A New Perspective

Chapter 14

Sunday morning, Gwen and I found a place for our painting - it's in the front room by the television. She wanted people to see it when they visited. It reassured me that she's not ashamed of me like my own mother was although I didn't think she was. She's always very kind to me and never gives me a reason to think I'm not welcomed. I really did get lucky with this family.

As for what we did earlier in the day, it felt similar to Saturday. We went out for lunch and then had some time to relax together before Blake and the boys had to leave to catch their flight back home. I could feel a shift in the mood. The boys didn't want to go back home, obviously they were very attached to Gwen. I even overheard Zuma saying to his father that he didn't want to leave because he was worried he would never see me again. It warmed my heart to hear that he liked me and that might have found a new friend although he was right. There was a possibility that I wouldn't be here the next time he came to visit, but all Blake had said to that was, "I bet she'll be here for a long while, bud."

I hoped that was true.

"Did you have fun this weekend?" Gwen asks right after they leave. I look up at her with a glowing smile.

"Lots of fun!" I tell her.

Her smile widens, but I can tell it's partly forced.

"I'm glad." She says before heading upstairs. There's a change in her body language and there's no skip in her step like there was this whole weekend. I had never experienced what she was like when Blake had to leave to go back home, but this seemed worse than what it should be.

I left her be for a few hours, but her mood never really seemed to change until the next morning.

She has a little bit of her glow back to her as she drives me to school. Her smile is back and she's much more talkative than last night. I'm glad she seems to be feeling better. I suppose she was just down about Blake and the boys having to leave, but she'll see them again soon, she shouldn't have to be so sad about it.

"So I should be done work by the time school's out. If not, I'll text you to let you know who to look out for, okay?" She informs me.

I nod, "okay. I hope your day at work goes well."

She beams at that and in reply says, "thank you, Vi. I hope you have a great day at school."

"Thanks, Gwen. I'll see you tonight!" I tell her as we arrive and I start to get out.

"Yep! Bye, Vi." She smiles.

I watch her drive away before I head inside, walking laps around the school with minutes to spare before the warning bell. I then head to first period. I pull out a book that I've been reading for the last few weeks from the school library while waiting for the teacher, but I'm interrupted by one of my classmates. I can't really remember her name, but she used to be close with Jessica last year, not so much this year.

"Hey Vivian, that's you, isn't it?" She asks me. I look up confused before she shows me multiple articles from the internet with pictures staring me alongside Gwen, Blake, and the boys. Dammit. This was bound to happen.

I swallow, feeling anxious now, but more kids chirp in before I can say a word.

"Vivian got to hang out with Gwen... Stef-annie."

"It's pronounced Stefani." I say quietly, but they pick up on it.

"Nah, she's definitely her charity case. She ran away, remember?"

"Oh yeah!"

"Vivian, what's it like being mommied by a celebrity."

The class giggles at that remark. Then someone speaks up with a different take to it.