I Was Amity...

12

Across the room, Calum stands with a woman in a blue dress. She doesn't look old enough to be his mother, but she has the same crease between her eyebrows as he does, and the same color hair. He talked about having a sister once; maybe that's her. Next to him, Olivia hugs a woman in Candor black and white. Standing behind Olivia is a young girl, also a Candor. Her younger sister.

I scan the room for my mom, she should be easy to spot in yellow and red. It takes a moment but I spot her. She is standing off to the side. She's wearing a red dress with a yellow sweater over it, and her hair is in a long braid down her back. It's funny seeing her here. Being Johanna's right hand I'm sure she has been to Dauntless before, but seeing her here now makes me laugh. I start walking to her, and soon I'm sprinting towards her. She sees me and the widest smile spreads across her face, but I can also see her eyes start to water. I wrap my arms around her and hold her as tight as I can, while she does the same. We stand like this for the better part of five minutes. We don't say anything, we just held each other, while my mom let a few tears fall.

We finally separate and she just looks at me, almost in disbelief. "You've changed so much," she says.

"Do you not like my hair, or my tattoo? Are you disappointed in me?" I ask, almost afraid of the answers.

"No, of course not. You look beautiful. Your tattoo it's like the vines on the house," my mom says.

I nod my head. "So I'll always have a piece of home with me."

My mom smiles. "You have so many muscles. You look like you could beat up most of the people in this room." Her statement causes me to laugh.

"I haven't lost a fight yet in training." My smile is now as wide as hers, proud of my accomplishments.

"I am so proud of you Emmeline Rose."

My mom and I walk towards the Chasm. I know my mom will like it, the sound of the rushing water.

"How are you doing?" I ask.

"I'm fine. Don't take this the wrong way but it's a relief you left Amity." A relief? Why didn't my mom want me to stay? "With you gone I no longer feel like a selfish parent. After Owen died I feel like I ignored you. I throw myself into my job. I was never around. I was never a mother to you," She says, tears welling up in her eyes.

I feel bad, even though everything she's saying is true. After my brother died it's like my mom forgot about me. "I know it was hard for you, it was hard for me two. But I think we both know you tried your best. I think you didn't want to rely on me because deep down you knew I wasn't going to stay. You knew after Owen's death I wasn't happy anymore. Unlike you I couldn't make my own happiness. I'm not mad at you for anything you did or didn't do. I love you Mom." I pull her back into a hug.

My mom whispers into my ear, "I love you too."

As we pull apart I notice Eric and Four standing together by the railing. Though neither of them are initiates anymore, most of the Dauntless use this day to come together with their families. I've heard rumors that Eric is an Erudite transfer. But I guess Four was a transfer as well. I just wonder what faction he came from.

"Those are my instructors." I lean closer to her and say, "They both look intimidating, but are actually kind of nice."

"They are both handsome," she says, "Even the one with the piercings on his face."

"You got that right." I laugh as my mom does too.

Without saying anything my mom walks right up to Four and Eric. Four's eyes widen at the sight of my mom. She offers him her hand. "Hello. My name is Amelia. I'm Em's mother."