Mark Of A Star

Chapter 3

I'm home!" Carly shouted.

"Ugh....." Betty turned over and slammed her pillow on her head. She was trying to block all noise.

"Mom, your sub is out here!" Carly shouted.

"Alright sweetie. I'll be out!" Betty yelled.

In reality, Betty wanted to eat but in her dreams, she escaped. She escaped to a world where Bill was involved. In her latest dream, Betty and Bill were getting married and Carly was the flower girl.

Oh their wedding was beautiful. It was held on a nice spring day and the grass was greener then ever. Carly would have been about 10-years-old and she would have been holding pink flowers.

But Betty's dream of a perfect life were interrupted by the present world.  One where love didn't come often.

Betty didn't want to keep her daughter waiting any longer. So she walked out into the kitchen and saw the big Curios logo on the sub wrap.

"Thank you honey." Betty said as she unwrapped the sub.

"No problem." Carly said.

"Hey, what's that you got there?" Betty asked.

"It's soup. Carrot and chicken soup." Carly said.

"Huh, really I didn't know they sold something like that there." Betty said.

"It's actually a new item." Carly said.

"Ah, I see." Betty said.

"Yeah, it's quite good though. How's your sub?" Carly asked.

"The subs from Curios are always good." Betty said.

Betty ordered a sub with ham, lettuce, tomato and mustard on it. Eating kind of took her thoughts off of Bill for awhile.

When Carly was done her soup, Betty took the opportunity to bond with her daughter a little more.

"So Carly, how was the 5th annual college party?" Betty asked.

"It was great! I got to hang with my friends Ashley and Michael. Taron was my date of course." Carly said.

"Are you going to miss college now that it's over?" Betty asked.

"Hell yeah but I told my friends to keep in touch." Carly said. 

"That's nice." Betty said.

Moments of silence ticked by as Betty was preparing what to say next. She wanted to ask about Taron but she felt that she messed up. Betty felt like she couldn't be in her own daughter's life anymore. Betty knew it wasn't true but her mind told her otherwise. Betty decided to face the fear of asking by asking one simple question.

"So how did it all start?" Betty asked breaking the silence.

"How did what start?" Carly asked.

"You and Taron." There was a pause. Like how did you two start dating?" Betty said.

"We just kind of fell into it. I said that I loved him and he said that he loved me. From that point on we became inseparable." Carly said.

"That's nice dear. I just wish I had someone like that in my life." Betty said.

"Mom, you're only 46. You're young. I believe that love will find you in the right moment and the right time. If you let it." Carly said.

Betty started to have tears come down her cheeks.

Carly quickly wiped them away. "You'll get the love you deserve one day. I promise." Carly smiled.

"How do you know?" Betty asked.

"Because, I found mine at just the right time." Carly said.

"What do you mean right time?" Betty asked.

"I met Taron at Oxford when I was getting teased by some girls. I was reading a book about mythical creatures and my dorm room was open. These girls like five of them came by and peaked in my room and they saw the book I was reading. They walked in, and taunted me about the book. They were saying how aliens and unicorns weren't real. I told them that I didn't believe in the stuff because I didn't." Carly said.

Carly paused her retelling of meeting Taron to get a drink. When Carly sat back down, Betty was eager to learn more.

"So what happened next?" Betty asked. "Was Taron in the dorm room with you?"

"No, he wasn't. So how I met him was when the girls had stole my book. I went out to chase the one with the book down and he happened to be walking in the same Hallway as my dorm. He saw me sulking as the girls ran off. The girls eventually dropped the book but I didn't care. Taron came up to me and just was the sweetest person. That's how it all began." Carly said.

"That sucks about your book but I'm glad you found something better." Betty smiled.

"Me too." Carly said.

The ring of the phone interrupted the tender talk. Carly didn't expect the phone to ring until the evening.

Carly picked up the phone and was pleased to hear Taron on the other end. But the happiness quickly went away.

"Carly we have to talk." Taron's voice rang out. It didn't sound good.

"What is it baby?" Carly asked.

"I have to go to Los Angeles to star a new film called Rocketman. I've got the lead as Elton John." Taron said.

"That's great Taron!! I'm so proud of you!" Carly screamed happily.

Carly's scream scared her mother out of another daydream. Carly was overjoyed. 

"So when do you leave?" Carly dreaded to ask the question but she couldn't avoid it.

"Tomorrow night. Filming will take place for about seven months. Once the movie hits though all have a lot of promotional things to do. So I'm pretty much shot until next July."

Carly was saddened about this. It was September 30th today and tomorrow would be October first. So from October 2nd to July she wouldn't see Taron in person.
"Well, I'm still very proud of you but promise me one thing. Everyday you're away you'll call me every morning and every night." Carly said.

"I promise." Taron said.

As soon as I PROMISE was spoken, it could never be broken.
"But Carly?" Taron asked.

"Yes?" Carly replied.

"Can we spend some time together tomorrow before I leave?" Taron asked.

"You already know the answer to that." Carly was smiling on the inside.

"What's the answer? No?" Taron asked.

"Don't be Silly. Of course it's yes." Carly said.

"Well, see you tomorrow." Taron said.

"I will see you tomorrow." Carly hung up the phone after completing her sentence.