INFIDELITY | Book I

9. All Good Things Must Come to an End.

Flashback: Olivia, 14, time of death.

Chapter 9:

"Mom quit it." I huffed, feeling her trying to pry my hair tie from around my messy bun to make me look more 'presentable' but in reality she was hurting my head. "Okay okay, I'll do it." And in a records time I had my black wavy hair surrounded around me.

"Much better." She laughed at me after seeing me slouch down in my chair. "You don't want me to do your hair?"

"You can." I sighed and sat up. "Just no pigtails okay? I'm too old for those."

"Too old you say?" She gathered my hair in her palms before she tilted my head from side to side- analyzing what she wanted to do to it. "How about a braided crown? You like those."

"Because you love it." And honestly I did everything to please her even though she knew it was too much. "But other than that, I think I look cute."

"You look beautiful." She corrected me. "See." She pointed to the mirror and my eyes followed her finger until I came in contact with myself.

I looked similar to her, but my mother was a shade darker than me. We both had black wavy hair- hers was shorter than mine- we held the same eye color, nose, size ears, and mouth shape. Even if she wanted to deny me, she couldn't. We were practically twins. "I look like you." I grinned.

"That may be true but you look like yourself- minus your fathers eyebrows." Her fingers tranced my eyebrows before she made a mock frown and we both shared a laugh together.

When it died away, my mom looked almost.. sad. And I knew I had lost her when she zoned out and her hands kept combing through my hair absently. "What's wrong mama?" I turned my head to the side to look up at her from my chair.

"Huh?" She snapped back before her eyes widened seeing me staring curiously at her. "Nothing baby, mama was just thinking." Her fingers were more stern in my hair and I knew I had got her back, I grinned once again.

"After school can we go back to the park? I want to see those flowers again."

"Flowers, you have to be more specific honey, there's a lot of flowers."

"The purple ones you love right? I forgot the name, an-"

"Anemone, after you come home then yes, we can go to the park. Okay?"

"Okay." I became giddy with excitement, maybe then I could surprise her with her birthday gift a little early even though her birthday was in three days. "Happy early birthday mama." I cheered and she finished up my hair before she looked like she couldn't believe it herself.

"That must have slipped my mind." She did my edges for me while she continued to talk. "Thank you though sweetie, that was thoughtful of you."

"You're welcome." I slipped off the seat before standing up. "Pinky promise?" I held up my pinky so she wouldn't go back on her words from going to the park.

"I promise sweetie." She sealed her pinky around mine before kissing the top of my head. "I love you my sweet girl."

"I love you more Mom." I embraced her in a hug, sealing my eyes shut. She brought me comfort like no else did and me entering high school was scary.. what if I wasn't liked?

"Your father is waiting for you downstairs, I'll be here when you get back."

"You're not taking me?"