'll try to figure things out. Does that sound okay?"

Vanessa held the card tightly between her finger tips and nodded eagerly at Angelica. "Yes! Thank you so much!"

I smiled knowingly at Angelica, the people who worked here were good people, they'd help Vanessa, if it was the last thing they ever did.

*

Laura's POV

I stood in the doorway with Isabella in my arms waiting for Trisha and Cece to show up. We'd arranged to have a pizza night, despite the drama that had taken place the past couple of days we wanted some time to calm down and relax for a change. "Where are those crazy Aunties of yours?" I asked Isabella jokingly.

A moment later, a loud sports car drove wildly down my quiet street. I squinted my eyes and gasped in horror as I saw Cece and Trisha step out of it with black biker jackets on. "What the hell..." I whispered as they walked towards me with huge grins on their faces. "What the hell was that?"

"Connor's new ride!" Cece exclaimed with a giggle before waving Connor off as his car raced away down the street. "He gave me his jacket too! Isn't that adorable?"

I nodded slowly and glanced over at Trisha who had a nervous look on her face. I pointed to her jacket and frowned. "Connor gave you a jacket too?"

Trisha awkwardly nodded her head in response to my question and with a sigh I beckoned the two of them to come inside. "You're both being careful... right?" I asked once the three of us were settled down in the lounge.

I handed them each a can of soda and sat across from them with Isabella on my lap who was loudly munching on some rice cakes. Cece raised her eyebrows and took a gulp from her soda. "Laura! I'm not doing anything if that's what you mean-"

"No, no, Cece, that's not what I meant." I said softly, running my fingers through Isabella's short bob of dirty blonde hair. "I just want you two to be aware that the guys you're dating are obviously a few years older than you and might want to move a lot quicker than you do. All I'm asking is that you stay aware and be true to yourselves, don't change who you are to suit a guy."

Cece smiled and patted my thigh with her hand. "Laura I appreciate your concern but Connor is such a lovely guy... I'm really falling for him. I've had a bad past with guys but Connor seems different... I'm willing to give this a try with him."

I smiled back and wrapped my arm around her shoulder. "I'm glad you're happy, that's all that matters."

Trisha sat in the corner of the room not saying a word, she was quietly sipping on her soda and with a quick raise of my eyebrows I decided to question her. "What's going on with you Trish?"

Cece and Trisha shared a nervous look between them. "Trish... tell her." Cece whispered.

"Tell me what?" I asked folding my arms across my chest.

Trisha exhaled. "I'm dating Jesse... your Jesse."

***

a/n

eeeeekkkkkk!

all my love,

b x