Like Mother, Like Daughter (Season 2)

Chapter Ten: Children and Fools Tell the Truth

I couldn't take my eyes off Mom as she painstakingly wrapped up Hailey in numerous pink, fluffy blankets and placed her in her carseat. It was a bitterly cold day, just fifteen hours after my little girl had been born, and we'd been given the clear to return home. Pops and Uncle Ian had considerately driven my car from Franny's place back to our neighborhood, and Franny, Jay, and Ezra were meeting us at the house so as they could all meet Hailey for the first time. Uncle Lip and Mandy would be coming, too, as well as Pops and Uncle Ian, and the rest of my siblings. I'd so far managed to get Mom and Dad to prevent Grandpa Hugo and Grandma Allie from coming over to see her, and Mom was totally supportive, although Dad seemed a little ticked off that his parents hadn't been invited to the impromptu gathering.

"While your father loves you very much, he needs to understand that this is your baby," Mom explained to me, flashing me a smile as she went over how to swaddle Hailey, to keep her warm and to make her feel as if she was still in the womb. "Besides, I don't mind not seeing my in-laws again, but that's just me."

I smirked, getting to my feet and pleased that the steroids the doctors had prescribed to me were already working wonders for my pain management. I'd already walked around my room some that morning, and had changed Hailey and rocked her in the chair provided by the considerate hospital staff. I was slightly annoyed that I would have to leave in a wheelchair, but was pleased that I would be able to hold Hailey whilst we left.

"I just don't want them looking on Hailey like she's less-than," I said quietly, making my way over to my bed, where she lay in her carseat, and knew that I'd have to be very careful when lifting her up into my arms for the journey outside. "I mean, they acted fine towards me until the twins were born, and now Carla's their fucking princess, and I'm..."

"Shhh, shhh," Mom said, immediately pulling me into her arms. She rubbed my back then, and made sure to tuck my hair behind my ears as soon as she pulled back. "I know, sweetheart, I know. They haven't been the same towards me either since I hooked up with Tommy, and even you listened to the real story..."

I went to cross my arms then, but quickly stopped myself; I was wearing a nursing bra, tank top, sweater, and a waterproof vest on top of that, along with a pair of blue jeans, thick socks, and my snow boots that day, my hair mostly hidden by a winter cap. The last thing I wanted was to reek of breast milk, which had inexplicably come in twelve hours before, just two and a half hours after Hailey's birth. "Why do you think they won't listen?" I asked.

My mother sighed. "I can't speak for them, sweetheart," she said, shrugging a little. "Is it infuriating that they won't hear the truth? Absolutely. Do I wish they could be considerate for five seconds and listen to reason? Fuck yeah, I do. Have I argued with your father more than once on their treatment of me and you? I have, believe me. But does it do any good?" she asked, and spread her hands a bit.

"Jury still out?" I asked.

She smiled then, patting my cheek before stepping forward and kissing my forehead. "No, honey, the jury's been back since the first opening argument, I'm afraid. The one thing that your father has a difficulty doing is standing up to his parents. Even when he thought that I was after Tommy as much as he was after me, and even when they implied it, he didn't say or do anything to stop their claims."

I bit my lip then, considering that. "Does it hurt you?"

"His inability to stand up to them? Absolutely."

I sighed, shaking my head. "It's almost as if he's choosing sides," I muttered to myself. "In any argument between a spouse and parents, you must choose your spouse. Just can't see why Dad doesn't seem to grasp that..."

"He's a man, honey," Mom said simply, and my eyes snapped to hers. "The sooner you understand their need to please their families, the better off you'll be."