Once Upon A Time ✓

15 | can't; wake

^ Little Do You Know by Alex & Sierra

one more epilogue to go!!!

enjoyy

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IT HAD BEEN a few days since I last talked to Tina and forgave Amelia, which made me feel much more light and less stressed. I guess the traumatic experience with Tina had been taking a huge toll on me and now that she had came to talk to me, she had also helped me to finally move on.

I was humming and dancing across the kitchen as I prepared a little sandwich for a snack, throwing ham and lettuce between two pieces of bread, decorating it with mayonnaise. When I was finally done, I stared down at the completed sandwich with a victorious smirk playing on my lips, my hands clasping the side of my hips. I grabbed it and held it delicately with my two hands, examining it like a precious baby. It was only then I heard the clicking of heels approaching the kitchen.

That only meant one thing; Mum was finally home after fleeing off for days and I was nervous as heck to have to talk to her.

"Kaylee," she called out, making me freeze. The way she started the conversation, was the exact same way she had started that heart-shattering lecture a while ago.

My smile dropped, remembering all the names she had rattled amidst her anger. Reluctantly, I spun, the completed sandwich drooping in my hand.

It was a ham sandwich, something Mum had always prepared for me whenever I was hungry, back when we still had a family.

She had also realised that when her eyes landed on it and took in a sharp intake of breath, lips quivering as she stared down at it. She blinked and the tears disappeared.

Mum glanced back up at me with an impassive expression. "Can I... talk to you?" She sounded hesitant.

I glanced down at my sandwich and back to her. "Um, sure," I gurgled and placed my sandwich on a clean dish, then rinsed my hand under cool, streaming tap water. I turned off the tap and wiped my hands with my soaked t-shirt, then grabbed my plate and followed Mum to the living room.

We settled down on the couch, our hips twisted to face each other. I placed my plate on my thighs, careful to keep it balanced. There was an awkward silence between us while we just stared each other down, both unsure how to start the conversation.

"Kaylee," Mum began after some time, her fingers twiddling in nervousness. "Your father and I are... sorry."

I blinked once, and blinked again, keeping my lips zipped while I waited for her to continue.

She sighed, running her hand through the hazel hair she shared with me. Except now, if you paid closer attention, there were small streaks of grey. "Your father and I... never meant to cause you so much hurt," she confessed awkwardly, keeping her gaze on her fiddling hands.

I laughed bitterly, crossing my arms at my chest. "Right, it wasn't your intention to bullshit me because I couldn't help but have depression," I snarled.

My mother flinched, a grimace flashing across her face. "I'm struggling too, Kaylee. Finding out that your husband of twenty years cheated on you... it's heart-breaking. Then being forced into being the breadwinner of the family without having enough time to heal just made it worse. I-I'm sorry," she croaked, her voice wobbling.

I felt my heart soften - just a little - for her. I myself had pushed away people during my dark time when my depression first started developing. I could understand my mother, though of course I would not forgive her so easily, not yet.