For Dear Life

Some thinking time

"Mrs Aniston we will be landing in 5 minutes"

"Alright, thank you"

The last week has been really decisive for me, and I decided it was time for me to talk to Justin but also take some time away to think so I decided to go to New York for the weekend and see my mother.

I get in the car that is waiting for me, driving me straight to my mom's as she doesn't know I'm here to surprise her, but I call her just to make sure she's home first

"Hey mom"

"Hi honey, how are you?"

"I'm alright...what are you doing? Are you home?"

"Yeah I'm cleaning around a little, I was with Mary but she left about an hour ago"

"Alright, well I have something that is gonna be delivered to you in about..." I take a look at where we are in the city "...it should be there in five minutes"

"Oh okay...what is it?"

"Uh some little stuff, and your early birthday gift"

"Aww really? Alright well I'm home"

"Okay, call me when you get it" I hang up then get out of the car, ringing at her door

"Hi-Oh my god!"

"Surpriseeeee, hi mom"

"Hi baby! What are you doing here?"

"Well this is your early birthday gift, your daughter" I hug her, taking all the love only her can give me

"Aaaw I'm so happy to see you! where are my granddaughters? You didn't bring them with you?" She looks behind me as I walk in "No I'm sorry I didn't, Mey has school so they stayed with Brad. Glad to know you're happy to see me though mom"

"I'm always happy to see you baby"

I put my stuff in my old room, then join her back in the living room where she's sitting on the floor, cleaning our old albums "Are you hungry? I made a stew if you want some for dinner"

"Your old recipe like when I was a kid? Oh my god" I rush to the kitchen, the smell already reminding me of the good old days when my parents, my brother and I were still a family.

"How do you like it?"

"It still has the same taste, soooo good" I sit next to her, looking old pictures of me as a teen, baby pictures of me with Johnny, when we were in Greece and then pictures of my wedding

"Aaaaw, these are beautiful...oh my god i don't think I've ever seen them , where did you get them?" I take the few pictures of Brad and I at our wedding she has, we both looked so happy and in love. We had just gotten married, it was the two of us against the rest of the world

"Your father, saying i quote, I know you have many pictures already but these are extra bonuses, the best pictures of the night"

"Hahaha...That's sweet of him...."

"Remember when you and I talked the night before?"

"Yeah..."

"You were freaking out about getting married...I remember you said, 'Mom I'm freaking out, I'm so nervous but this is a good nervous. He's the only person who keeps me calm whenever i freak out, and when i close my eyes and imagine myself walking down the aisle, he's the only face i want to see"

I smile, remembering that night so perfectly. I was afraid and yet so excited and eager to become his wife. Never through those days I ever doubted that he was the one I wanted to marry. He was the love of my life and I was ready for the journey that was ahead of us.

I look around taking pictures from Mey's birth "Oh my god look at my babyyy, she was 4 hours old there"

"I knooow, she was the sweetest thing, I remember crying that whole night when Brad told me you were in labor"

"Really? Aw why?"

"Because, I had been through birth and i knew how painful it was, so to imagine my baby going through it at that moment was unbearable to me....but he called back a few hours later and I spoke to you and heard the baby crying, it was such a special day to me"

"It really was a special day...the first most beautiful day of our lives" I look at more pictures of Brad holding Mey at the hospital, her first bath

"Haha oh my god look at that one!"

"Yeah, yeah i remember this, Mey threw up on me right after I had just taken a shower...that was fun."

"Babies are fun, I can't tell you how many times you did that to me and your father, it's ridiculous....I remember when I visited you for the first time to see Mey, and you were in a big t-shirt, looking more exhausted than ever, changing her diaper and Brad came behind me and said 'As crazy as this sounds, I've never been more in love with her than right now. It's not the fancy dresses or whatever. Just her being her normal self, and the most amazing mom to our little one'. And honestly from this moment I was absolutely sure that you had married a great one"

"He was great....he's always been great with the babies, he always takes the newborn phase like a champ"

"Yeah he's a great dad.....how's your friend by the way?"

"My friend?"

"Yeah, that guy the girls and I saw coming out of your bedroom once" she smirks

"Mom his name is Justin...and well he's doing alright"

"It's getting serious with you two uh? He seems to be a great guy too, I liked the way he was around the girls"

"Serious wouldn't be the word but it's alright... he is great with the girls"

She gets up to make us some tea, sensing that I do not wanna talk about it at the moment "So what's up with you mom? I came to see you so for once you get to complain, talk about whatever you want "

"I'm glad you're asking me honey...I decided to sell the apartment"

"What? Why?"

"I'm moving back to L.A...my whole life is over there, my old friends, you, my grandchildren... there's nothing keeping me here anymore. And as I get older it's getting harder for me to be here alone"

"I understand...have you totally made your decision?"

"I think so yeah... it's gonna be weird leaving the place, but I think it's time for me"

"It is gonna be weird... but it'll also be great to have you closer... the girls are gonna love having you around more"

"Me too...I cannot wait to see them"