My daughter Hope finally had a girlfriend. It was strange to think of my little girl already dating someone, but she was happy, and so was I. Hope had both her academic and social life all together now, so it felt like parenting was going to be a breeze now. And for about a year, it was. But then Hope started to come home a little bit cranky every day. I asked her if everything was okay with school and if everything was okay with Grace. Hope would angerly say everything was just fine with school and Grace. I believed Hope, but knew there was something else bothering her. I just didn't know what.

Then one Sunday afternoon I walked into Hope's bedroom while she was showering in the bathroom. Being the curious mom I am, I walked over to Hope's iPad that was on and looked at the last web page she was on. Instantly I saw the headline of an article that said: Ways to Increase Breast Size. Just as I began to look at the article, Hope walked into the room wearing only a towel around her body. As Hope saw what i was doing she said, "MOM! What are you doing!?" Hope instantly grabbed the iPad out of my hands and looked horrified as she realized what I had just seen. Hope's face got red as she said, "Why did... Just get out! Get out!" Hope then pushed me out of her room and slammed the door. I stood at the door silent. I wasn't mad at my daughter. I had already connected the pieces together in my head and realized what was wrong.

An hour later, I knocked on the door to Hope's room and said, "Hope, it's mom. Can I come in?" I heard nothing. So I slowly opened the door and saw Hope lying in her bed. She was still wearing a towel and was now crying. I sat next to Hope and said, "What's bothering you baby?" Hope then angerly said, "Nothing around me is bothering me mom." I sighed and said, "Nothing around you is bothering you. But it seems like your own body may be the problem." Hope then sat up as she said, "What do you mean?" I looked right at my daughter as I said, "You're worried about your breast size aren't you?" A flustered Hope said, "No. That's... I... ugg. What does... Errrg. I... Ugg. How did you know?" I smiled and said, "It doesn't take a super detective to realize it. Plus, I'm your mom. The one thing I don't understand is: why you're worried about your breast size?"

Hope sighed and said, "Well you know... girls in the locker room at school... we look at each other and... well it just feels like more and more girls have great looking boobs now and I'm just barely beyond some small little hills on my chest." I then curiously said, "Is the problem that a lot of other girls have more developed breasts now, or is it that Grace has much more developed breasts now?" Hope's face turned red as she tried to turn away from me. I put an arm around Hope and said, "Sorry I had to point it out, but I notice these things too. Hope, you and Grace are two different people. Different people develop at different rates." An upset looking Hope said, "But every time I look at her mom, I'm reminded she's ahead of me. She's got these amazing boobs, perfect shaped butt that sticks out, and great hips that don't lie. Meanwhile I'm a practically flat chest, flat butt, and skinny little thing. She's a full fledged woman now, and I still look like a girl. And... what if this is it for me? What if this is what my chest is gonna look like for the rest of my life? Mom, you told me that you stopped growing at 14. What if I stop growing completely now too? Do you really think Grace is gonna stay interested in an undeveloped girl for the rest of her life?"

I sighed as my own memories of my early teenage years came back to me. I then said, "Hope, I understand. It really threw for me a loop when I realized I was probably done growing. I remember when Riley started to shoot up in height before me. But despite one incident happening due to it, we still loved each other. You know why? Because no matter how the other looked, we were always going to be friends. Tell me. Did Grace fall in love with you because of how you looked? Do your father and me love because of how you look? What about your grandparents, Uncle Auggie, Uncle Eric, Auggie, Farkle, Smackle? Do they love you because of how you look? No. They've cared for you through all of changes you've been through since you were a baby. And despite whatever changes happen in the future, or lack thereof, we will always still care for you. And if Grace truly does love you, then she'll still care for you no matter how you look. And besides, there is one advantage of having a flat chest." A curious Hope then said, "What's that?" I smirked and said, "There's less in the way for when you give someone a hug." Hope then finally smiled and hugged me as she said, "Thanks mom." I hugged Hope back as I said, "You're welcome sweety." Hope then said, "You really think I'm gonna turn out okay?" I smiled as I said, "Trust me. You will. You may have my hair, but everything else about you is so much like Riley. She wound up turning into a beautiful woman, and I know you will too."

THE END (FOR NOW)

*Author's Note - Next chapter, we finally address a few things several people have been asking me to address in this series. Although things may not end up the way you think. Also, if anyone out there wants to draw/create a picture of adult Maya and Hope, I am totally cool with anyone doing so. No permission needed, just credit me for my stories. Message me if you create anything derived from what I've written because I would be very interested to see.