Confident

39- Mother

Brooklyn took a deep breath and turned round, walking into the diner.

"Brooke!" Ben called. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," Brooklyn said and made her way into the staff area to change into her work clothes.

"What was that about in the parking lot?" Violet asked, catching Brooklyn as she made her way into the diner. "You both looked pissed!"

"He's a dick," Brooklyn said. She glanced at Ben, very aware that he was listening. "I'm not being bossed about by him."

"Gosh, no," Violet said. "Show him who's boss."

"He's so angry," Brooklyn groaned and rubbed her eyes. "I don't even know why I'm stressing so much, it's not like he's my boyfriend or anything."

"I didn't think you two needed to ask the question about what you were," Violet said honestly. "I thought it was obvious."

"You're not helping," Brooklyn groaned. She knew very well that Harry was a hell of a lot more than a boyfriend.

"Sorry," Violet said sheepishly. "Go and serve table 6, that'll distract you."

"Just what I had planned," Brooklyn groaned and took her notepad out of her apron and made her way to table six. "Hi there, welcome to-" Brooklyn stooped short when she recognised the couple at the table.

"Brooke," her dad smiled. "I didn't know you worked here?"

"M-mum?" Brooklyn stuttered, looking at the woman she called her mother in shock. "What... you..." Brooklyn turned to her dad. "What the hell is she doing here?"

"That's no way to talk to your mother!" Her mother snapped, her tone short and harsh. "Have some respect, child."

Brooklyn slowly looked at her mother. "Respect?" She said slowly, keeping her voice calm. "You want me to respect you?"

"The fact that you have to ask is ridiculous," her mother huffed and rolled her eyes. "I thought you might've grown up a bit since you've been gone, but after watching you and that boy argue like stupid children I can see you haven't."

"You saw-" Brooklyn sighed and shook her head. "I'd like to remind you that you two sent me away, I didn't choose to leave. However, I'm so glad I did move here because Aunt Lisa is more of a mother to me than you have ever been to me."

"You ungrateful brat!" Her mother cried. "All you do is complain and whine about all the oh so terrible things that have happened to you! News flash, darling, shit happens to everyone. You're nothing special! You just make a big deal out of it to make yourself feel special! You're not! You never will be!"

"Honey," Brooklyn's dad said. "That's enough."

"No, let her say what she wants," Brooklyn said. She swallowed a lump in her throat. "I know the truth, that's all that matters."

"It's your excuse for everything!" Her mother said and rolled her eyes. "Oh, I can't do that because there's going to be guys there and I can't even look at a guy now because I was raped. I can't go out in thunderstorms because it reminds me of when I was raped. I can't do this, I can't do that- it was ages ago! You'd think you'd get over it by now."

Brooklyn was frozen. She could see customers looking at her with open mouths. She could see Ben watching.

"All that crap about not being around boys is nonsense. You're sleeping with that guy that you were just arguing with! I can tell. You're a liar, using getting raped as an excuse for absolutely everything! You're a nightmare, Brooke, I'm still surprised this didn't happen to you sooner-"