The Damaged Series (Book One)

CHAPTER TWENTY: ELICIA

"This is where you say something El," Lydia whisper-coughs as she pokes me discretely.

I cough a few times before answering.

"I need time to think about it." I say surprising both me and Lydia.

Treadway nods and bid his goodbyes to both Lydia and l.

"Oh my God!!!!!" I scream right after he closes the door.

"Keep it down, he hasn't left yet." Lydia says hushing me.

After pinching myself a few times I eventually realize that it was not a dream instead it was reality.

"I thought you were head over heels for this boy. Why did you not say yes?"

"I am stupid. I am so stupid that's why." I repeat those words a few more times looking at Lydia.

"It's called being rational. And I am surprised you were so rational considering how much you like this boy and how you have been mopping the past weeks." Lydia says smiling at me.

"You are just saying a fancy word to make me feel better about myself. What if he decides against it tomorrow? I am so screwed." I over dramatically say.

"Ha, that confession was solid. He won't think again, he meant it."

"And how would you know." I ask Lydia.

"Because I know everything."

The session went very well and I went home in a very happy mood.

"Someone's in a good mood." Are the first words my mom say to me as she entered the house with groceries.

"I thought we were going to go grocery shopping on the weekend mom." I say annoyed, as much as she wants to carry all the weight on her shoulders, I also want to be there for her as much as she wants to be there for me.

We have to be there for each other since we are all we have.

I take the groceries, packed them in the cupboards and started preparing dinner.

"Over the weekend I want us to go on a date." My mom informs me with a smile.

"With who?" from how she said it I thought we were going with someone else.

"You and me, just us girls. You don't want?" She panics a bit.

"Oh, I would love that."

"I thought since we don't go out a lot now, stay indoors or work we should also start facing the world, you know."

"I don't know, maybe but please don't feel obligated to go out with me I am really fine."

"A girl's gotta go out and get the boys."

"Eeew, who says that." I ask her with an amused face.

"Isn't that what you guys say nowadays. I heard these teenagers at the hospital saying that." My mom says confused.

"No one says that mom and please never say it again." I tell her.

She prepares a salad as I finish cooking.

"How is Treadway doing?" she asks with a small voice.

"He is fine." I say way too excited; I know he finally asked me out but she doesn't need to know all that.

"Are you guys dating, you look so excited or did he ask he out?" Mom asks and l swear sometimes I think she is keeping a mind reading superpower from me.

"None of the above."

"Liar." My mom says laughing.

"Whatever floats your boat." I say and join in laughing.

I am happy that home is now feeling homey despite having no dad.

My mom is really trying her best to be both my mom and dad.

Color has been restored on her face, she seems happier or maybe it's because I also seem happier.

Lydia is really good at her job; it makes me admire the job more.

Thinking about it more I feel like I want to be a therapist now instead of being a doctor.

Being a doctor meant a lot to mom and Jeremy so I am torn in-between.

I feel like I want to help people in the way Lydia does more than what mom is doing.

After cooking dinner, we sit down to eat.

"This is really good; you take after your precious mama." My mom boasts of her cooking skills.

"Of course, I do mom." I say floating her boat.

"Mom would you be mad if l no longer want to be a doctor?" I ask her in hopes she would not.

"No, why would l be mad? I will support you whatever you choose to do." She says as she squeezes my left hand that was on the table.

"Thank you, mom."

"What is it that you want to be." She asks.

"A therapist, I want to really connect with people in a way Lydia does." I say and she smiles.

"That is wonderful. Since its still January you have time to apply, when's the application due?"

"Early March I guess I am not really sure." I say

"Do you really want to go to UCLA? You know you don't have to keep an eye on me, go out there and discover yourself. Don't kids want to go as far away from their parents as possible when choosing a college?" My mom asks.

"Yeah they do but I want to be here with you, mom." I say smiling, it's true I want to discover myself out there in the world but I think I will be lonely.

I want familiarity more than new faces.

"Yeah? I guess I am more fun than I thought." My mom says boosting herself once again and I nod multiple times. After dinner I clean the plates and we go to bed.