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M A N Y weeks continued to pass since the Vivace's moved into their new apartment

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M A N Y weeks continued to pass since the Vivace's moved into their new apartment. Mom continued her job as a nurse at the city hospital in the ICU. Felicity learned quickly that her mother was never home when she woke up, nor when she went to bed. Mom worked odd hours and sometimes pulled doubles in her unit without hesitation. "They needed me," was her mother's excuse.

Mom came home in the morning some days, exhausted and barely keeping her eyes open. She had some odd stains on her scrubs.

"Good morning," Felicity said as she sat at the island in their kitchen, enjoying a bowl of cereal with a coffee.

"Buenas dias, mija," her mom muttered with a smile absent from her face, taking a sip of coffee from the mug she held.

"How was work?" she asked as her mother placed her work bag on the counter with a thud. Dark eye bags weighed her eyes, drawing Fel's attention.

Mom sighed sharply, uttering an annoyed noise. "I don't have time to talk," she answered curtly, setting her mug on the island and began walking away. She felt a wall build itself between her and her mother, feeling the building trembled beneath their feet from how quickly it landed.

"You always say that," Felicity argued, hurt from moms actions, causing Mom to stop and turn and face her with a blank face. Fel searched her face for a sign of emotion, even used her powers to try to gather some sort of idea of what was going on. "You'd have time if you were home more."

Mom brushed some hair away from her eyes, no emotions in her eyes except physical exhaustion. Empty. Like staring into the depths of the sea at night. Dark and vast. "I know."

Sometimes, if she woke up in the middle of the night to get a glass of water, she'd walk down the hall and see her overworked mother passed out on the sofa, still in her work uniform and she hadn't made it to her bedroom. Thankfully, she didn't work very much on the weekends. Still, her mother spent her free time away from their small apartment. It was as if she was avoiding her. Where? She didn't know. Nor did she ask. She learned not to ask unless she wanted to be yelled at by her mother.

Her mother was beginning to feel like a ghost in her life, leaving her like her father. She felt the urge to grieve her mother despite her being alive and well.

She had other matters to worry about like school starting next week. She had most of her supplies ready and packed in her backpack, ready to start a new year.

Midtown High was the name of the high school she was planning to attend with the boy across the hall. She had a brief tour of the school when she was enrolled by a girl named Gwen. She was class President, a member of the color guard, and secretary for Model UN. Gwen volunteered by giving tours to new students over the summer.

Meeting Gwen helped alleviate some of her fears. Slowly, she became excited for a new start. New people, new friends, new classes. But she couldn't help but allow a seed of nervousness to blossom at the pit of her stomach at the thought of revealing her powers.

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