𝐍𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝 | 𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐞

ғɪғᴛᴇᴇɴ

They walked inside and were, like Hayley had predicted, welcomed with a dinner table fully laid. "Thank you for dinner, mom." Annie said, as she walked into the kitchen.

Their mother hadn't noticed them coming in. "There you two are, go take a seat. I was about to call you inside." All three of them sat down at the table and ate in silence until Katie broke it. "Not that I want you to leave, but do you know when you are leaving?"

Annie swallowed her bite and answered, "I promised myself to stay at least a week, but if you think it's too long I will book a hotel. I'm fine with whatever." Hayley softly, but loud enough, slammed her utensils on the table.

"You're not letting her stay in a hotel, mommy. She is your daughter, you need to take care of her. If she leaves, I will leave with her." Her mother smiled at her apprehension.

"Easy, Hayley." She moved her gaze to Annie with a smile. "No, don't be silly, you are staying here until you are ready to go back. You know I love having you here, right?"

"Of course I do. I just don't want to be a burden, but if you say so. Plus, I promise daily basketball practice to this little one." Annie ruffled her hand through Hayley's hair who was eating like her life depended on it, typical Hayley.

They enjoyed the rest of their dinner, part time in silence and part time their ears were filled with Hayley's ongoing gossip of her junior high experience.

Annie enjoyed her innocence in life. She wished her biggest worry was getting a note back from the boy you 'liked'. Meanwhile she is sitting in her mother house, dealing with a heartbreak she got from her best friend. Let's just say, life can get complicated sometimes.

Hayley didn't have much energy left after her private practice and her vocal cords weren't how they started their day either. She went to bed almost instantly after dinner, leaving Annie and her mother alone.

They were watching some show about teenagers becoming parents and then acting as if they didn't know the risk. "I would love to be a grandmother one day."

Annie was shocked by her words. "Excuse me, what?"

"I mean it, I would love to be a grandmother one day. Not right now, no pressure, but someday. I truly believe becoming a grandmother will be even more special than becoming a mother." She didn't look Annie in her eyes while speaking.

Instead, she looked up as if she could see her own future appear in the air. She was already imagining holding someone that looks so much like her daughter. She thought it would be like becoming a parent all over again, but more special.

"Yeah, no, not happening mom. Well, not anytime soon at least." She crossed her arms and smiled thinking about it.

It had something so special about it, holding a mix of you and the person you loved. Her mother gave her thoughts she has never had and didn't want to have just yet.

"You never know, Julianna." She shrugged her shoulders, sighing as she turned her head to face Annie. "Just know I will support if it happens. I saw an article in the newspaper about how thousands of girls are pregnant and unsheltered, just because their parents' own pride is more important than their daughters. Please know I won't ever be such parent."

Katie laid her hand on Annie's leg and rubbed it with her hand. Now, Katie didn't know this, but it gave Annie flashbacks to how Hayley told her she rubbed Asher's leg in comfort and he took it in a different way, sending shivers through her body.

Annie tried her hardest to hide her feelings and seeing the looks on her mother's face, it worked. "I know you won't. Things have been hard, with my father. You have done everything to make us happy and you succeeded. You are everything I wish for in a mother."

Her mother kissed the top of her hair, stroking her back in an attempt of showing affection. What Annie said was true, she has tried everything to make her daughters happy, even after the tragedy when they were both young.

It sometimes still gave Annie the feeling she wasn't good enough, having your father leave at an early stage of your life isn't ideal. It definitely gave Annie a low self esteem.

"I think it is a good time to go to bed now." Annie looked at the clock and nodded. She was planning on apologizing to Elijah tomorrow, so she could use every bit of rest she could get.

They turned off all the lights and went upstairs to their rooms. Her mother's words still echoed through her head, they gave her worry and reassurance at the same time.

Worry because she has never mentioned the words pregnancy or children once since Caleb passed away. It broke her so much. She was afraid to have another child, afraid she would lose them too.

Reassurance because before she came here, she hadn't talked to either of them in a few weeks. Sure she had let them know she was okay every now and then, but she left it at that. Her work kept her busy most of the time.

It felt good knowing she will always have a home to rely on if things didn't go as planned, like now. She definitely did not plan any of this.

☾

i never pictured you as one of the fake ones but I guess that shows how good my ability to read people is