Raising Brooklyn (Sequel to Baby on Board)

two

"Mommy! Mommy!"

"Mommy come help me!" A little voice screamed in terror. Maya turned around but the land before her was empty.

"Mommy, Please come help me!"

Maya started to run. She ran in every direction possible. Maya ran until she felt tired. As she ran her legs became weak. Her knees buckled and she fell to the ground.

"Mommy, Don't give up. Please save me."

Maya broke down and cried when she heard this. She pulled herself together and wiped her eyes. She stood up and ran some more. She ran through the forest. Avoiding trees and branches. As she ran she could hear the voice get closer.

"Brooklyn!" Maya shouted

"Mommy!" The little girl cried.

"Mommy. Please hurry! She's going to hurt me!"

And when Maya heard that, she ran even faster. She was tired, out of breath and ready to stop but that little voice kept her going.

She reached the end of the forest and she still couldn't find Brooklyn.

"Brooklyn! Please tell Mommy where you are!"

Maya sunk to her knees. She placed her head in her hands and cried. She cried and cried.

"I'm right here Mommy."

Maya looked up. Her eyes were red and puffy. She wiped her eyes and her nose. Her vision became clear again and she saw a girl. A little girl that was probably around the age of 6. She had blond wavy hair and bright blue eyes.

"Brooklyn! Brooklyn who's hurting you?" Maya said and ran to hug her daughter but once she got about two feet in front of her. Someone stepped in front of her.

"She is."

Maya looked up to see.... herself. She looked confused. How could be there 2 of her.

"How could this happen? Theres only one of me and your not me. I'm me.. I think. Lately I don't know who I am."

"I'm you. I'm the you, you are right now. The you that has no relationship with Brooklyn. The you that resent your own daughter."

"What have you been doing to her? Look at her she's sad, hurt, and resented by you."

"I'm just doing what your doing."

"What do you mean? I love her. She's my daughter."

"Then why don't you act like her mother?"

"Its complicated."

"What's complicated about it? You love your daughter but you can't be her mother? How does that work?"

"I don't know."

"Maya, you know.

"I just don't know. I'm trying."

"Try harder."

"Don't you think I want to. I don't want to feel the way I do but I can't help it. I'm me. You are just one little part of me."

"This little part of you is the most important part of you. You brought this girl into this world knowing your life would change and you would have to do what was best for her. But yet here we are. I didn't want to come here Maya but it seems this might be the only way to get you to take your condition seriously."

"Whats wrong with Mommy?"

"Nothing baby, Mommys fine." Fake Maya said

"No. You are not her mother. I am her mother and I am going to get better so I can be the best mother I can and so I can love her the way a mother is supposed to love her child. So you can leave. I don't ever want to see you again."

"Maya, I can't leave you. Not yet. It takes time. If you want me to leave. You're going to have to make me."

And with that Maya ran and attacked fake Maya. She jumped on her and pushed her to the ground. She didn't punch of hit but she pulled her hair.

"Leave me alone! Let me be normal again!"

"You're going to have to fight harder than that."

Then fake Maya flipped Maya and pinned her to the ground. Maya fought back but she wasn't strong enough to fight back. She grew more tired with each movement. Maya broke herself free and stood up. She wiped herself off and backed away from fake Maya.

"I'm not strong enough." Maya confessed.

"I know. And if you don't try to get better. You never will be. C'mon Brooklyn, lets go." Fake Maya said grabbing Brooklyns hand.

"Can I ask you a question before I have to go?" Brooklyn said.

She walked towards me and I crouched down to her height.

"Anything sweetie." I said as I took a lose piece of her hair and placed it behind her ear. She was so beautiful.

"Why don't you love me?"

Maya's heart broke into a million pieces. Her eyes started to water as Brooklyn stared at her.

"Brooklyn. Mommy is sick but she is going to get better and then maybe I will have another answer but for now all I can say is that I do love you but soon I will be able to express it more often. Does that make sense?" Maya tried to convince the little girl. Brooklyn was confused.

"I think so. I can't wait til you can love me Mommy."

"Me too baby. Me too." Maya said crying. She wrapped Brooklyn in her arms and leaned on her little shoulder.

"Mommy, even though you can't love me, I love you."

Maya cried even more. She rubbed the back of Brooklyns head as they hugged. They pulled apart and Maya wiped her eyes.

"C'mon Brooklyn. We have to go." Fake Maya said grabbing Brooklyn's hand.

The two of them walked away while Maya stood there. Alone.

"Brooklyn!" Maya screamed

The little girl whipped her head around to look at her mother.

"I'll come get you soon." Maya said

"When you're all better?" She responded

"Yes."

"Well, get well soon." Brooklyn said and then she was gone.

"Lucas! Lucas!" Maya semi-shouted once she opened her eyes. Her eyes were watering and tears began to fall.

Lucas ran into the room with worry in his eyes.

"Maya, Maya, what wrong?" He asked sitting down on the bed next to Maya.

Maya stayed silent. She looked at Lucas as more tears fell from her eyes. She looked around the room building up the courage to speak.

"I need to get better."