Chapter the fifth:
She didn't know what to say, or if she should say anything at that...the only thing she did was stare, eyes fixed on the coach now comfortably perched on the old green couch, looking almost out of place in their simple home, she looked too beautiful, looked like she belonged to a first class home, glamour...her mother
"what are you doing here?" she asked numbly, noticing the way the 'stranger' put on an overly caring smile and turned to her, the grey eyes that looked so much like hers, heavily framed with black mascara and eyeliner.
"But Harleen, darling, I came to see you...my, how you have grown, a young woman now..." she continued rambling, telling her how pretty she looked, how proud her mother was...
"How dare you!" Harley was slightly surprised at the harsh tone coming from her own mouth.
Mascara eyes widened in feigned shock
"But darling…"
"No! Mother...Lola…" she couldn't stand calling her mother, that coach that never was "don't pretend to care, don't bother, I haven't seen you in ten years…what makes you think you can just barge in here and expect me to welcome you with open arms…does father even know you're here?"
The fake expression broke at that and the sadness that overcame her mothers face almost made her feel slightly guilty, but she wouldn't, everything that…that whore got, she deserved, that and more, so the younger coach just set her jaw and continued glaring at her mother…Lola
"Harleen…listen…I'm sorry, but you don't understand…"
"Understand what? That you left us? That I'm nothing more than a burden? An obstacle in your search for glory? That you never loved dad?" she sighed "face it Lola, you're not my mother, you never were and never will be" and with that said she turned on the wheels and stormed out of the living room, heading straight to her room without even a second glance.
"Harleen!" Oma called after her, winching at the slamming of the door, burying her face in her hands
x-
Back in her room, Harley sat on her bed, staring at her door, fighting back tears, why now?...why now, she had long ago gotten over that person…that person who called herself mom.
Long time ago, it seemed to her, she just stopped, got up and left, left her daughter and her rather turbulent marriage, left to find glory.
Lola was beautiful, a first class sleeper, frame ruby red, hair golden, pale skin that looked almost ivory, making her look like an angel...
Why she and her father even hooked up was beyond her.
Feliks, her father was a steamer, not even a particularly good looking one either, reddish brown hair, dark green frame, almost colorless now after years of no maintenance.
She had inherited most of her looks from him…except the eyes, she had Lola's eyes.
The slamming of the front door brought her from her thoughts…dad was home. She stood up, rolling towards her door, gently leaning against it, trying to hear what was going on.
Muffled voices, calm at first, then rising…her heart sank slightly as it became apparent to her, exactly why Lola had decided to visit…not to see her daughter, to try being a mother…no, it was always money…
Sighing softly she let herself fall against the door, sliding down to a sitting position, her back pressed against the hard wood. Right now she wished she hadn't cancelled that study date with JD, not feeling like being alone…and going back there was out of the question, so she waited…
x-
A lifetime it felt to her, that she had been sitting there, leaning against the door.
Her back was stiff and her neck hurt, must have dosed off for a moment for the house was deathly silent.
Standing up and stretching out she rolled over to her bed, not made, like usual, the colorless covers all over the mattress.
She sat down and pulled off the rubber band that held her braid, and while she busied herself with rebraiding thoughts ran through her head, some not as nice as others…but in the end she decided that at least she could count herself lucky for her father…and Oma.
Feliks's mother, as soon as Lola left she moved in, helping with the raising of a young coach…definitely a hard job for a lone engine.
And to tell the truth, Harley had never been lacking anything in her raising, she knew of many others more unfortunate than her…
Like Kathy, her parents never saw a quiet day, her dad threatening to leave everyday, he never did.
JD who had lost his dad in a crash when he was 11, his mother a drunk outdated buffet car who had to be taken care of by her son.
No, Harley was not unlucky…though as she thought back on it like this, she couldn't help but think that she definitely had a messed up group of friends…oh well.
She then decided that she'd better get out there, maybe she could pay JD a visit, besides, everything sounded silent, so she guessed her mother was gone…typical.
Opening the door, she listened after any sound, and upon hearing none, moved out into the living room.
At first she thought it was empty, until her eyes fell on the couch, there he was, sitting there silent as the grave.
Her Father.
His eyes looked vacant somehow, he didn't even look at her as she entered, just stared out the window, and she knew perfectly why.
"dad, I'm going out" her voice was soft, as if trying not to disturb his train of thought
"all right…don't stay out too long" emotionless, tired, she had a feeling he hadn't really heard her, and some part of her told her she should try and talk to him…but years of living with the steamer told her he would be better off, left alone with his thoughts.
So she left.
x-
"So you're saying that your mom came over, asked for money, then left?"
JD sat wide eyed against her, by their trademark tree, at lunch the morning after, the question escaping his lips before he had time to think.
"Yah…pretty much" she didn't look up from her book, but she could imagine the look on his face, shocked, compassionate…JD
"Shit…I'm sorry Harley"
"What for? It's not your fault she missed her 'motherhood 101' lessons"
Not knowing what to say to that he just nodded and proceeded to stare out in space, a peaceful silence settling between them.
…that is until it was broken by a certain library coach, dropping down beside Harley
"That BASTARD!" she cried out, clutching at Harley's shoulders, tears threatening to fall from her eyes
"woah, Kathy…what…" the green coach wasn't sure what was going on "what happened?"
"it's Stefan" she sniffled "he…he just uncoupled me" she trailed off at the last word, burying her face in her friends shoulder
"wait…what?" she didn't understand, they had always been so good together, she had always liked the steamer all right "why?"
"told me he had found someone else, and you know who?" she looked up again, soft brown eyes overflowing "that DINER, Tatiana" then proceeded to sob into the borrowed shoulder.
Harley had never been one to be an expert on comforting, so she just settled with patting her friends back rather awkwardly and allowing her to cry on her shirt…
Sparing a glance at a dumbstruck JD, she sighed.
Would things ever change…?