"Just look at you!" Elizabeth gushed when they sat down at the pizza place. Erica had yet to say anything and she hated herself for not being able to find her voice. "You're so pretty. Wow. You're all grown up!" Erica studied her mother. She noted that her brown hair was shoulder length and her makeup was done rather well (Erica didn't recall Elizabeth ever wearing it in the past). She was thin, but she hadn't been too thin. Erica was surprised that she shared the same bone structure as her in her facial features. Her mother wore a knee length pink dress that was actually appropriate and not dirty. She was like a new woman. What was very refreshing to see was that she seemed very happy. In the past, she was never happy; she was mostly depressed and angry. "You haven't said a word," she said, her red lips frowning. "I know I did things to you in the past and I regret them," she apologized and reached across the table to grab her daughter's hands.

"I'm sorry. It's not that I'm not happy to see you," Erica finally found her voice. "I just can't believe it."

"You look so good. Please tell me everything. What year in school are you? What do you like to do?" Elizabeth asked eagerly.

"I'm going to be a senior in the fall," Erica smiled.

"And you're a great student, right? You were always reading as a kid," she said.

"I didn't think you noticed," Erica replied.

"I didn't notice a lot of things, but you always had a book in your hands."

"I still like to read, but I don't read nearly as much as I did. I read a lot in North Yankton."

"It was a good escape, huh?" Elizabeth queried.

"How'd you know?"

"Because I read a lot when I sobered up," she answered. "It helped. Kept me away from the drugs when I got out of rehab. And, well, it worked!"

"So no more heroin? Alcohol?"

"Nope! I mean, I'll drink here and there, but socially. Not like how I used to at all, I promise."

"I can't believe that I'm sitting across from you right now. And you're talking to me. This is literally a dream come true."

"Erica, I cannot thank you enough for giving me a chance. This is truly a dream come true," Elizabeth said right before their food was placed in front of them. Everything was so surreal. She remembered having a somewhat similar feeling when she would have a heart to heart with Amanda, only the one she had with Amanda had been stronger. She ignored that, though, considering she hadn't spoken with her mother in years so they didn't have a strong connection-yet.

"I mean, it's been a long time," Erica replied. "And believe it or not, I did miss you."

"I don't understand how you can miss someone like me," she frowned and looked down at her plate.

"Yeah, me either," Erica agreed. "But you're still my mom and you seem to be better. And everyone deserves another chance," she smiled.

"How does Amanda feel about this…meeting?"

"I kind of didn't tell her," Erica admitted.

"Oh…"

"It's not because of you I promise," Erica assured. "Let's pay and I'll explain everything." She went into her bag and grabbed some cash, but Elizabeth stopped her and told her that it was on her. It was strange to have her mother pay for her food when she didn't even provide her food in North Yankton. She followed her out onto the boardwalk and they walked side by side as they made their way down to the beach. It wasn't very crowded in the area they settled down in. Erica took off her dress to soak up the sun and to get some kind of tan. She never really tanned well, but that didn't stop her from trying. Both mother and daughter got comfortable on their towels.

They were silent for a while as they just enjoyed each other's company. Erica couldn't help but steal glances at her mother as she laid down in her one piece bathing suit. Everything about this moment was perfect and Erica couldn't help but keep smiling. She loved that Elizabeth completely understood what she had been saying about different things going on in her life such as theater, dance, and her friends. They laughed over some teenage gossip Erica had accumulated over her junior year.

Elizabeth explained how she was now selling makeup and the business wanted to see how it sold in San Andreas. Knowing that her daughter was living there, Elizabeth jumped on the opportunity for a free flight and housing accommodations. "I'm proud of you," Erica said to her. "You know, you really turned your life around for good this time."

"That means a lot coming from you," Elizabeth smiled. "Who knew you'd be the rebellious type, though, and sneak out of the house because you're grounded."

"Yeah, well, I have my priorities," Erica laughed.

"Do you get along with Amanda and Michael? I'm beginning to think that you aren't."

"Not right now. I used to. We were really close, but all that changed I think sometime after Christmas."

"What happened?" she queried. "If you don't want to tell me that's okay," she added quickly. "I'm not going to try and pry into your personal life."

"It's fine. It's just that Amanda told me she didn't think of me as her daughter after I spilled my guts out to her and said that I felt like she was…like she was my mom. But it was a mistake and that was that," Erica explained quickly. "I just haven't been able to feel that same connection I had with her after she said that."

"I'm so sorry," Elizabeth said to her.

"Don't be. Better off I find out now rather than later, right? I probably would have gotten over that, though. But when I read that you wrote to me, I got so angry because I think she must have ripped up those letters so I could never see them."

"I'm not going to say that I'm surprised," Elizabeth replied. "She was always a little bit selfish. But I'm not here to talk poorly of her. I'm here with my little girl and having the time of my life."

"I'm gonna give you my number," Erica said, reaching into her mother's bag to grab her phone. She put her number in the phone and texted herself so that she'd have the number.

"So does that mean you want me back in your life?"

Erica handed back her mother's phone and smiled. "I haven't been this happy in a long time."

As the day progressed, Erica continued to ignore phone calls and text messages from her family. She was having too much fun with her mom and the last thing on her mind was how much trouble she was in. Erica and her mother stayed out later than they originally planned, so Erica called up Jason and invited him to dinner with them if he was going to stick around the boardwalk. He accepted after Erica assured him that he wasn't intruding. The three of them had a very nice dinner and there wasn't any kind of awkwardness about it which Erica was glad about since she was afraid that Elizabeth might question him as to whether or not he was interested in her daughter. She quickly picked up that he and Erica were just friends. Of course the conversation about the bruises on her arms came up, but she easily dissuaded the topic when she said it happened during a dance practice.

At around nine, it was time for Erica and Elizabeth to part ways. She was thrilled to be brought into a hug and promised to text her to make future plans. Erica and Elizabeth both agreed that Erica would be the one to tell Amanda and Michael about her eventually. After they parted ways, Erica was practically skipping to Jason's car. "Oh my God, isn't she great, Jason?"

"Yeah, she seems really nice," Jason complimented. He couldn't help but smile when he saw his friend unable to stop smiling. They both got into the car and Jason drove off. She told him everything that had happened and repeated herself a few times because she couldn't help herself. Jason didn't point this out, though, and enjoyed her happiness. It had been a while since he saw her all bubbly.

"Ugh," Erica said when she took her phone out. "I have like twenty texts and about a hundred missed calls."

"So basically you're in deep shit?" he queried.

"If I'm alive tomorrow I'd be shocked," Erica said as he pulled into her driveway. "And don't worry. As far as they know, you know nothing about me being grounded. And we spend the day together, okay? Don't want them to freak out about my mom yet. I want to tell them when the time's right. Not when they're all angry."

"My lips are sealed," Jason promised.

"You're the best, Jason."

"Yeah, I know," he laughed. "Now get out. I gotta get home before Frank flips. I told him I'd be home by five."

"Okay," she sighed. "Thanks again!" she said before she shut the door. Jason nodded before driving off.

Erica took a deep breath before entering the mansion. She knew she was in so much trouble; she knew Michael was probably going to kill her tonight. Her heart was beating in her chest profusely and she could hear the blood pounding in her ears. With a shaky hand, Erica opened the door and stepped inside. The house was quiet-too quiet. There seemed to be no activity going on. She walked into the living room to inspect it but saw no one. Maybe they were out? That thought was short lived when she heard footsteps come up behind her.

She could have sworn she stopped breathing when she recognized Michael's presence behind her. "Turn around now," he said in a low voice. She did as she was told and dropped her bag on the floor. Biting her lower lip, she nervously looked up at him. Needless to say, she was incredibly terrified. "Did you think you'd get away with sneaking out like that?" She was silent. There was nothing she could say to make this situation any better. If she confessed that she broke the rules to see her mother, maybe she could get away with a minimal punishment. But she wasn't ready to tell her family that she let her mother back into her life due to the fact that they wouldn't approve or they'd be worried about her feelings getting hurt. "Answer me."

"I knew I'd get in trouble," Erica said in a very small voice. She felt as if she was a mere child again; she felt quite small.

"Then why would you think that leaving the house while grounded was such a bright idea, huh?" Michael questioned. With every word, his voice rose in volume and she felt herself flinch at the end. Erica should have known Michael could be scary considering she just witnessed it the night before. "When Amanda couldn't find you anywhere in the fucking house she called me. You almost gave her a heart attack!"

"I didn't mean to scare her," Erica replied out of fear.

"You need some serious help, Erica. I don't know what has gotten into you, but you've been one hell of a rotten kid." She had no idea why tears came to her eyes when he said this. She knew she wasn't tough by any means, but she was surprised at how much his words hurt her. Perhaps she hadn't distanced herself enough emotionally and this was what was hindering her from talking back. She wanted to yell at him, she wanted to scream at him, and she wanted to tell him everything that was bothering her. But she couldn't or at least not yet. She didn't have the words prepared to explain everything that transpired today.

"I'm sorry," she apologized.

"You're real sorry," Michael said and rolled his eyes. "I don't think that trip to Trevor's this weekend is going to happen."

"What? But I see him every weekend!" Erica exclaimed.

"I don't think you've earned it," Michael replied offhandedly.

"But…but it's not just for me," Erica said quickly. "It's for Trevor. He needs someone to see him every weekend."

"I'll give Trace a call and have her go this time. You are stuck here in this house with me for the rest of the week. I'll be watching you like a fucking hawk."

"Okay," Erica sighed. "I'll go up to my room now."

"That sounds like a great idea. While you're up there, change back into that girl I used to know, will ya?"

"I'm still that girl," Erica whispered to herself as she went up the stairs. "I'm just so confused." She wished she could have the guts and tell Michael everything at that particular moment. The only problem was she overheard him call her a nuisance one night and she didn't want to be a bother. Had he ever really wanted her? Or did he just adopt her because it was Amanda's idea? And did Amanda truly care about her or did she just not want her sister to have her daughter?


Thanks for reading!