"You must be Abigail."
"I am. It's nice to meet you."
"You're so polite."
"Am I supposed to be rude?"
The therapist blushed, "No, I wasn't trying be condescending."
Abigail smiled "That's good to know. I'll be 12 in 9 months, and I'm in middle school now. For future references, don't assume I'm an idiot."
"Is she always like this?"
"Yes."
"So Abigail, why are you here with your mom?"
"The same reason everyone goes to therapy. I cant fix my own problems. Do you have any coffee? I'm trying to kick the habit, but I need it when I'm stressed."
"I do have a coffee pot. You can't have any. Would you like a juice or some water?"
"You sound like my dad. He's trying to help me switch to a healthier drink. He makes me fruit smoothies every morning."
"It sounds like you have a great relationship with your dad."
"Yeah, sometimes. I like hanging out with him. We play golf on Tuesdays. I still prefer my mom."
"Why?"
"Because I can talk with my mom about anything whenever I need a friend. I can't ask my dad to go for a walk with me at 2am when I can't sleep."
Olivia blushed, "We are not walking anywhere at 2am. We can get breakfast at your favorite restaurant and talk."
"That's what I'm saying. Dad would probably ground me for even thinking about going outside that early in the morning."
"How's your relationship with Natalie?"
"It depends on the day. She can be my friend when she's not whining."
"Do you argue?"
"Yeah, when she uses mom to get what she wants. Mom always gives Natalie what she wants. All she has to do is cry and say mommy."
"Is that true Olivia?"
"I can be more firm with both of my girls. I don't like saying no."
"You say yes when you want to say no?"
"Correct."
"Are you their mom or best friend?"
"I don't want to push them away. Their open with me. I don't want to be an overbearing parent."
"You don't have to overbearing. You do need boundaries."
"She doesn't need you to tell her how to be a mom."
"Abigail, it's good that you're so mature for your age. However, you are not a mini adult. I don't think anyone has ever told you that."
"How dare you speak to me like that."
"Listen to her Abigail. She's right." Olivia said.
