Natalia Walker’s Point of View:
“Mother?” I gasped more than shocked to see her here in California.
She looked up at me her poker face still intact as if she wasn’t just seeing me for the first time in five years. Most people love the woman that gave birth to them but for me I feel nothing but hatred. She wasn’t the type of mother who you would expect to encourage you to do the right thing or help you with your problems even just having her be there for me would have been nice.
She wasn’t any of those things, she hurt me in the cruellest of ways by breaking my trust as a child. She was manipulative and very greedy always trying to sell me off to the highest bidder. My father couldn’t see what was happening because he was too in love with her to see her wicked ways.
“What do you want Regina?” I snapped at her using her first name “and how the hell did you find me?”
I expected her to snap at me or raise an eyebrow anything that would scream ‘I don’t care’ but I was utterly shocked when she burst into tears and started to cry her heart out. That was the last thing I expected and I was at a loss as to what I should do. I’ve never seen her cry and let me tell you it does not look good on her. I just stood there absolutely clueless on how to handle my crying mother.
“Why are you crying?” I asked trying to keep my voice calm and void of anger.
“I’m sorry,” she cried looking up at me.
“Sorry?” I breathed taking a shaky step back.
“Yes, I’m sorry…for everything”
“I need a drink…a strong one at that,” I was absolutely stunned by her confession. I opened the front door and went inside to get a drink.
I didn’t even glance at her as I headed straight for the kitchen. I looked behind me glad to see that she didn’t follow me in here. That’s probably for the best. I would hate to have to chase her out with a knife. That would look so bad on me.
I opened the top cupboard taking out the bottle of whiskey that I saw. I closed that cupboard and opened another one taking out a shot glass. I poured some of the whiskey into the glass and downed it in one go. I revelled in the burn that came with the shot, it made me feel alive and numbed the pain that now seemed to surround me. Luckily for me I wasn’t a light weight like most girls that I know, and I could hold my liquor quite well.
Grabbing both the bottle and the glass I walked back into my living room and saw that she didn’t move an inch from where she stood. The tears were still running down her face ruining her makeup and had her resembling a beautifully wet clown. I almost laughed at where my head was at.
“What did you come here for?” I asked “and how on God’s green earth did you find me?”
She took a deep breath composing herself before she spoke, “your father and I have been searching for you ever since the day you disappeared”
I laughed out loud at that, “dad always knew where I was…I just demanded that he didn’t tell you”
I smirked as her eyes widened in shock. I can bet she didn’t expect that, it’s written all over her face. Wanting to get this over with I gestured for her to continue. There’s no point prolonging this whole thing.
“Right…continuing…I want for you to forgive me”
“Say what now?”
She cleared her throat before repeating herself, “I want you to forgive me”
“Me? Forgive you?” I shouted.
“Please give me a chance…I’ve changed…I even started to see a therapist”
“What?” I questioned shocked, she hated the thought of even going near a therapist now she’s seeing one for sessions.
Maybe I should give her a chance to make up for all those years ago. After all she is my mother and Luke’s only grandmother. I don’t want Luke to hate me down the line because I kept his heritage from him. I’m going to be what Regina wasn’t to me and that’s being a good mother. Even if it killed me.
“You have one chance…and one chance only,” I finally spoke after a long silence.
We didn’t embrace, we didn’t say anything more. I agreed to give her a chance and that should be enough. At least for now. Maybe in the future we can be more than what we are now but based on how I am feeling it is far in the future.