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ON HER WAY HOME, Kristen made a pitstop at her mother's house for a little souvenir of sorts. She'd called her mother everyday since the funeral, being obligated to return to work. Kristen felt guilty that she'd been out having a little bit of fun, only imagining the kind of sorrow her mother was drowning herself in at home. It was dark out, letting herself inside of the house to a lone light on in the kitchen as the rest of the house looked, and felt, empty.
Kristen placed her keys on the foyer bench, walking through to the kitchen to see her mother slumped over with tissues and a photo album of her wedding.
"Hey baby, I didn't realise you were coming over," Her mother dropped her tissues, embracing her daughter into a tight hug. Pulling away, she held her daughters face, "You should've called, I would've cleaned up."
"No need," Kristen swallowed hard, watching her mother move to slid back into the kitchen bench seat, "How... How are you holding up?"
"Do I gotta give you the PR answer?"
"That would be nice," Kristen said as she walked over to the kettle that'd boiled over, beeping so she pouted her mother some tea. Sarah was still dwelling on the pictures, tracing her fingers over Tom's suit and his face and his smile and his... his everything.
"I love that photo of you two," Kristen affirmed, placing the mug in front of her mom, "Daddy always showed it to me, and since I've always wanted someone to look at me like that."
"You don't want it," Sarah attempted to joke with a sniffle, "Cus one day, one of you'll be sitting her in my spot feeling like you can't do this thing without 'em."
"At least you'd know you spent that time with the person you loved," Kristen hugged her mother from behind, her head rested on hers as she glanced at the photo album.
"I know Krissy," Her mother sighed, she turned around to lock eyes with her daughter, "Any chance you decided to come home, honey?"
"I just came to get daddy's first TG helmet," She bit the inside of her cheek, "I really wanna wear it. He's had a few, so I'm sure he wouldn't mind if I took one out for a spin."
"Honey-"
Kristen threw her arms up trying to make her mother laugh, "I think I can claim a stake, I drew Frosty on that one when I was 12 in sharpie. It's basically mine."
Her mother couldn't quite comprehend Kristen's words. Sarah's mind fluttered back to her mourning, "You really can't come home?"
Kristen's lips trembled in the slightest, she moved to sit beside her mother as she pushed Sarah's hair from her face, "I wanna do this mom, I can't back out now. I promised dad. Hell, I promised myself."
"You can't leave me, Kris," Her mother's eyes blinked with more tears, the new grip on her daughter growing with strain, "I-I can't sleep without him. I can't do this without him. I can't even wake up without thinking of your father."
