Match Made in Virginia [s. reid]

nine

CHAPTER NINE
"OH, SWEET MARY MOTHER
OF GOD, YOU'RE THE BEST."
( SURPRISE VISITOR )

"HOL, ALL I'M SAYING is that you can't go fighting anyone who makes you mad, okay? I get what Nancy said about your dad wasn't okay – and trust me, I'm mad at her too – but your reaction wasn't any better."

"She said that he deserved to die, and that he probably never really loved either of us, how else was I supposed to react?!"

Natalie pursed her lips as she stood by the sink, drying off some dishes. The moment she got got home, she cleaned some dishes since they barely had any clean ones left and had Holly pick up Chinese takeout for them both on her way home from Sam's house. The food sat on the counter, waiting to be eaten, while Natalie dried a couple of plates and utensils, and explained to her daughter that physically fighting someone wasn't okay once Holly got home. The fact that Holly got suspended for the rest of the week – just a couple of days – for initiating the fight made the conversation in the adult's eyes more important.

"Teenagers, and even adults, like Nancy just say stuff to make others mad to deliberately get a rise out of the person," Natalie explained. "Nancy wants you to react negatively to her, so the best thing to do if she ever does or says something again is to ignore her. Or-"

"I'm not gonna ignore someone when they talk shit about my family and friends, Mom!" Holly yelled, unable to see the fact that her mom was right.

"I'm not saying to not defend them," Natalie said. "You can do that. But there are other, more calmer ways, to do so."

Holly groaned. "You don't get it! You don't have any friends." It was clear the words weren't meant to come out, yet they did anyway. It wasn't in a teasing way, either, but more like Holly was harshly judging her mother.

Natalie stopped drying the plate in her hands and looked at Holly with raised and slightly furrowed brows. For a split second, she was completely taken back. But she hid it, because she couldn't act hurt or offended, not right now at least, and pursed her lips. She gently set the plate down and tossed the hand towel onto the counter, resting her hands on her hips. She then help up one finger. "One: you don't talk to me like that. You're not the adult here, I am. Two: I do get it, I was your age once, and made a few mistakes like you. But I learned and you need to learn, too. Three: and I do have friends. Your aunt, Officer Thompson, Jennifer Jareau... And I'll defend them 'til my last breath, but that doesn't mean to get in a fight with everyone who says one wrong thing about them." She paused, her stern gaze unmoving. There was a small part of her that wanted to try and make light of everything, but she knew she couldn't. Not now, at least. "Now, I don't want to hear anymore about this, okay? You're grounded from now until Monday for getting in a fight with Nancy. No friends, no Netflix. Got it?"

"What?! But Mom-!"

"Holly."

Holly gaped at her mother. She groaned and threw her head back as she ran a hand through her hair, making her ponytail messy. "Gosh, you're so- ugh!" The teenager turned around and stalked out of the kitchen, letting Natalie's stern motherly act fall the slightest bit.

The doorbell then rang. As Holly shouted that she'll get it, Natalie glanced at the time and frowned. It wasn't that late, the sun was only just starting to fall, but Natalie knew no one who would be stopping by at this hour – other than Connor Thompson and boyfriend, Danny, who loved dropping by whenever just to give the Dolans some sort of food or small gift, or just to hang out. Natalie grabbed her phone from the counter and stuffed it into her back pocket, and made her way to the door, hurrying her pace as she heard, "Why the hell do you have our cat?"