I hate seeing
my mother like this.
It's like all the life
has just been
sucked out of her,
leaving her dry
and unresponsive -
and very unlike
who she normally is.
It scares me
a little
to know that the hospital incident
shook her up so badly
and left her in
such a horrible state.
The next day is Saturday.
My mother again
camps out in front of
the TV
and watches reruns of
NCIS and CSI: Miami.
"What if I,"
she starts weakly as I
walk into the room,
"had gotten my degree
in forensics
instead of business?
That would have been cool,
right?"
But her heart isn't in
the feeble joke.
When I don't say anything
in reply,
she doesn't either,
even when I sit down
beside her.
She lays her head
on my shoulder
and sighs -
a long sigh
that says so much more
than even her words ever could.
"I miss how things
used to be,"
she murmurs
to herself,
but loudly enough
that I easily hear her.
I'd have to
disagree
with that,
though.
Even if things were
a lot easier
when I was younger
and when Dad was
still around -
the time period that
I know
she's referring to -
there have been changes
since then.
There have been
good changes
that I wouldn't trade
for anything.
"I love you,"
is all I say -
but she seems
to understand
what I don't say
anyway.
She always does.
"Don't ever change,
Cam,"
she murmurs to me.
"Don't follow my example,
or your father's,
or your grandmother's -
no one's.
Follow your heart,
and don't let yourself
turn out how
anyone wants you
to be
but yourself.
Don't let others lead you
to regret..."
A moment later, I realize
that she's fallen asleep
against my shoulder.
×
Happy Easter, guys! Hope you all enjoy it your plans for the day! Unless you're like me, whose plans only include visiting with various members of my extended family (aka living through pain). It'll be an adventure, for sure.
If you guys liked this chapter, please feel free to vote and leave me some feedback! It would be much appreciated, and I love hearing from you guys c:
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Misalignment | ✔
Teen Fiction"There are a million shades of grey between their black and their white - but no one ever cares to see them." In a world with a limited view of gender, Cam Shills struggles to come to terms with their identity as neither male nor female, a shade of...
