Morning dawns on a tired Eden, her head covered by a mess of curls and her covers strewn across the bed, evidence of a restless sleep. Her shoulders ache and there's a pesky dull pain in her back that keeps her from sleeping in as long as she intended to. When she finally forces her eyes open, sunlight is beating against the closed blinds and there are birds chirping just outside the window.
"Shut up," Eden groans to no one in particular. One hand grapples aimlessly across the bed until her fingertips brush against her phone. She sighs internally when she sees the time: 10:12 on a Wednesday morning.
You know who wakes up at ten on a Wednesday morning? People who don't have their lives together.
Something cracks loudly as Eden drags herself to a sitting position. She feels like crying as the pain in her shoulders and back only grows more unbearable.
"Good God," she laments, slowly attempting to stretch out some of the soreness from the side of her bed. "Did I sleep on a rock last night?"
A quick check under her sheets reveals that she, in fact, did not sleep on a rock. Just the same lumpy old mattress she's had for years. It takes another few seconds to gather the strength to drag herself to the bathroom for a shower.
The hot water charging out of the shower-head does wonders on working out the knots in her muscles. She emerges from the water a half hour later feeling more awake and somewhat ready to face the inevitable. She takes her time getting dressed and doing her makeup, but even in the back of her mind she knows that all she's doing is procrastinating calling her mother.
The sad thing is, she can't even remember her mom's phone number. There are no pictures of her around Eden's house and time has worn away the majority of her face from Eden's memory. She takes a seat on the edge of her bed and tentatively stares at the house phone in her hands, her thumb hovering over the redial button uncertainly.
No matter how hard she tries, Eden can't think of one good reason why her mother would be calling. The last time they spoke, things didn't exactly end on a happy note.
"Eden, where are you going?" Catalina cries, trailing out of the house and after her daughter.
Eden marches defiantly down the front steps, lugging her suitcase behind her. "I can't be around here anymore, Mom, I'm sorry."
"Please, let's just talk about this-"
But Eden is done talking to a house that refuses to listen. She tosses her bag into the backseat of her car before pulling open the driver's side door. Catalina rushes down the driveway, her features drenched in worry, and grips the door to stop Eden from closing it.
"Eden," Catalina huffs, now trying her hand at being firm. "Get back in the house. You are not leaving."
"Yes, I am," Eden says firmly. "I'm twenty-one but you and Dad treat me like I'm a child. If nobody is going to act like I matter then I'll go somewhere that will."
"Eden, of course you matter," Catalina pleads, trying to get behind the door to get closer to her daughter. Eden panics and yanks on the door, forcibly removing her mother's hands so she can pull the door shut completely.
Catalina places her hands on the window, her voice swallowed by her desperate crying, but Eden is already backing down the driveway, biting back angry tears of her own. The last thing she sees as she drives down Mulberry Street and away from the house she grew up in is her mother standing forlornly in the driveway, hands outstretched as she watches her go.
It's admittedly a rather dramatic memory to have, considering that was the last time she saw either parent. Nowadays she can't even remember exactly what it was that caused her to leave in the first place. Eden's done a lot of growing up in the past two years, and the more she reflects on the impression she left, the more she realizes how unnecessarily theatrical her leaving was.
Still, it must've been painful for her mother to watch her leave, so whatever reason she's calling for must actually be "urgent". Sighing aloud, she presses the redial button and holds the phone to her ear.
Someone picks up after the second ring. For a split second, Eden can hear the sound of pots clanking in the background and a television running before a woman speaks.
"Hello?"
Eden feels every heavy emotion inside her shift uncomfortably as her mother's voice hits her ears. For a moment, she finds her dumbstruck and unable to answer; it's really her mom on the other end of the phone. She really had called the house. They may not have spoken in years but a part of Eden still loves her mother dearly and is overwhelmed by the knowledge that she actually reached out.
"Eden, is that you?"
The block of ice in her throat melts and Eden releases a ragged breath. "Hi, Mom."
"Oh, Eden!" Catalina cries, the pure relief in her voice sparking tears of guilt in Eden's eyes. "I miss you so much, how are you?"
Eden sniffles heavily and fights to keep her voice even. "I - I miss you too, Mom, I've been okay, how-"
"Can you come by the house?" Catalina asks breathlessly, not bothering to wait for Eden to finish speaking. "I think we should talk in person."
These words make Eden's stomach writhe with nerves. Undoubtedly this conversation would be a long and difficult one to have, but a deep part of her knows she has to face this fear just as she faced all her others.
"Sure, Mom," Eden answers timidly. "What time?"
***
An hour later, Eden turns onto Mulberry Street and pulls into the driveway of a house she hasn't seen in years. Her fingers stay clenched tightly around the wheel as she allows the engine to run for a few moments, merely staring at the front door. Someone's decorated the white wood with a wreath made of green leaves, and there's a new porch swing installed out front that Eden doesn't remember.
It seems so innocuous from the outside; anyone driving by would never be able to guess the days of heartache and anger that a younger, misunderstood Eden suffered as she outgrew her place in her family. At the end of the day it is just a house, and yet some part of her is having great difficulty even looking at it for too long.
"All go to one place: all come from dust, and to dust all return."
A curtain by the front door suddenly moves and a face appears behind it. Eden's heart nearly stops when she recognizes her mother's face peering outside, clearly looking for her, and she knows she can't waste anymore time hiding in the car. She takes a few deep breaths before exiting the car and walking slowly up the drive, preparing to return to the dust from whence she came.
~~~
hello again, i know it's a bit late on a sunday evening but i hope everyone's weekend was good. i know i've said this for probably the millionth time but today was my 22nd birthday and i'm just so jazzed about it :D i had a really great day and i can't wait to hear all about yours in the comments!
also i know this is a bit of a filler but i wanted to get in an update today. don't worry, another one is coming soon :) and we'll finally know what catalina wanted to tell eden!
love y'all xxxxxx
YOU ARE READING
the brave ones // h.s.
Fanfiction"the brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear."
