I walked in the front door from school, surprised that I had seen Mom's car in the parking lot. I thought she had work.

"Hey, Mom. I'm home!" I called out, kicking off my shoes and walking towards my bedroom.

Mom was on the couch. "Hey sweetie! How was school?"

I threw my backpack in the doorway of my room and went right to the kitchen. I was always so hungry after school.

"It was alright. Boring. Kinda dumb."

Mom laughed, "Learn anything?" I felt her eyes on me as I looked through the fridge.

"Uh..." I grabbed the container of left over pasta from last night. "Some new stupid math thing I'll never ever use. Already forgot the name of it," I grabbed a plate and put some pasta on it, heating it up in the microwave. "That's really it." I said with a shrug, putting the container back in the fridge.

"Ah. Very interesting."

"Not at all. But, we are reading some Shakespeare play in English. That's pretty interesting."

"Ugh. I hated the Shakespeare unit" Mom said dramatically.

"Really? I think it's cool." I got myself a glass of water.

"I thought it was horrible. But, I also had the worlds worst teacher."

I glanced over at her.

She laughed a little, "Now that I think about it... I probably just hated it because that teacher taught it. I had him first thing in the morning, and I was always late, so then he wouldn't let me leave to use the bathroom- even though I was three months pregnant. He was totally the reason I left that school." She rambled.

I grabbed my plate and drink and headed to the couch. I liked to hear about Mom's high school years. She almost never talked about it. "I thought you dropped out?"

"I did. 'Left the school' sounds more professional." She smiled.

I laughed.

"But! Besides the point, school is important. And, I did end up finishing! So will you!" Mom was very adamant about 'getting me through high school.' Probably because she hadn't gotten through high school herself. At least... in the same time frame as a normal teenager.

"I know Mom. I will." I smiled, setting my glass on the end table and sitting down.

"I know you will. Cuz you're smart!" Mom said proudly.

"Something like that." I nodded, starting to eat.

"Did you not pack lunch?" Mom asked.

"I did." I mumbled, mouth full of pasta.

She tilted her head. "What did you pack?"

"Goldfish. And a bag of grapes!"

"That's not lunch! This is why you come home so hungry, Olivia."

"I know. But, cold soggy pasta isn't good!"

Mom laughed, shaking her head in amusement.

I smiled a little and went back to eating.

"So, can I talk to you about something?" Mom asked after some time of us both just watching whatever show she had been watching before I got home. I wasn't really paying attention.

"Uh, yeah" I nodded, looking at her. "What's up?"

Maybe she was finally going to tell me about what happened the other night- when Callie was over. She hadn't said anything. I had made a few hints at it- but I didn't want to be rude by bringing it up. It was her thing to tell me, anyway. I wasn't supposed to know already. I was staring to get a little annoyed, though. It had been two days. I wanted her to talk to me- I would've told her. I guess that is a little different, I'm her daughter, she's my mom. But... still.

"Um... I don't know how to say this without kind of just... saying it." Mom turned down the volume of the TV, turning to face me.

"So say it." Now I really thought it was about her nightmares. I wanted her to talk to me about it, I wanted to encourage her to get help.

"I... I'm in love with Callie." Mom smiled a little, but seemed hesitant, as if I wouldn't be excited.

That wasn't what I expected her to say, but I also kind of already knew she was. Though, I was disappointed she hadn't talked about what I wanted her to talk about.

I smiled, nonetheless. "You realized?" I asked.

Mom tilted her head in confusion.

"Mom. It is obvious!" I laughed. "Did you tell her yet? The big first 'I love you'?" I exaggerated.

"What!" Mom's cheeks turned pink. "I did not tell her yet, I wanted-"

"To know what I thought?" I finished for her.

She nodded.

"Mom. What do you expect? Am I supposed to say 'No! You can't love her!'?"

Mom laughed. "I don't know, honey. Just... wanted to make sure you still... liked her I guess."

"Of course I like her!" Especially because of how she treated Mom that night. That was like... my confirmation that she was good for my mom. Mom didn't know that, though.

"Okay." Mom smiled a little.

"And, if you love her, you should tell her."

"You think?"

"Of course!" I smiled, this was big. Mom loved Callie. I mean... it's not like I didn't know this. But, now Mom said it. That made it more real.

I think it's good, that Mom loves her.

"Do I actually make it obvious?" Mom asked shyly.

I nodded, "To me. Well, I guess I just assumed. You're happier than I've ever seen you. I know she makes you happy."

"You make me happy." Mom said.

"I know, I know." I laughed. "But, seriously, Mom. You smile... all the time around her. And she makes you laugh, and she's always nice to you."

Mom smiled more, "She's- She's really great."

"Mhm." I nodded my agreement. "Anything else you wanted to talk to me about?" I tried to get Mom to think of the one thing I wanted her to tell me more than anything.

She laughed, "No? Why? Did you do something?"

"No. No. It's just... nevermind." I shrugged. Now I was a little angry with her.

"Okay..?" Mom raised her eyebrow at me, waiting a few moments before raising the volume on the TV again.

I bit my lip. All I wanted was for her to tell me. I wanted to know what happened- why she would be having nightmares. I knew it had to be something big. Huge. She would tell me, otherwise.

She was hiding something from me. And, it frustrated me that she wouldn't tell me. It was my father we were talking about, I think that means I should know.