"Bex, of course I'm disappointed in you. Not only are you failing as an adult, you're failing as a mother! How do you expect to waltz back in here and take my daughter away and change her?! I gave that girl everything, and now it's all going to shit because of you! She's turning into you! And I swear to God, Rebecca, I can't handle another you in this world!" Celia rumbled, making wild gestures with her hands towards her daughter.
"Mom, I don't want to fight. We can continue this somewhere else, but Andi can probably hear you! Don't use that sort of language near her!" Bex replied, calmer than her mother, but still violently whispering the latter part of her remark.
"Oh, I get it. Always making it out so that I'm the bad guy. How am I the bad guy when I'm the one who gave your illegitimate daughter a good life?! She would be nothing without me, and you know it."
Peering over the staircase, Andi's stomach dropped. She knew that it was a bad idea to eavesdrop, but she couldn't help herself. Did CeCe mean that? Andi wasn't even sure she knew what illegitimate meant, but she inferred that it couldn't be good. Andi's thoughts were interrupted when she heard her mother practically growl at CeCe.
"That's it. You can say anything you want to me, but you can never say anything about my daughter." Bex's tone changed; her voice dropping, but retaining its ferocity. "My line has been crossed. I'm done." Bex started away, but stopped herself, turned back around, and corrected herself. "We're done," Bex growled. Andi knew that her mother was talking about her. She could hear Bex's footsteps growing louder and closer to where she was as CeCe stomped into the other room. When Bex saw Andi sitting on top of the stairs with her arms looped over her legs, her face melted. The newfound mother gingerly walked up to her daughter and put her hand on her shoulder.
"How much did you hear?" Bex asked daughter nervously.
"Enough," Andi muttered, tears threatening to escape her eyes. She slowly looked up at Bex, whose face had crumpled, mirroring Andi's.
"Don't worry, kid," Bex's voice quivered. "She didn't mean any of that towards you. I promise. But as for me…I'm going to go. It's clear that CeCe doesn't want me here anymore. You can come with me or stay here…totally your call." Bex smiled sadly at her daughter, bending down and planting a kiss on the top of Andi's head. But before Bex could take two steps, Andi sprang up and wiped her eyes.
"I want to go with you. Please," Andi practically begged, her voice cracking. Bex sighed, her lips forming a slight half-smile.
"Of course. But you have to promise me one thing," Bex said, lowering her voice.
"Anything."
"Don't think anything bad of CeCe. She really only wants what's best for you. She was just mad at me, and directed her anger towards you in the heat of the moment. I know it's not right, but don't make her out to be the bad guy," Bex said. In response, Andi sighed sadly and moved past her mother to pack a bag. Bex knew that the damage had been done to her daughter, and there wasn't much she could do about it for the time being other than giving CeCe space. Maybe not another thirteen year's worth of space, but some.
A few minutes later, Andi emerged from her bedroom and closed the door. The two of them slowly and quietly shut the door and hopped onto Bex's motorcycle. In the back, Andi clipped on her helmet and held onto her mother's waist as Bex revved the engine and pulled out of the driveway. Andi wasn't sure where they were going, but she didn't really care. She felt numb. And judging by her mother's tight, straight posture and lack of sarcastic comments, she guessed that Bex wasn't any different.
—
"Alright, here we are at the Ritz-Carlton," Bex said sarcastically, throwing the door of their temporary motel room open. Andi felt frozen, practically. She forced her legs to move towards the one queen-size bed occupying the room, and plopped herself down at the bedside, facing away from her mother. Andi didn't want Bex to see her cry. Bex was strong. She'd never react the way Andi was now— rapid sniffling, a surefire signal of crying. Andi buried her face in her hands and wept.
"Hey, kid! You're okay, you're okay," Bex soothed as she motioned Andi's head into her lap. Bex stroked Andi's hair, feeling sorry her daughter bore the blunt of her mother's issues. I guess this is what it's all about, Bex thought to herself. She was starting, more and more, to feel like real mom. She was always Andi's mother, but she now felt like Andi's mom.
Andi must have been feeling the same way, because she giggled and said softly, "Thanks…Mom." Bex's heart soared. The first time Andi called her that! Instead of saying something to Andi, Bex pulled her daughter up, smiled brightly, and pulled her in a tight hug. Bex kissed Andi's head and Andi hugged her tighter, feeling the safest she had felt in a long time.