You and Me

Chapter 9: What Are We Gonna Do

Evie was sitting alone in the castle library. She wished she understood what was going on in her daughter's mind. She wished she had told her the truth from the beginning. Doug entered the room. "How are you doing?" Evie didn't respond. She just shrugged her shoulders.

"Be honest with me Doug," Evie began, "am I a good mother?"

Doug's eyes widened at his wife's question. He sat down slowly next to her. "Evie, why would you ever think that?"

"I-I don't know. It's just...you have this whole father thing down. Elaina loves you so much."

"She loves you too, Evie," Doug said. "I can't think of a moment when she didn't think that. I also know for a fact that she knows that you love her."

Evie shrugged. "I've kept my childhood from her because she is so sensitive. I should've told her when we first told her that we were her parents."

"I'm with you on that one," Doug said.

"And now, something is obviously going on. Did you see the way her face dropped each time she got a text message? She says that it's nothing but it's definitely something. Am I wrong for wanting to help her?"

"That's what makes you such a good mother," Doug said. "The fact that you worry about your child's well-being whether it would be physically, emotionally, or mentally."

"She must think I'm terrible for lying to her and avoiding every question about the Isle. A mother should also be capable of answering her kid's questions. Especially for someone at her age, I should have told her."

"I just have to ask though, why do you avoid answering? I mean, I know it's not totally comfortable for you to talk about your life on the Isle, but I just can't imagine why you wouldn't tell Elaina."

Evie took a deep breath before beginning. "I didn't want to make it seem like my childhood problems were worse than hers. Yes, I grew up in a place where stealing and lying and fighting was for survival, and she at least grew up in a place where she was fed three meals a day, but all that's in the past. I felt like if she knew what my childhood was like, she wouldn't want to come to me with her problems, believing that her problems are nothing compared to the ones I had. My mother always put herself before me. I never wanted Elaina to get that impression of me. I don't want to be like my mother."

"You are nothing like your mother," Doug assured her. "You are far from it, actually. Do you think Elaina would stop by your office every day if she believed you were a bad mother?"

"I guess you're right."

"Of course I am."

"I love you, Doug," Evie said.

"I love you too, my blueberry princess," Doug replied.

Jay was out on the field, where he was shooting tourney goals. Whenever he was stressed, he'd do this to relieve himself. He couldn't seem to get anything out.

"Is everything alright?" Lonnie asked as she walked onto the field.

Jay shrugged. "Jacey hates me."

"No she doesn't," Lonnie assured him. "You know she loves you very much."

"It doesn't really seem like it," Jay said. "I could have told her my life on the Isle, but instead, I kept it from her. I'm a terrible dad. I'd be surprised if she ever talks to me again."

"I'm sure she'll come around," Lonnie said.

"She only shoved Melody's daughter because she had said something mean to Elaina. She was only trying to protect her."