Lost In You

O N E

"Briar, stop ogling yourself, it's unhealthy," Mum muttered from her place in the kitchen, the sound of shuffling papers and long nails clicking on the keyboard told me that she was already working. I sighed and took one last look in the full-length mirror at my outfit, fixing the denim skirt and tucking in my light blouse, then untucking it, then tucking it back in.

I grabbed my long feather earrings off of the table and took one last look in the mirror before pulling my dark hair into a ponytail that fell to the middle of my back.

"Mummy! Briar is still staring at herself!" Gabby shrieked, although it came out more like a gurgle followed by a cheerful giggle that echoed through the otherwise silent house.

"Honestly, Briar! Come and get some breakfast, Aidan is going to be here soon anyway, and could you get Gabby some breakfast too," She asked, never lifting her eyes up from the papers spread out in front of her. I rolled my eyes and stepped over Gabby's toys on my way to the kitchen. Gabby was sitting at the opposite end of the glass table to Mum, colouring in with the crayons Aidan got her for her seventh birthday last year, a small smile spread across my face as I thought about Aidan, butterflies erupting in my stomach at the fact that in 10 short minutes I'd be with him again after a month apart.

I know, I'm a pathetic, loved up girlfriend.

"What do you want, Gabby? We've got Frosties, Fruit Loops..." I asked, rifling through the cereal boxes in the pantry, ignoring the ache sitting in my stomach as I looked at all the food in-front of me.

"Frosties!" She giggled from her seat.

"Frosty what?" I asked, turning around and fixing her with an even stare. We did this every morning.

This girl was going to learn some manners even if it was the death of me.

"Frosties, please." She answered, shooting me a toothy smile and went back to her colouring, perfectly satisfied with her choice of breakfast. I chuckled and poured a bowl for her, and a glass of milk for myself and went and sat down at the table with them.

"That's not breakfast," Mum commented, looking at the glass of milk in front of me.

"Neither is that," I nodded at the steaming coffee sitting beside the pile of papers, she glanced up and sighed at me, the way you would at a petulant child, before going back to her case file.

Yeah, we have a great relationship.

"New case?" I asked, trying to make conversation. Mum was always working now, she had worked a lot before Dad left, but after he left us, she didn't stop. She took every case that was offered to her, and there was a lot, considering she was one of the most successful lawyers in this half of England at the moment. Sometimes I would get up in the middle of the night, or later, and I would still hear her in her office downstairs, shuffling through papers and clicking away on her laptop. I can't remember the last time I had a proper mother and daughter conversation with her, but I don't mind, she supports Gabby and me, and I can bear to sacrifice my relationship with Mum if it means that Gabby has a good foundation for her childhood, even though Mum's hardly there. Really, it's just Gabby and me now. Some days, when I don't see Mum at all, it feels like both of them left us.

"Yes, I'm meeting with the client at noon so I really need to get this done, love. Have a good day at school." She said, standing up and collecting her things before walking out into the hallway on her way to her office. I sighed and stood up, pouring my untouched milk down the sink, and walked over to Gabby, leaning down to lightly peck her cheek.

"Bye, G. I'll see you later tonight, I've got work after school so I won't be home until late, okay?" I said, slinging my school bag over my shoulder. Gabby looked up at me with her big blue eyes and gave me a toothy grin.