Behind Closed Doors - Demi Lovato / Lauren Jauregui / You

Chapter 12

As I locked eyes with my mom , I couldn't help but focus on her appearance. How did I not recognise it before? There were dull, black bags under her eyes probably due to fatigue and tiredness.  Her build had shrunk which could have been as a result of not eating or her passion for working out. The sudden movement of her eyes averting from left to right had just topped my weariness of that something was not right with her.

Focusing back on the presence of my relatives in front of me , I greeted them individually as I had not seen them in a number of months due to tour and living in Los Angeles whilst they often travelling from their home in Dallas to their home here in Los Angeles.

Whilst hugging my final greeting - my grandfather Eddie, I pulled away and as I turned around, a pair of brown, sorrow filled eyes had met my own.
My heart broke as I saw her eyes fill with regret. My mom's battle was fighting with her inner demons on a daily basis. I felt hopeless. All I could do was stand back and be another voice of reassurance. One that she has heard so many times before. Her battle with bio polar disorder was never over.

A small smile of an attempted sign of reassurance broke my mom's lips and she opened her arms, gesturing me to come forward and greet her. Smiling in relief, I walked towards her and into her arms of embrace.
Snuggling into my mom's body felt like my safe haven although I knew she felt as weak and at her lowest. Closing my eyes, I paused and pretended that everything was back to normal because I knew that there would be one hell of a storm approaching very soon.
Pulling away, I looked straight into my mom's eyes and asked her.
" How are you feeling?"

" I'm okay at the moment." Was her brief reply.

Seeing the doubt in my eyes, she reassured.
" Seeing you today as lifted me up a little. Babe, I swear I'm all good at the minute okay. Don't make me have any reasons to crash just yet." She joked.

Not fully convinced,  I put it to the back of my mind, meaning to bring it up to her later.

The rest of the day was filled with catching up on what we had missed throughout the weeks that we had been separated from each other.
With the whole family at my grandma's house, there were people in every room in the house.
Noting that Maddie had been signalling for my attention, I excused myself and left and followed to where she was standing in the hallway.
Gesturing for me to follow her up the stairs, I did so and she lead me into her bedroom.
Flinging myself onto her sofa, I sprawled out.

" So young one, what calls you for my attention?" I enquired.

" I'm the aunt here thank you very much." She pointed out.

Although the age difference with me being 5 years older than her, she always  tried to reinforce her superiority.

" Anyways, since you are home and you have quite a number of subscribers on your youtube channel, I was thinking that maybe you could help me film a video for my own channel?" She asked sheepishly.

" Have you consulted my manager yet? You do realise I have a busy, busy schedule and so it might be hard to fit something in." I joked.

" Oh shut up. Will you do one with me?" She asked again, not being able to decide if I was joking or not.

" Of course I will do it you potato. What do you think I am? An asshole? Actually no. Don't answer that." I stated getting up off the seat to move towards her bed.

" I'm not even in the door two minutes and I've got a job to do already. Typical." I sarcastically said, sighing as I heaved myself up onto the bed.