Our Kiddo

I'm really disappointed in you

"Don't you dare!" Leah shouted. Evie was stood on top of the bridge. The water crashing metres below.

"I'm not going to kill myself. Don't worry," Evie said in a monotone voice. She turned around, her face was tear stained but she seemed slightly more relaxed than she was earlier.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I understand that you were angry about the article. I'm so sorry kiddo. I promise you I have never uttered a word to anyone."

They stood in silence. Leah prayed that Evie would say something, anything.

"Please can you take me home? I'm exhausted," she said eventually. Leah obviously obliged and they drove home in silence. Evie was too overwhelmed to discuss anything yet. She wasn't angry at Leah. She understood her reaction.

As soon as they got home, she flopped onto the sofa and fell asleep. The big emotions she was feeling had taken everything out of her and all she wanted to do was shut it out.

Leah sat next to her silently. She was partly at fault for this.

The doorbell rang and Leah answered it. It was her mum and she felt grateful to see her. She'd be able to help.

Amanda walked straight past her daughter and into the living room. She was relieved to see Evie fast asleep on the sofa. She was ok. That was good.

They stayed in silence. The only sound was Evie's peaceful breathing. After a couple of seconds, Amanda pointed at her daughter and beckoned for her to come into the kitchen, careful not to wake the sleeping teenager.

"Sit," Amanda said, pointing to one of the chairs. It felt weird to tell off her twenty-five-year-old but here she was.

Leah explained everything. She shouldn't have reacted in that way. And she shouldn't have scared her. She knew that loud noises terrified Evie and that it would end the conversation. She didn't think about just how scared it would make the poor girl.

Once she was done, Amanda began her lecture.

"I thought I raised you with more empathy. That poor girl. What if she'd jumped? What if she had? How silly would that be? Leah Catherine, I actually can't believe you did that."

"It was the heat of the moment," she said sheepishly. That was true but only further backed up the slight lack of empathy.

"I don't care. She's only seventeen. She's small and damaged. She can't have reminders of her past. What you did was stupid and thoughtless."

"You think I don't fucking know that!" Leah shouted leaping from her seat. Her mum was right but being told off didn't do anything.

"Don't raise your voice at me like that," Amanda said, a glare on her face that sent pure shivers down her spine. Leah reluctantly sat back down, feeling like a naughty little girl.

"I'm really disappointed in you."

The look on her face made Leah feel small and sad. She hated disappointing her mum. Her head drooped as she started to shake, the tears falling in great big drops.

"Come here," Amanda said, her arms open and her face full of stony disappointment. She still felt annoyed at her daughter but what was the point of being a mum if you didn't comfort your children when they were upset.

Leah stepped in gratefully. Amanda didn't say anything; she just stood and rubbed her back in a circle.

"I'm sorry," Leah said quietly. She was still crying hard and felt terrible.

"It's not me who you should be apologising to. Now sort yourself out and speak to her," Amanda said, releasing from the embrace and leaving the room. This was something they needed to sort between themselves.