𝙜𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 [𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙞 𝙖𝙪]

29

nina let out a deep inhale and exhale before she pressed her mom's contact picture on the phone app. she felt her heart beat faster as the rings came and went.

after three rings, she heard the line pick up on the other side and a hopeful "hello?". the voice of dana, giving her warmth with the tone.

"mama d?" nina's voice strained.

"nina, oh my god, are you okay? we've been calling and texting you non stop but you never answered. we thought something bad happened," she said all in one breath.

"sorry, i've been trying to distance myself."

"it's okay, i'm just glad you're okay. let me get your mom okay?"

"okay," she quietly replied. she heard dana rush through the house yelling 'carol!' about two times before she heard the voice of her other mom.

she could tell they had a small exchange, but assumed it was just dana telling carol that she was on the phone.

"nina?" carol spoke in a worried, stern tone.

"hi mama c," the woman nervously replied.

"where have you been? you stopped answering your phone. you know you can't do that, especially when you're in a different state."

"i know, i know, i'm sorry."

"sorry isn't going to cut it nina. we've been worried sick, wondering if you-"

"if i found out the truth?" nina stopped her, her voice firm. the other line went quiet for a couple seconds and nina double checked that she hadn't accidentally hung up.

"what- what are you talking about?" carol stuttered.

"mama, i know the truth. i know i've been to salt lake for high school, i know about serena and the cruz's, i know about ricky, i know about the accident, i know-" she paused to catch her breath. "i know about the deal you made with everyone."

"you're talking nonsense."

"am i? cause i went to see a doctor and he said my amnesia was caused by emotional trauma, so it kind of makes sense."

"you went to a doctor without us?"

"i had to find out the truth."

"that's not the truth nina," carol said.

"really? then what is the truth?"

she stayed out as the other line went quiet again.

"i knew it," she said, almost in a whisper. "you have no right to keep my life from me. i had a right to know i went to salt lake, that i fell in love with everything here and that you guarded me like a dog."

"i didn't guard you nina."

"yes you did! think about it mama! two years ago you pushed me to be with ej. you told me he was my boyfriend. you made me work at this company. you said it was my dream. it's not mama! i always wondered why it felt so draining to work here- it's cause i never wanted to. you made up my whole life to fit under your standards."