Mothers (girlxgirl) (Book 3)

Building Bridges

Faith's POV

I have no idea what I'm gonna say.

We make our way to the hotel where my mother is staying.

I mean, she basically abandoned me for years. Left me to fend for myself after dad disappeared. How am I going to have a civil conversation with her after doing that to me?

I look over at B walking next to me for a second.

I guess Buffy will stop me if I feel the need to punch her in the jaw. I still have no idea what to talk about though. I know that her dying and maybe being resurrected, if she is who she says she is, wasn't her fault, but knowing that doesn't change the fact that I was alone for more than a few years because of it. It doesn't make it hurt any less. So what exactly do I say to her? How do I talk to her when I know that? I'm just not sure I can. Plus on top of that, B and I have to figure out a way to get her to tell us whether or not she was involved in any bad guy activity since I last saw her. And she may not have even known that it was demonic when she was involved in it. So that makes the whole conversation even harder to have on top of everything else. I don't know that I can do it.

The hotel comes into view about a block away. I stop and stare at it as the sun starts to go down. B stops beside me and I feel a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"You can do this Faith."

I take a deep breath before smiling at her and putting a hand on hers.

"I know it'll be hard but you'll get through it. And I'll be here through it all for you. The same way you've been there for me the past few weeks."

We just stare at each other for a minute. She squeezes my shoulder.

"You can do this."

I smile back and continue to the hotel.

"Let's go..."

We go the rest of the distance and walk through the front doors of my mom's hotel. We head straight for the reception desk.

"Welcome to The Hotel Sunnydale, how can I help you?"

"Uh, hi... we're here to see my mother, Fray Lehane?"

The desk clerk eyes us both as he types stuff into the computer.

"Ah, yes... Mrs. Lehane has indicated that she is expecting guests and I believe she is expecting you in the hotel restaurant. She's reserved a table for three."

B finally speaks.

"Great, where?"

The clerk leans slightly over the table to point the way.

"Just go to the end of this hallway and turn left. You can't miss it."

We both smile at the clerk and make our way to the restaurant.

"This'll be good, right?"

I look to my right at B.

"What will?"

"Meeting in a restaurant and stuff, if things get awkward we can talk about the food or something. And it's not like anything would attack us in a restaurant full of people. Whatever it is probably wants us alone to go after us."

She has a point.

"Yeah, I guess."

We find the restaurant and B stops me before we approach the greeter. She doesn't say anything though.

"What?"

She shakes her head.

"Nothing... it's not important."