Hope And Faith ✓

24. Hope

I looked between them both in envy. I envied their relationship and how close they were, I barely knew her and she was my mother! He didn't even have any relation to her and they were practically mother and son.

He scratched the back of his neck still looking flustered. "Sure, Aunty." He gave up and placed a kiss on her forehead. He then placed one on my hairline before leaving.

I raised an eyebrow at her now that we were alone trying to push off the bitter feelings I never knew I could get from them being closer than we were and the letter I had read from Faith. "What was that all about?"

My Mom looked like she has been expecting it, she grinned in mischief. Something told me that if she was plotting something it was not going to be good. "What exactly are you talking about? I know nothing," she feigned innocence and I snorted.

"What's with all the winky blushy going on? 'Nothing' isn't going to get you out of this, let me assure you." I told her and she sighed dramatically and rested on the couch.

"I know something you don't," she smiled. "And I'm not going to tell you anything about it." I tried to hide my pout but ended up failing miserably. Which caused her to laugh loudly. It was nice seeing her happy. I could get used to seeing her like this, not angry and depressed while hating on the world. I preferred to see her smile.

"But that isn't why I'm here," she said her smile slowly slipping. "I gave you an invitation and you haven't declined yet so I'm going to push my luck anyway. How do you feel about following me to Canada? I've asked Garrett about it and he says that he can only come after he's finished the next semester after school resumes when the breaks over." She looked frustrated and huffed. "When I was his age I used to travel to different parts of the country every Friday and get back first thing Monday morning. Children now our days don't know the importance of life or how to live it to the fullest,"

Something about the way she talked made me believe she wasn't lying.

"I guess we don't know how to live it to the fullest," I smiled.

"I'm going to act like you didn't just ignore my question and ask again. Will you come with me?" Her playful attitude was gone and replaced with a serious one that made me want to bite my tongue.

"Mom," I started. "It isn't as easy as you make it seem. I can't just leave the life I've built here to go to Canada. Honestly, I'm not sure if the University of Toronto is for me. I'm looking at the bills-even though you're probably going to say that money isn't a problem- and they aren't cheap. Moving to another place entirely is going to strain your pocket a bit. Getting me a visa, tickets, accommodation. It isn't going to be easy. And then, leaving my friends behind. . . I don't want to do that."

Mom looked at me, nodding her head at my words. She pushed a stray strand of her ebony dark hair behind her ear. "The bills? I'm not asking you to think of that. That should be the last thing you should be thinking about. Before I asked you to come with me I already knew what I was getting myself into. The truth is that I got transferred at work. I continued work a few weeks back and they transferred me to Canada," she ran a hand through her hair. "I wasn't going to agree in the first place till I heard about your acceptance letter. I know you're going to miss your friends but if you stay in one spot how exactly are you going to keep on moving? And you can make new friends, you have the Lockhart blood in your veins, we attract new people everywhere we go, darling. And when was the last time you and I spent time together? This is the longest we've ever been in a room all year," her eyes filled with tears that she tried to blink away. I soon found my own eyes getting wet.

"It makes me feel like a terrible mother and person. I want to spend time with my only daughter. I also wanted to introduce you to someone I met." She smiled cheekily and I laughed while wiping my tears with the back of my hand.