Dearest - truly flung out of space

39 - The Parents

I've barely recovered from the adrenaline that I felt when singing in front of all these people. My heart is still racing like crazy and my legs are still a little shaky. Carol still has her arms around me, gently rubbing my back to help me calm down. The other people are starting to leave and soon after, only Carol, Rindy, Derek, Amelia, and me are left. Derek is still on the video call with his boyfriend. He hands me the phone and I talk to his boyfriend. He's such a nice guy, thanking me that I made this experience happen for him. We exchanged words before Derek said goodbye to us and left.

"Y/N, you were amazing. All these people were shocked by your performance. I'm so proud of you," Amelia says as she draws me into a hug. My eyes begin to water as I hold her tighter and tighter. She already knows what she is doing now. She had a plan from the start. She will move to England and start working as an independent journalist. This has been her dream ever since I've known her.

This farewell hurts me. We said that nothing would change - we would keep on being best friends, sharing every little detail about our lives with each other, but it's still different. She will be in another country, quite literally on the other side of the world.

"Don't cry, dumbass," she whispers into my hair.
I can't help but chuckle. Even though we are about to part, she still can keep up with her snarky remarks.
"I'm not crying, stupid," I reply and wipe my tears.
She keeps me in her arms for a little while longer.
"Well, this is a farewell, I guess," she whispers.
"Shut up, that sounds like one of us will die soon!" I scoff and punch her in the arm.
She just chuckles and after a while, she lets go of me.

Amelia says goodbye to Rindy and Carol. The farewell with Rindy is especially hard for both of them. Rindy loves Amelia and saying goodbye to her hurts like a knife.
"Take good care of your mothers, little one," Amelia whispers into the little girl's ear. Rindy nods and hugs my best friend just a little tighter.
We stand there, all in tears before my best friend turns away and leaves with her boyfriend.

"Let's go home, shall we? We have to celebrate," Carol whispers into my ear. I look at the university one more time before I turn around, wanting to make my way to the car.

"Well well, what a sight to see. I never thought you'd actually make it this far," a low female voice says. I immediately recognize the voice and freeze. It's my mother.
"Mother," I whisper and feel how my hands begin to shake.
Carol immediately puts her hand on my shoulders. I slowly look at Rindy. The little girl doesn't understand anything.
"Please take Rindy away from this. I don't want her to witness this," I whisper to Carol and she immediately reacts.
"Rindy, snowflake, do you see the swings over there? Do you want to check them out?" Carol whispers.
"But I'll get my dress dirty," the little girl whispers.
"Don't worry about the dress, snowflake. We can wash it. I'll call you when we are ready to go home, okay?" Carol answered and gently shooed her daughter away. The little girl heads to the swings.

"Why are you here?" I ask my mother. She just chuckles.
"I'm your mother, I have every right to be here. It was very disappointing to hear you thank some random strangers rather than your own mother," she says with a dangerous undertone.
"You're not my family anymore. And you know that. I am happy with my family," I reply with a shaking voice.
"Y/N is with me now. She has moved on," Carol interrupts. Her hands are still on my shoulders, gently squeezing them.
"Who asked you? Don't think my stupid daughter is with you because she loves you? Pff, don't be ridiculous. She's just looking for your money. She always has. Plus, don't you have a husband to go to? Someone who is not using you for money? You're not even pretty," my mother scolds and my heart breaks. How can she be so cruel?

"Shut up! You have no idea! Carol saved me from you! She caught me. She loves me!" I scream at my mother. Tears run down my cheeks. My mother never cared for me. She never appreciated me or my decisions in life.
"Let's go, Y/N," Carol whispers and gently leads me away from my mother. The tears continue to roll down my cheeks.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," I sob as Carol helps me into the backseat. Rindy is crawling into the backseat as well and notices my emotional state. At first, she doesn't say anything but after a while, she hesitantly grabs my hand.
"I love you, mommy," she whispers. This is the first time she has ever called me that way. I still remember how she said she would never call me like that. But right now she does, and it means the world to me. My heart breaks and I look at her with teary eyes.
Carol checks the rearview mirror to see what we are up to. She smiles gently
"I love you too, sunshine," I whisper and wipe my tears away.
"Will you leave us?" the little girl asks in a low and scared voice. I carefully wrap my arm around her.
"No, darling. I'm not. You're stuck with me," I whisper and place a kiss in her hair.

After arriving back at home, Carol prepares dinner. We all eat in rather silence and after spending some more time on the sofa, Rindy is sent to bed.
Carol and I cuddle on the bed and I rest my head on her chest.

"I'm so sorry, Carol. You know that what my mother said was bullshit, don't you? I love you. I love you with all my heart. I don't care about money or fame or whatever. I care about you. I love you. And I only want to be with you. Please... Please don't hate me," I whisper under tears.
"Hey, hey, shh. I know that. I never believed any word she said, I promise. I love you," Carol reassures me. Her words heal my broken soul.
"You can be so proud of yourself, dearest. You've achieved so much. You finished university, you sang in front of all these people, you stood up to your mother. I'm so proud of you," she whispers and presses her lips on mine. I reply with a passionate kiss. I pour all my emotions into the contact of our lips.
"Carol... I need you... Make me feel something other than pain," I plead, my voice quiet and needy.
"No, dearest. Not now. You're vulnerable. I won't use you. We can cuddle, okay? You're okay. I love you. Regardless of what anyone says," she replies and kisses my hair. Carol pulls me into her arms so that I rest in her lap.

"I love you, old woman," I reply before I close my eyes.
"I love you more, my beautiful star," she says and carefully pulls the covers over me.

Carol Aird, you are my savior. 
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(a/n:) Hello my lovely readers! How are you? I hope you are having a great day. I'm back in the uni stress but I'm really trying to keep up with the uploading schedule. Let's see what the next chapter will bring  :) 
xoxo, Sarah :)