"What are you doing here Leanne?" Leigh said with her voice on the verge of breaking due to the anger she was feeling deep inside. She'd wanted to get home and spend the evening in peace but now that wasn't likely. Her mother had turned up unannounced- like most things she did- and her presence had dampened Leigh's mood. If her mother had insisted on visiting her she wished it had been another day as the content feeling she was experiencing after her pleasant, friendly conversation with Brett was now long gone.
"I have every right to be here, I'm your mother."
"You lost that right when you kicked me out because you were threatened by my success. Now that's said..." Leigh stepped to the side and held her hand out in the direction of the door. "See you in another five years."
"Oh honey, I'm not finished yet," Leanne said as she placed her handbag on top of the table ever so carefully and then sat down on the couch. She crossed one tanned leg over the other and turned her attention to Ali. "We have a lot to talk about," she said implying that she should leave. Ali nodded and quickly glanced at her roommate.
"This is her apartment just as much as it is mine. Whatever you have to say to me you can say in front of her," Leigh told her mother as she stood her ground. There was no way she would allow her friend to get bullied out of their shared apartment by a woman who had no business being there in the first place. "What are you doing here?" She repeated.
"Shouldn't you be asking me how I'm here? Especially after you refused to send me your address."
Leigh shook her head. "I don't care how you're here or how you found me because I know you. I know exactly how you found me and I can honestly say that I couldn't care less. I just want to why the fuck you're here?" Leigh swore showing a different side to herself that rarely ever came out. Her mother brought out the worst in her and there was no way she could go back to being her usual self while the manipulative woman she had to call her mother was anywhere near Oak View and her new life.
"Robert told me where you moved to," she said ignoring the fact that her daughter didn't want to know the details. "I've got to say Leigh, I'm surprised you've been here for this long. And working at that dirty farm shop... I'm shocked.You never were any good at getting your hands dirty and you were definitely allergic to hard work."
"Don't come here and insult me in my home-"
"You call this tiny apartment home?" Leanne scoffed as she looked around.
Leigh shook her head in disbelief. "You have no right to insult me and pass judgement. You know nothing about me and you never did. What kind of mother does that make you, huh?"
As Leanne's eyes bore into her daughters there was something behind them, it was an emotion Leigh had never seen from her mother. Her eyes began to water but she quickly wiped it away using her scarf. Was it real emotion? After all, her mother was an actress and a damn good one so Leigh didn't know what this was that she was experiencing first hand. She only ever knew her mother to be judgemental and rude, that was the only time she was genuine.
"I'm sorry," she whispered catching both Ali and Leigh by surprise.
"You're not sorry."
She gulped. "I know a single word can't change the way that I've acted for twenty-nine years but I'm trying to change. I'm about to lose everything and I don't want to lose you too."
Leigh had so many questions that she didn't know where to start. What did her Leanne mean when she said she was about to lose everything? She wanted to scream that she'd already lost everything she ever had to do with Leigh but held herself together. What did she mean when she said she was sorry? Usually she said sorry when she wanted something but this time felt strangely different. There was an emotion that Leigh hadn't seen from her mother before and it enticed her to want to know more but she was afraid of what she would hear.
"I guess it's safe to assume you didn't watch my show last week?" She asked in a quiet voice.
"No I didn't," Leigh replied feeling no remorse for not watching her mother's show.
She took in a breath before speaking. "Your father and I are getting a divorce."
An audible gasp sounded from the opposite side of the room from Ali. Leigh shook her head in disappointment. "You're telling me that the whole goddamn country knew you and Dad were getting divorced and you couldn't have told me first?" She half-shouted.
"You didn't pick up your phone. I tried calling you."
"Don't make excuses. If you wanted to contact me that bad then you could have found a way. You're here now, aren't you?"
Her mother suddenly switched back to the person she was. The new, apologetic woman was now long gone. "If you weren't so stubborn then we wouldn't be in this situation. I never have these type of issues with your brother!"
"Oh because Toby is so perfect!" She mocked. "He hasn't even got his own career because you won't let him! I guess you didn't want to make the same mistake with him that you made with me."
"Toby is his own man, he does what he wants."
"But that's not true, is it? You keep him in line with all of your contracts and management. You don't let him grow. He's been stuck playing the same character in teen movies for the past seven years. He's in kids show that you produce and have complete control over and now he's starring in your stupid reality show. You have to let him breathe, be his own person."
"He wants to help me," she argued. "I'm not holding him against his will."
"But you are! Can't you see that? All these contracts bind him to you. He has no escape and you've brainwashed him into thinking that what you're doing is out of love."
"I am doing this out of love. I want Toby to be the best that he can be."
"But not more successful than you."
After a moment of thought Leanne spoke. "What's so wrong with that?"
"You're insane," Leigh shook her head in disbelief of the words that came from her mother's mouth. "A mother is supposed to care about her children unconditionally. You're supposed to want the best for us, not be afraid to be left in the shadows!"
"I'm not discussing this with you," she said the same thing she often did when she didn't want to continue a conversation but this time, Leigh stood her ground.
"We are discussing this and it's about time! You never call me to ask how I am and you never bother to wish me a Happy Birthday or a Merry Christmas. And where were you when I had my accident and could have died, huh? You disowned me because I was more successful than you have ever been. What kind of mother does that? And now, let me guess, you're here because you need me to come to your show and take the negative attention off of you because you're the one who fucked up- and I'm just gonna take a stab in the dark here... by having an affair?"
Leanne's cheeks reddened in embarrassment.
"You did, didn't you?" Leigh said in disbelief that the papers were right for once. "I can't believe you. After everything you have put Dad through, you do this to him?"
"I-" She was lost for words. "I'm your mother, you don't speak to me that way!"
"You're not my mother and you never have been. I'm done. Get the fuck out!"
"Leigh..." her voice wobbled a little.
"I've heard enough," she said picking up her mothers bag and shoving it in her direction. "Leave and never come back."
"I apologised and I'm asking for your help."
"You call that an apology?" She marched her mother to the door.
"Leanne...Leigh..." she tried again as she was being forced out of the front door.
"I hate you, Leanne. I don't want to hear from you ever again. And as for help, ask your movie producer lover, I'm sure he'll be willing to help you out, I mean he already has, hasn't he."
"How did you-"
"I read the news and a picture of your legs up in the air was on every single paper last week." Leigh slammed the door on her mother's face and made her way back into the living room where Ali stood in absolute shock.
"She's a real bitch," Ali said speaking her mind.
All Leigh could do was nod. What Ali had said was true but for so long she had thought that it was only her to see the true nature of her mother. Having her friend see it made her feel less crazy. It had been a long time since she had seen her mother yet she always knew what to expect and because of that Leigh felt grateful that Ali had witnessed her mother's true ways before having a chance to get to know her.
"Tell me about it," Leigh huffed. "I need a strong drink after that." She rubbed her forehead as she made her way into the kitchen and poured herself a shot of tequila which she downed in one go. Leigh then poured herself another as her gaze fell to Ali standing in the doorway.
"I'm sorry for letting her in."
"It's not your fault. She always gets what she wants, one way or another."
"What about her show?"
"That's one thing she'll never get her way with. The only way you'd ever see me on that stupid show is if I'm being held hostage or dead." She downed the next shot. "It's more important to her than her fucking family, but that's something I've known for years." She poured herself another drink but this time Ali stepped into the kitchen and took the bottle from her.
"This isn't you," Ali said. "You're not like this, don't let your Mom get to you like that. Trust me, it's not worth it."
After a moment Leigh nodded and tipped the contents of her glass into the sink. "You're right."
"I know I am. You don't need a mother in your life who has never even been that to you. And as cliche as it sounds, I'm your family now just like you're mine- well you and my grandparents. You don't need the kind of stress in your life that your Mom brings."
Leigh nodded and gave her friend a small smile before turning and walking into the bathroom. "I'm going to take a bath," she called from the other room. "Oh and Ali...thanks, you know, for everything," she said as she peered around the door and then retreated back into the bathroom to run her bath and allow all of her worries to be washed away.