Submerged

Chapter 5: Reflection

After Ben left her window, Cole decides to go to hospital to ask some questions.

Smoothing out her blue blouse, Cole collected her black knapsack, her cellphone, and the keys to her blue Suburu then rushed downstairs.

Cole's mother looks behind her shoulder while piecing together an effortless quilt. Her pants sagged on the couch, but her wrinkled fingers kept pulling the needle out of the cloth.

Her blond hair is made into a massive bun. Cole smiled as she kisses Willow on the cheek and gently wraps her arms around her neck.

"How are you doing, Mom?" she asked.

She gave her daughter a long look before answering her question.

"You know," Willow sighed. "My daughter is taking on another case, she has just graduated from Princeton, and yet she doesn't find a husband."

"Seriously, Mom?" Cole huffed, releasing her neck.

"It has been three years since I have seen a case this big."

Willow stopped sewing and stares into her daughter's brown eyes. She notices that Cole's personality reflects on her husband's: they were both stubborn, gives no crap to anyone, and they use the smart and somewhat legal method.

She blames herself for making Cole suffer; Willow gets so concerned about the divorce papers and her work that she never thinks about her traumatized daughter.

Willow wanted the best for Cole, like any mother would. On the day when Lewis and Willow were separated, Lewis wanted to have full custody of Cole, despite Cole's hatred towards him.

The judge thought about it for a moment until Willow delivers Hell on the court. He reaches to a conclusion that she is a suitable parent to take care of the child and close the case.

However, Lewis demanded to have visitations with Cole, which both the judge and Willow agrees to.

Cole is required to meet Lewis every weekend, unless Willow would like to go back to court.

Willow remembers her thirteen year old daughter packing her backpack and letting out a whine.

"Mom, I don't want to go with that cheater!" she complained.

"What if he's with that hooker again?"

Willow Porter gave Cole a long look before answering.

"Nicole, please don't argue with me." she sighs.

"Your father wants to see you, aren't you happy?"

"No," Cole grumbled. "I wish he wasn't my dad."

"Nicole," she repeated angrily. "Look at me."

Cole dropped her backpack for a moment and looked at Willow.

"Sweetie," she sighs, stroking Cole's dark brown curls. "I know this is hard for you-"

"You think?" Cole snorted.

She wore a purple plaid shirt, jeans, and black sneakers. Unlike her nineteen year old self, Cole wears black glasses and had an slightly huge afro.

"Mom, why do I have to be with that womanizer-"

"Because," Willow interrupted. "You are his daughter. I know that you hate your father, but I do know that when you grow up, you are going to need him in your life."

She kissed Cole on the cheek and smoothes out her face.

"I love you so much," Willow crooned. "I need you to be strong for me, okay?"

Cole nodded then wraps her arms around her mother.

"I love you, Mom." she murmurs.

Soon afterwards, Cole transforms into an attractive young woman.

She continues balancing schoolwork and chores, like a prodigy. However, Cole remains interested in crime and murder. Willow remembers when she was fourteen, Cole solved her very first robbery case.

She would ask tons of questions, traces clues, and what impresses Willow the most is, that Cole knows the law better than anyone.

Immediately after the girl catches the perpetrator, she receives recognition with the Detroit Department policemen.

"Mom," Cole sighed. "I want to do this for the rest of my life."

"You and I both know that."

"I want you to be happy," Willow said. "I enjoy that you love solving crimes, but what would happen if I die?"

"You will be all alone with no husband, Nicole."

"I don't want a husband-" Cole started to say.

"Because you don't want to end up like your father?" Willow interrupted.

Cole bit the corner of her bottom pink lip. It's the first time in a long time, Willow mentions her father.

"I understand you hate your father," Willow began.

"Please, I want you to be happy."

Willow sets the cloth on the table in front of her and touches Cole's light chocolate cheeks.

"I'll reconsider," Cole promised.

"Meanwhile, I have a party to go to."

Her blue eyes glistened when her daughter mentioned the word party.

"Where to?" Willow asked.

"The Randalls' house," Cole answered with a shrug.

"Harry's mother is having a Christmas party, and he's inviting me and Ben to come with."

Oh, really? Willow thought.

"Are there going to be drugs? Booze?"

Cole groaned in annoyance.

"Really, Mom?" she moaned. "It's the Randalls, not the Jersey Shore."

Willow rose her hands as if she's trying to protect herself.

"Fine," she says. "You can go to the party."

"But, only because I like that Harry boy. You can take Ben with you."

"Thanks Mom," Cole sang. "I love you."

Willow patted her hand and kiss Cole on the cheek.

"I love you too, Winnie the Pooh." Willow replied, earning Cole a moan.

"Would you please drop that nickname?" she said.

"I'm not three years old anymore."

"I love you, anyway." Willow insisted.

Cole kissed her mother on the cheek and leaves the house. Using the car keys, Cole opens the car door and tossed her bag across the car seat next to hers.

On her ninteenth birthday, Cole's mother bought her a blue Suburu while the Hamilton brothers bought her a chocolate birthday cake, scented pencils, and five journals.

Cole thinks that the notebooks might be useful for murder investigations.

She swept the bangs out of her eyes and shuts the door next to her.

The new car odor wafted under her nose as Cole turns her key inside the ignition slot.

The cool air blew out of the gray blinds, creating goosebumps on Cole's light brown skin.

Cole sighed as she backed out of the driveway and drifts pass the house.