It was late when Daryl and Sophia closed the garage. Merle asked Daryl to cover his shift and he accepted. He was still hungover, and tired as fuck. Sophia was exhausted of all the work at the garage, and she felt bad for not meeting Noel. They were driving in silence, until Daryl spoke:
- I have two good news I have to tell ya.
- Huh? - answered Sophia while scrolling her phone.- what?
- Put the phone down for a sec, dammit!
- Fine.
- Well, first, you are going to be a aunt.
- WHAT? REALLY?'
- Yeah, Merle told me yesterday...
- Whoa, that's great, right? - she smiled broadly.- I can't wait to met her.
- Or him.
- June.
- or Sam.
- Yeah, you wish.
- And...well... your mother is coming next week.
- What? When?
- Yeah, next Friday.
- Really? - she smiled, but sadly.- Did you called her? or she did?
- What? I called her, but...
- I knew it. - Soph looked sad.
- Honey, I thought you will be happy...I know you miss her and I thought that maybe, well, you could talk to her about boys and all that girly stuff...
- 'course I miss her...but she never calls, it's always you who called her. And she is going to mess everything up again.
- Soph...
- What? you know it's true. You are always depressed when she leaves. She always fucks things up...you...god, she doesn't deserve you, dad!
- Don't say that. She is still your mum. - He said getting off the car. - She is your mum and she loves you.
- Oh really? And where was she when I broke my hand? huh? was she at the hospital with me all night? NO! YOU WERE!
- Soph...
- And where was she when I win my first match, huh? or when I was ill with fever? or when i had my first period and I needed tampons? - Sophia was breathing heavily.- She wasn't here. YOU WERE. UNCLE MERLE WAS. AUNT ANDREA WAS. ALL OF YOU HAVE BEEN MY MUM FOR ALL THOSE YEARS NOT HER. SHE JUST CAME HERE ONCE A YEAR, WITH PRESENTS AND BEING THE COOL MUM AND I FELL FOR IT EVERY YEAR. BUT NOT ANYMORE . IM NOT A KID ANYMORE.
- I thought you will be happy.
- Well, you thought wrong. - and drying her tears, she run to her room, locking her in.
She grabbed her phone, and looking through all the messages and alerts, she found Noel phone. Without overthinking it, she dialed his number. After two tones he picked up.
- Hello? Soph?
- Hi.- she tried not to cry. - sorry I know it's late...
- It's alright,. You ok?
- Yes...no. I'm not.
- What happened?
- Well...I'm going to be an aunt.
- And that's bad?
- And my mum is coming next week.
- I need a little help here. I don't know which's the bad news here.
- My mum coming.
- Oh, I thought you missed her and wanted her to come.
- I do...but...it's complicated.
- Try me.
- Fine...it's just, she's never here. She just came once a year, with presents and playing housewife for a while. But then she leaves and she never calls. It's always my dad who calls her. I always feel sad when she leaves, and she always messes up with my dad. He is still in love with her. Well, I guess he is in love with the person she is when she came visiting, not with the real one.
- That's sucks.
- Yeah. And I just had a big fight with my dad because of her. He still defends her.
- He wants you happy. And he know you miss her.
- But the thing it's that I don't miss her. I miss having a mum.
- Maybe you should tell that to your dad.
- I guess... - she took a long breath.- thanks for listening...
- Ain't nothing, Dixon.
- Well, I should go to talk to my dad...Goodnight, Mason.
-'night Dixon.
Sophia founded her father sitting in the porch smoking a cigarrette. He was a smoker for a long time, but since Sophia was 8 years, he quit. Nowadays he only smoked once in a while when he was sad or worried. Or both.
- Dad.- she said sitting with him.- I'm sorry.
- I should have asked you first...but I...
- I know... - she snuggle closer to his dad.- I... I don't miss her, I miss the fact of having a mum, you know?
- Yeah...I'm sorry that I haven't been able to give you that.
- But you have.- he smiled to his dad.- You are a wonderful father, and I know that lately things have been weird between us, but we will get through, like always.
. You think? - he smiled back.
- 'Course.
It was past midnight, when Sophia's' phone buzzed. It was Noel.
Hey! You coming to the BBQ tomorrow?
'Course! Don't know if we will be on time...but...
Good. I will see you there, then.
Save me a big burger.
And what will I get in return?
What?
You need to pay back for your big burger. What will I get?
Whatever you want. ;)
Really? Good to know.
Sophia smiled to herself, feeling foolish. "God, get yourself together, Sophia"
Goodnight, Mason.
Night, Dixon
