Enchanted N.H

Chapter 24

Nialls bed feels like the wide ocean and I am drowning in the pillows without him holding me.
The playlist he made for me brings tears to my eyes and I play it on repeat while I bury my face into the pillow that still holds his scent.
All of the stars by Ed Sheeran is quietly playing from the speakers when I finally decide to get up and head to the kitchen to grab a tea.
My phone rings and interrupts the song, when I take a look at the caller ID I see that it is my mother and I sigh deeply before I answer.
She complains about her current boyfriend being too tired to driver her to the airport and that she now has to take a cab.
I set the phone on the kitchen counter while drinking my tea and cutting up some fruit for work which proves to be challenging with just one hand.
"Vicky are you even listening to me?", my mother yells and I roll my eyes, she is the most over dramatic person I know.
"Yes mom", I lie and she huffs before she continues to talk.
When she is finally done rambling she gets to the point that she doesn't want to meet me at my work place because it would be too much for her.
"Honey just text me your address I need to get going now", she chirps and before I can say anything else she hangs up.
"Yes mother I will send you the address I am staying at by the way I am living with my boyfriend who happens to be a famous singer", I angrily groan while reading Nialls text messages he had sent me while I was asleep.
"I love you", I mumble and look at the picture of Niall on my lock screen.
He is playing the guitar sitting on the bed and the look in his eyes is just so full of happiness that I chose this picture over the few selfies we have together.
I still don't want my mother to have Nialls address but I give in on the way to work and text her.
Work is harder than usual probably because only being able to use one hand properly proves to be very inconvenient while trying to do arts and crafts with children.
Lia happily helps me as much as possible and chuckles a little when I tell her how I managed to cut my hand.
"Cooking is not your strong suit right?", she smiles and I throw a pen at her.
"I was nervous", I half heartedly defend myself only earning another chuckle from my friend and co-worker.
Before my end my shift a little earlier than usual to meet my mother I help Emma prepare the midday snacks for the children.
"I don't want to be noisy but what is it like dating a famous superstar?", she blushes a  little at her own question and I smile at her.
"Dating Niall is amazing, he is kind, funny and he makes me feel more loved than I have ever felt in my life", I tell her and she nudges my side with her elbow.
"This is even better than the love stories I read before bed", Emma giggles.
Since I moved in with Niall I can walk from his house to my work and today London decided to bless me with the perfect British weather, a heavy rain storm.
I don't even bother to use my umbrella since the wind is way too strong for me to hold it.
When I come closer to Nialls house I see a figure standing in the doorway, surrounded by suitcases, holding a bright red umbrella. "Hurry", my mother yells as she recognises me and I roll my eyes.
As if I had planned on staying in the rain longer than necessary.
I unlock the door and help her carry her heavy suitcases inside, it looks like she is planning to stay for three months not three days.
"You look tired", my mother notes and takes off her drenched shoes.
"Didn't think your internship would pay that well, you have got a nice place here", she continues to talk and starts to walk through the house.
"It's my boyfriends place", I muster up the courage to tell her.
My mother looks impressed but frowns a little when she sees my bandaged hand.
"He did that to you?", she asks and if I am not mistaken I can see a little compassion in her eyes.
Guess she has not managed to suppress her motherly feelings afterall.
"God no, I cut myself while I was trying to cook", I defend Niall, upset that my mother would even think that Niall would hurt me.
My mother puts her hands up in surrender and continues to roam through the house.
I follow her closely not wanting her to open any wardrobes or doors without asking me first.
"Would you mind making a cup of tea while I shower?", she asks me but phrases it more like a command.
I had helped her put her bags into the guestroom that I prepared for her and she starts to unpack her suitcase to get some clean and most importantly dry clothes.
"We could catch up and you can tell me all about your nice boyfriend", she chirps and closes the bathroom door behind her.
Not like I wanted to change or take a shower too.
I walk back downstairs to the kitchen and boil some water and I text Niall and Elise that my mother arrived.
Niall tells me to have fun with her and Elise wishes me luck and tells me not to kill her.
Elise knows how self absorbed my mother is and how she cares about nothing more than herself.
I look at some pictures Niall send me from L.A and again I wish I could be there with him but I am here in London and I have to deal with my mother.
She enters the kitchen grabs one of the cups, wearing a bathrobe and some soft slippers.
I lead her to the bathroom and we sit on opposite ends of the couch both crossing our legs and looking each other in the eye waiting for the other one to start talking.
"I saw Dad again", I blurt out and her face grows pale.
"Why?", she asks her voice a little shaky and higher than usual.
I decide that it is easier to begin at the start and to explain to her who I am dating and why I went to a fundraising event in London.
To my surprise my mother let's me talk and doesn't even interrupt me to ask questions.
Me mentioning my father must really done something to her because she hasn't said anything for about 30 minutes which is very unusual for her.
"Did you speak to him?", she asks pointedly and sips at her tea.
It is all about taking sides now I can tell by the look on her face.
"Niall set up a meeting but I wasn't ready", I sigh and she relaxes a little all those years she had told me that my father was the one who did everything wrong but I know that there are always two sides to a story and she is definitely not innocent.
"Well now tell me a little more about this boyfriend of yours, I see you found a good one", she changes the subject, I can sense that she is uncomfortable talking about my father.
"You haven't even met him mom".
She waves her arms around "He obviously has a lot of money and you made a great decision to go and live with him".
I get angry at her words, I know that she doesn't know better I bet the only person she ever truly loved was my father and after he left she went from one rich man to the other.
"I love Niall because he cares about me and he makes sure I feel loved not because he has a lot of money and a nice house", I tell her through clenched teeth.
I don't feel like starting an argument with her because I know it would be pointless to try to convince her that we have to different concepts of love.
"Fine if you say so Vicky", my mother sighs deeply and I suppress the urge to roll my eyes at her again.
I want to spend sometime with her without starting a fight like a semi normal mother daughter relationship.
"He is a singer right? Why don't you show me some of his music", she suggests now a little more friendly than before and I smile to signal that I accept her little peace offering.
I start Nialls TV and search up some of his performances on YouTube proud to show off my boyfriend to my mother even if it's just online.