Wolf Girl

Chapter 11-Brayden

Brayden waited for her mom to acknowledge her presence. Normally when a child tells her mother they need to talk, they'd expect a form of acknowledgement or concern, but Brayden and Estelle didn't exactly have a normal mother-daughter relationship. It had never been clearer than the moment her mother didn't even raise her head at the sound of her voice.

"Mom?"

She ventured further into the room when she still didn't get an answer. Brayden thought that maybe her moving would gain her mother's attention. She would become a moving target, but at least her mother's eyes would no longer be glued to her computer screen. No luck, however. Her mother didn't even flinch. She put a hand on her mother's shoulder and drew her hand back when her mom jumped.

"Brayden? When did you get home?" Estelle asked.

"About ten minutes ago," Brayden answered. She noticed how pale and tired her mother looked. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," her mom answered, rubbing her eyes. "This move is just getting to me. The normal dilemma of referencing clients to graphic designers in their area gets exhausting. Especially since I spent years cultivating a good rapport with these people."

"Then why do we keep moving?" Brayden asked desperately. She wanted her mom to finally see that she could be her own person. "Why do we always have to follow Dad's whims?"

"Brayden, you know how important your father's business is to him," Estelle replied. "It's the legacy he's leaving you."

"Yeah, the legacy I don't want," Brayden muttered, rolling her eyes. "What about your business? The kind of legacy you can leave me, if I wanted it? Or is it just something Dad lets you do to keep you busy?"

"Brayden, that's enough," Estelle snapped, standing up from her desk. "Your father will do what he thinks is right and he deserves respect. So do I. Drop it."

Brayden crossed her arms and squeezed her torso to prevent herself from screaming. It was like her mother was perfectly content with allowing her identity to fade away. Now knowing that her mother's past resided in this town, she had to wonder what her mom was hiding from. Or whom.

"Fine." She sighed. Brayden had to pretend to relent even though it went against her screaming instincts. It was the only way to get her mother talking.

"Good," Estelle said, letting out what sounded like a sigh of relief. "Would you like some tea?"

"Sure," Brayden replied following her mother into the kitchen.

"How was your first day of school?"

Brayden tried not to let her eagerness show, but this was the exact topic of conversation she'd been waiting for and her mother had just unknowingly given her an opening. She simply shrugged and took on a look of nonchalance.

"It was interesting," Brayden answered, pausing a second before continuing. "I met a few people who said they knew you."

Only someone who had been staring at her mother would have seen the way Estelle's hands froze on the kettle. But it was only for a second before they resumes the action of fiddling with the tea leaves and kettle.

"Really?" Estelle said, turning back to Brayden. "Well, I guess that's to be expected. I did grow up here and most people never moved on after high school."

"Why didn't you tell me you grew up here?" Brayden asked, sitting down at the kitchen table and leaning forward. This was the most she had spoken to her mother in years and she wasn't about to let the opportunity slip out of her fingers. "Mom, you knew we were moving to Evergreen Grove and that I was going to Jensen High and you said nothing!"