A/N: It's a bit angsty, but yea. And for story purposes, let's say that Addie is Daddy's little princess.
Disclaimer: These characters are property of Shonda Rhimes and ABC. In no way am I affiliated with them, nor do I make profit from the use of these characters other than a little fun. No copyright infringement intended.
It was a rather normal day at the university and Addison was taking very accurate notes in her class. She was a few weeks away from becoming Dr. Addison Montgomery. She just loved how that rolled off her tongue. She could pronounce it all day long and she wouldn't get tired of hearing it. She was dating Derek and she was sure that she soon would be Dr. Addison Montgomery-Shepherd. Another name that she loved. Addie had turned her cell off during the lecture and as soon as the professor dismissed them, she turned it back on. She checked her voicemail and blushed when she heard Derek's message about their plans for tonight. He gave an x-rated description of their after-dinner plans. What the man could do to her, still surprised her. They had been together for 3 years now and she still felt as giggly and totally tongue tied when she spoke to him, among other things that required her tongue.
Graduation day came and Addie's parents were a no show. She felt so angry and sad. She had sent the invitation a little over a month ago and they had said that they'd be there for the day that she would become Dr. Addison Montgomery. 'How could they forget? I sent the invitation and daddy called to say that they were coming. Ugh, typical Emily Montgomery. She always forgot about me…whatever. But daddy. Daddy not being here hurts…' Addison was brought back when Derek nudged her when her name was called. She had graduated first in her class and even without her parents there she managed to feel so proud of herself. Addison walked to the stage and gave her speech which was short, precise and eloquent.
A few days later, her mother called. Addison was packing her stuff to leave her dorm because by the end of the summer, she would be an intern.
"Hello?" Addie answered absently.
"White gold or yellow gold?" Bizzy Montgomery asked.
"Hello to you too, Mother. White gold." Addie replied annoyed.
"Thank you darling. Your father and I just saw the most beautiful earrings at Tiffany's. We thought it might be a nice present for graduation." Bizzy said absently as she was flipping through a catalogue.
"Graduation was three days ago, Mother." Addie tried to control herself.
"I know. We're sorry we missed it. We were…busy." Bizzy apologized. But her words were empty.
"Whatever. I don't want the earrings. Buy them for yourself if you want. I'm sure they'll probably go perfect with any of the dresses that you own. Besides, I just wanted you guys there, but since you couldn't bother to dedicate a few hours to your only daughter, then keep your gilt present. By the way, I'm Dr. Montgomery now. And I graduated first in my class. Thought you might like to know." Addison said as her words chocked in her throat.
"That's nice, dear. Are you really sure you don't want the earrings?" Bizzy asked, dismissing her rage.
Addison couldn't believe her ears. Was her mother serious? She wanted to scream to her. She wanted to kill her. She wanted…she wanted to let all her frustration out.
"We need to talk. I'm coming over this weekend and we'll talk. You can't keep doing this to me." Addison almost yelled.
"No, honey, this weekend isn't good…" Bizzy was cut off by Addison's rage.
"Make fucking time for me! I'm your fucking daughter!" Addison yelled and then hung up.
Bizzy rolled her eyes exasperated with her daughter. She didn't approve of her talking like that. She was a lady, and ladies didn't speak like that. She flipped a few more pages and marked what she was buying.
The days flew by and not soon enough, it was the weekend. Addison told Derek to wait for her outside. Knowing her mother, this conversation would not be long. She kissed him and got out of the car.
"I'll be just a few minutes. Mother isn't the best speaker and I don't have much patience with her." Addison told Derek.
"I'll be right here. Text me if you need help in there." Derek told her and kissed her once again.
"I will." Addison giggled and wiped her red lipstick from his lips.
She got out of the car and went to the house. She rang the bell which was stupid since she had the key. The maid came to the door and answered it.
"May I help you Miss?" She asked. Her name was Maria and she was obviously new to the household since she didn't know who Addison was.
"I'm the daughter. I'm Addison, and I'm so sorry you have to work in this hell whole." Addison said as the maid stepped aside with a slight smile.
"I'm sorry Miss Montgomery, I didn't know who you were." Maria apologized.
"It's Addison, and it's ok. They don't keep pictures around so how would you know?" Addison said.
Maria smiled and then excused herself to go find her mother. Addie nodded and made her way to the living room which looked like it could have graced the pages of a home magazine. Addie sighed noticing the details, or the lack there of. There were no pictures of the married couple, no pictures of her. No nothing to resemble that they were a 'happy' family. Bizzy's voice brought Addison back to reality soon after.
"Addison, dear, nice to see you." Bizzy said.
"Yea, well, I would've liked to see you at Graduation, but you know." Addison shrugged.
"What has gotten into you? You have been talking down to me and you know that I will not stand for that. After all, whether you like it or not, I'm still your mother. " Bizzy said.
"You sure as hell don't act like one." Addie hissed as she sat on the uncomfortable couch.
"Addison Adrianne Forbes Montgomery." Bizzy called her out and Addison winced at the full name.
"What? You think that was uncalled for?" Addison asked sarcastically.
"Yes I do." Bizzy responded absently.
"Whatever." Addison rolled her eyes.
"Addison, stop it!" Bizzy ordered.
"No, you stop. You stop acting like a mom. You were never there. You missed out on a lot of things that were important to me. You never made time. You were always too busy. You missed my life and yet you controlled me like if you were always there. Daddy, I get why he was never there, but you. You had all the time in the world. You could have taken the day off from being this socialite and actually be a mother. But no, it's easier to forget that you had a daughter. " Addison began her pour out of feelings.
"I had to control you. You're my daughter" Bizzy was cut off once again.
"Stop saying that! Stop wanting to be a mother now. Stop it! I'm twenty four years old. I can take care of myself. I can decide for myself. I've been doing it since I was fourteen. Stop trying to be a mom." Addie yelled.
"I can't, Addison, I can't. What did I do? I mean, I know I'm not mother-of-the-year worthy, but I'm not the worst either. I just…" Bizzy was interrupted.
"You just what? Were never interested? You could have told me. You could have said something and I wouldn't have been standing in front of the whole damn school and then the whole graduating class in college searching for the parents that never showed." Addie hissed.
"Addie…" Bizzy began, but Addison wasn't allowing her any room to explain.
"No, don't 'Addie' me. You have the perfect life. You have the house, the car, the household service, the husband, your social status and the daughter. Not anymore. You do not get to gloat about me being a doctor. You do not get to fill your mouth with my title. The one I earned. So stop. You've never talked to your friends about me being in med school. Me going to med school 'was always something that Addie had a thing for. She knows she doesn't have to go to college. She will always have everything she needs. She doesn't have to work hard for anything.' Because I was born with a damn silver spoon in my mouth. I don't want your perfect life. I want my own…" Addie got interrupted by Emily this time.
"With whom? Derek? Please, the man barely has a place to fall dead on." Bizzy dismissed Derek and that only made things worse for Addie.
"Don't talk about him! He's got nothing to do with this. But yes, it's with Derek. Derek, who loves me for who I am. Derek, who doesn't care for my flaws and reassures me that I'm perfect even when I feel like I'm worthless. Derek, who has always been there for me. Derek, who doesn't care about my silver spoon. Yes, Mother, I want my perfect life with Derek." Addie said.
Bizzy just laughed at how naïve Addison was being. She could have sworn that Addie was more level headed than that.
Meanwhile, Derek was outside in his car. He could hear the screaming match between the two Montgomery women.
"You're dreaming if you think that he can give you the life you're accustomed to. You're a high maintenance girl, he's just…"
"He's perfect. And he's what I want." Addie hissed.
"Stop kidding yourself…"
"No! You stop. You stop trying to live your life through mine. Stop making me pay for your mistakes. It's my fucking life and I'll live it the way I fucking want to." Addie yelled.
"Addison, watch your language."
"You're fucking unbelievable. Here I am telling you that the reason I'm so fucked up is because of you and you're concerned for the excessive use of the word fuck?" Addie laughed in frustration.
"Addie, you're a lady. And as much as your father and I have missed out on important things to you, we always wanted what was best for you." Emily said.
"Stop patronizing me. I'm not thirteen anymore. You made me like this. You are the reason I'm so afraid all the time. You're the reason why I worked so hard. Because I didn't want to fail. I didn't want you to have a hissy fit over a failed class. My glories were very short lived. But my failures were never forgotten. And you made sure of that. You made sure that I felt my failures. I always wanted to please you and daddy because I thought that maybe, if I was better, you would pay more attention to me, that you'd love me more. How stupid of me to think that. No matter how hard I tried, you never saw me. You never heard me. So, once again, you don't get to gloat or be proud of me. Not anymore. You're too little too late to pull out the mother card on me. I don't have to pay for your mistakes. I never had to. I always wanted more. I always wanted greatness. I didn't deserve to be treated like crap because of your mediocre youth…" Addie was cut off by a slap to her face from her mother. Effortless tears softly and slowly graced her reddened cheeks. After a few seconds, Addison gently unfolded the copy of her diploma and threw it to her mother. "I'm not mediocre. I'm great." Addison hissed quietly holding her face.
Bizzy had tears running down her face. She had slapped her daughter and that was something she never thought she could do. She wanted to cut off her hand, but at the same time Addie had it coming. Or so she thought. Bizzy maybe a lot of things, but she never thought she'd be the kind of mother who had to slap her child. It didn't matter to her that Addison was twenty-four, to her Addison would always be her child.
"Good bye mother." Addison whispered and began to walk away.
"Addison, if you walk out that door, don't bother coming back." Bizzy threatened.
Addison stood frozen for half a second and then she turned around to go somewhere. She went to her father's office and kissed him good bye. She told him that her mother had the copy of the diploma and that she wasn't coming home ever. She told him that she had to hurry because Derek was outside waiting for her. With much pain in his heart, The Captain let his daughter go. He knew that Addison wasn't a kid anymore. He knew that she was long overdue to voice her opinion. He loved her and respected his daughter so much that he let her go because he knew that she'd never be happy here.
"Promise me something, Princess." Her dad told her while hugging her.
"Anything Daddy." She responded.
"I don't have to pay for the mistakes of your mother. I don't deserve to be cut out of your life. Promise that you'll call once in a while, just to tell me you're fine." Her dad pleaded her using almost her words against her.
"I will. I promise. But you can't tell mother." Addie said.
"Promise." Captain kissed her forehead and let her go.
When she walked out of the office, she saw her mother clenching to the diploma. Tears still ran down her face and Addie just shook her head. She walked to the door.
"Addison…I meant what I said." Bizzy hissed.
"Make it the first promise you keep." Addie said and exited.
What do you think?
