Today was a good day. It's Monday. Since we are at the new apartment, I got to walk home. And the weather was great.

I was in a good mood.

My mood was even better when I remembered Mom was off work, so she was home.

"Olive! Hold on, I'm trying to hang up these curtains." Mom was standing on a stool, on her toes. She turned to look at me.

I laughed. "I would offer to help but I got your short genes. Maybe you should wait for Callie. She's tall."

"You're right," Mom laughed, getting down from the stool. "How was your day honey?" She hugged me.

"It was great! I love walking home." I said, hugging her back.

"That's awesome!" Mom smiled.

"How was your day? Callie's at work?"

"She is. She went in like right after you left. My day was great. I slept in, and then was unpacking."

"Interesting." I giggled. "I'm so hungry." I walked into the kitchen. "Left over pizza. Yum." I said when I opened the fridge.

"Eat up. I need help unpacking my clothes. Please?"

"Sure!" I didn't mind helping out at all.

"I'm gonna go get started."

"I'll be right there!" I said as she walked off to her and Callie's room.

After I heated up my pizza, I headed to the bedroom, seeing Mom organizing the boxes.

"I'm surprised you went with brown." I said as I sat down, starting to eat.

"Really?" Mom glanced at me.

"Yeah. I dunno, you usually like color. Your room at our apartment was colorful."

"Change it up a little," Mom shrugged.

"I like it."

"Me too! Do you have any homework?" Mom put three of the boxes on the bed.

"Just math. It'll take me like 15 minutes. It's actually super easy."

"That's good. My smartie."

I laughed.

"Ugh. I think the worst part of moving is putting all your clothes back in your closet. So boring."

"We'll get it done quick!"

"Have you finished yours yet?"

"Yeah. I finished last night before bed!" I said happily. I was so happy to be done. All my clothes are away- meaning I only have one box in my room. All my art.

"Lucky."

"Wait, you hung this on the wall?!" I just noticed my drawing of Mom and Callie was framed and on the wall.

Mom nodded. "Callie wanted it hung up. She had framed it and had it hung up at her apartment. She loves it."

I smiled a little. That was sweet. I was glad she liked the gift I had given her. It meant a lot.

Once I finished my pizza, Mom and I got to work putting all her shirts on hangers. Again- a lot of work.

"Hey, Olive?" Mom said suddenly.

"Hm?"

"How are you feeling? You know... since we've moved. Have you... felt ok?" Mom sounded worried.

"Yeah, I'm alright." I nodded.

"Are you sure?"

Another nod.

"You scared me... with the whole getting sick thing. I'm worried about you." That happened a while ago. But, I understood why she was asking. I knew I had scared her that day- I had scared myself that day.

"You don't have to be worried. I'm fine."

"Olivia." Mom put down the shirt she was holding, looking at me. She was serious. "You threw up. That's the opposite of fine. You've seemed very... worried lately. About the past."

"That was just once, Mom."

"Was it?" Mom looked skeptical.

"Yes. I swear, I would tell you if something was really wrong. That's not a normal thing. Like you said, I was worked up. I got in my head."

"Okay. You know that I'm here for you?"

"Of course I know that."

"So, no more of that has happened?"

"The throwing up? No."

"The nervousness?"

"Yeah. But not extreme. Everyone gets nervous sometimes, Mom."

"I know. And that's totally fine. But, it's not totally fine to get sick over it."

"Again, happened once."

"One time is too many." Mom said quietly.

"I'm okay, really." I reassured.

"If you say so."

"I do."

"Okay."

"Okay." She didn't stop staring at me, though. "Mom?"

"Yeah?"

"Why are you staring?"

"Because you stress me out." She was concerned. I could tell. But, I was seriously fine.

"Why? I'm literally fine."

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you too." I hung up another shirt.

Eventually, Mom got back to work, too. We stayed quiet for a bit. I assumed Mom was thinking about something. She kept staring at me.

"I uh... had another nightmare the other night." She said.

Wow, we were just having massively emotional conversations today.

"Are you ok?!" I asked.

"I'm fine. Callie was here- it was the night we moved in."

"Oh."

"Yeah." Mom sat on the bed. "I'm working on it though. Therapy is really helping."

"I'm glad, Mom."

She flashed me a quick smile. "I think moving triggered me a little, too. As excited as I am about it."

I nodded my understanding. "It just felt like last time. And I dunno. Last time was scary. For me, at least."

"It was scary for me, too, honey." Mom said. She was looking at her lap. "Lots of reminders of the past."

"Yeah. I guess that's how I feel, too. And why I even get so worked up."

"It's understandable." She paused for a few moments, then stood up again. "At least, this time, we are moving for a good reason." She wrapped her arms around me, hugging me gently. "Found someone who loves and cares about both of us." She kissed my cheek and then pulled away. "It's a good feeling. Relief."

I smiled at that. "Yeah, it does feel good." Living with Callie did, in fact, feel good. She was so sweet and fun to be around. It felt safe.

"I'm glad." Mom went back over to the boxes. "Very, very glad."