How long is always?

2 years, 3 months and 4 days

For Cindy, Beca's step mum, Always lasted two years, three months and four days.

How did Beca know the exact amount of time, you might ask?

She had been counting the days since she was eight years old.

~~~~

Eight-year-old Beca Mitchell woke up with a sigh. Today was the day. Her life was about to end.

Not literally though, although it felt like it to Beca. Today was the day Cindy would become her step mum - Mrs Cindy Mitchell.

Out of all the women on the planet, her dad just had to choose this one to marry. She seemed to devote her life to making Beca's a misery, which was a huge waste of a life if you asked Beca (although people never really did).

To Cindy, Beca was just an annoying waste of space. Nothing more.

On the fateful morning, Beca woke up with a huge sigh. She rolled over on the blow-up mattress in James' bedroom (wedding guests were currently occupying hers) and picked up a pen to circle the day on her calendar. 

"Day one of marriage for Dad, day one of torture for me."

~~~~

During the ceremony, Beca barely smiled. Her heart was heavy, and she just wished her grandpa was there to squeeze her hand and roll his eyes at the couple just finishing their vows. 

"Promise to love and cherish with all of my heart." Cindy repeated after the priest.

"Forever and always"

"Forever and always"

~~~~

Ten-year-old Beca Mitchell woke up to shouting in her dad's bedroom. This was normal. Her dad and his wife, Cindy, had been arguing a lot recently. Mainly about money and sometimes about her, although she didn't really know why.

Beca rolled over on her bed, facing her small bedside calendar. She crossed the day off with a big red x and repeated a version of the words she had been repeating every morning since her dad and step mum had gotten married.

"Two years, three months and four days of marriage for Dad, two years, three months and four days of torture for me."

~~~~

Due to the shouting and the fact that Cindy had a tendency to throw things when she was mad, Beca spent most of her time playing video games on the Xbox in James' bedroom. She and James had become quite good friends over the last few years. He looked out for her at school and kept her safe from the bullies, and she played video games with him so he had someone to play against. It was a win-win for both kids.

They were halfway through a lovely game of Call of Duty (Beca was winning) whilst ranting about the popular kids at their school, when they heard plates smash in the kitchen and feet stomping towards the bedroom door. Cindy swung open the door and yelled at Beca.

"You ungrateful little bitch!" She screamed, stomping across the room and snatching the Xbox controller from Beca's hands. The ten-year-old just sat on the couch, unsure of what she should do.

"If you really meant what I just heard you saying, then you'd better get your lazy ass out of my house before I make you."

"Huh?" Beca asked. She had no idea what Cindy was on about.

"Don't you dare 'huh' me. You know exactly what you just said about me so don't go denying it."

Beca was mystified. She truly did not know what she had apparently been saying about Cindy. 

"You stupid child!" Cindy screamed at Beca, shaking her by the shoulders and pushing her against the wall.

"Cindy!" Beca's dad yelled from the doorway. "What do you think you are doing to my daughter?"

"The little bitch was ranting about me saying her life would be so much better if I left her alone."

Beca laughed despite the situation she was in. "I wasn't talking about you!" She said, "I was talking about this evil popular kid at school, although it does kind of apply to you as well, Cruella de Vil."

"There." John said, a small glint appearing in his eye as his daughter called Cindy his favourite nickname for her. "Beca wasn't even talking about you in the first place. There is no need to be mad at her."

"But she just called me Cruella!" Cindy squealed.

"I am well aware of that, Ursula." John smirked, moving to stand in front of his son and daughter. Protecting them.

~~~~

I think it's safe to say Beca's life was better without Cindy, but still Beca felt weirdly upset. As strange as it is to say, a part of Beca died along with Cindy's marriage vows.

"Forever and Always."