For Better, For Worse (BWWM) | COMPLETE ✔

✔ Twenty Six: "Have faith in me, mom."

Justin

"Would you like some coffee?" I asked my mom after we'd both calmed down.

We were sitting on a couch, taking it easy after our emotional greeting.

"No thank you, honey. I don't want to waste time. We need to get going. Are you packed yet?" She looked at me.

"Yeah." I managed a smile. "I just want to wash my plates up quickly."

"Go make sure you've got everything you need and I'll wash up for you."

"Mom--"

"I wasn't asking, Justin."

I raised my hands in defeat and got up to head to the bedroom to double check the things I'd packed.

When I got back to the main area of the apartment with my bag, my mom was looking around at some pictures that Liv had put in frames in some parts of the living room.

"Is she always smiling like this?" My mom asked me about Liv.

"Yeah," I smiled too just from thinking about it. "She's always happy about something."

My mom giggled then walked over to me.

"You got everything you need?" She reached for my bag.

"I got it," I told her, slinging it over my shoulder. "I'm sure I packed enough."

My mom smiled and placed her hands on my cheeks.

"This is going to be the best weekend of my life." She said to me.

I knew I would feel the same way, especially because I'd missed my mom so much.

I followed her out of the apartment and left Liv's key safe with the landlord, then my mom and I took a cab to the airport.

I hadn't been in a place this crowded in years and it heightened my fears of big recognised. Luckily I'd remembered to dress well for this trip so I had my hoodie up and kept my head low as I walked behind my mother.

When we boarded our flight, I couldn't have been more relieved. Just a short while until I wouldn't have to hide anymore, I thought to myself as I looked out the window. Next to me, my mom held my hand. I looked at her.

"Everything is going to be fine," she assured me.

'You're never alone in any battle you may come across,' Liv's words came to mind just after my mom had spoken, 'You never have been and you never will be.'

I smiled at my mom as I tried to distract myself from thinking about my fears for my future.

I'd always been afraid of judgment and I remembered how heavy it weighed on me when I was a famous singer. I wanted to please everyone because I hated conflict; I wanted to be appreciated and loved by everyone. I learned the hard way that I can't do that.

Our flight took off and my mom and I kept our conversation to a minimum until we were safe in a cab on our way to her little apartment in Los Angeles.

It was a heck of a step down from the house I'd gotten her. At first, when I saw it, I felt upset that she even thought of selling that house because it had been a house I'd had my eyes on since my career had taken off and I'd promised myself that I'd get it for her and I did. Then my senses kicked in and I realised that she may have found it difficult to live in a house that reminded her so much of me.

My mom unlocked the white door to her apparently and sighed happily as she walked through the door.

The place was dark with the curtains drawn closed. Her walls were a nice shade of green and she had some house plants growing in some corners of the living room. Above the fireplace were some framed photos and on the coffee table were some envelopes, a pink notebook and a pencil case. On one of her dark green couches was a navy blue throw which hung over the back and on the hardwood floors were some pieces of crumpled up papers.