Sing!

Chapter Eighteen: What Are You Afraid of?

IF MUSIC BE THE FOOD OF LOVE, PLAY ON.

|William Shakespear|

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As night fell the blue haze of day lifted to reveal the stars. Stars shone as sugar spilt over black marble, glistening in the sun. The night sky was such a welcome sight, appearing like magic at each sunset, promising to return as she faded in dawn's first light. A trembling gush of wind inaudibly drifted across the skyline. The blinding city lights gradually subsided ever so subtly, filling the shadow-emitted sky with a pleasant silence.

Elsa came through the doors of the diner. Noticing her mother counting the money that lay within the tills, Elsa began to collect the remaining dishes.

"If those rehearsals keep going on so late, you'll be showing up work after I locked up," her mother mused but Elsa was too tired to laugh at her mother's wicked humour. Elsa merely took her jacket off as she continued to do her job, "not that it matters anymore," her mother murmured as she went through the mail, "snow's accountant, looked over my books today," Iduna informed her daughter as she continued to clean up the place, "and he told me that I ought to put this place on the market," Iduna mused as she glanced down towards the envelope she had opened.

Inside lay money. The money lay cold in her hand. All in twenty dollar bills. Iduna had not seen anything quite like it. Money never suddenly appeared at your doorstep, no matter how much you prayed of begged. It just wasn't true. So why had it appeared at her doorstep?

Glancing towards her mother's hand, Elsa noticed the large stack of money. Four thousand dollars to be exact. Shock overwhelmed her as she took hold of the bundle of cash. This would keep the diner running, this would keep her living.

"Do you know something about this?" Her mother questioned as she saw her daughters expression. Elsa didn't seem as surprised as she out to be. Glancing towards the money, Elsa looked away from her mother, "What do you know about this?"

Elsa sighed.

"I've been such an idiot," her mother stated suddenly as she scoffed at her own ignorance, "you knew where this money was all the time, didn't you," Iduna stated as she shook her head at her daughter. Disappointed yet again in her, "and you sat there and you let some," pause, "stupid punk kid destroy our lives."

The words hadn't affected Elsa as much as she thought they would. In fact, Elsa wanted to laugh at her mother's words. For once Elsa did not care in pleasing her mother, all she cared about was defending Jack.

"His name is Jack," Elsa asserted in a casual tone.

"Oh," Iduna scoffed in disgust. Elsa saw her mother for the first time as a judgemental old woman, who never seemed to be pleased. Elsa had enough.

"The money's back," Elsa reported as she slammed the cash onto the counter.

"That boys scum," Iduna commented, which aggravated Elsa more than anything she had ever been aggravated. With a deep breath, Elsa turned away from her mother, showing her no sign of anger in her words, "he's garbage," Iduan yelled as Elsa contiued to walk away, "and you take his side, against your own family. Your-"

"Garbage?" Elsa stated as she turned to her mother, "is that what you think of me?" Elsa questioned seriously as she glanced towards her mother, "god your so bitter and disappointed that that's how I look to you," Elsa exclaimed towards her mother as a pain filled her chest. It the usual pain. The guilt of disappointment. Elsa guessed she should be used to it, but it always brought a new pain.

"If I was living your life," Iduna began but Elsa rolled her eyes at her mother. The same speech every time. Nothing new. So Elsa left. Leaving from the back door, Elsa was sure to make a scene. Slamming the door as she passed.