So tired. I'm sick of 9-5 shifts. My boss told me I was scheduled to work 9-5 Tuesday, but when I checked the schedule once I got there, my name wasn't listed! What's up with that?

Oh well. More money for Dani.

Alrighty. Here's chapter three, and I'm off to bed. Some reviews to wake up to would be nice? Enjoy!

"Whoa, Liv. Wait. Did you just say your mother is in the diner?" Elliot asked.

"Yes! Yes, El! Oh my God! What am I going to do?" Olivia began pacing around the front doors.

"Go in. Talk to her."

Olivia frantically shook her head, momentarily forgetting she was on the phone. "I can't, El. I'm so angry with her. I mean, I was so upset when she died- when I thought she died. But I was- well, almost- happy. Because it was like I was free."

"Liv, you're a grown woman. You don't need to worry about being stuck with her again."

"I know, but still-"

"Go back in there, Olivia. Go talk to your mother."

Olivia sighed. "All right. But if things don't go well, I'm leaving. And I'm blaming you."

Elliot laughed. "Okay, Liv. Now go in there."

Olivia hung up. As she walked inside, she couldn't help but wonder if she noticed a little sense of relief in Elliot's voice when she told him that her mother was in the bar.

Hmm. Jealous of my past relationships much, El?

Olivia glanced at her watch. 12:15. It was now or never; she was already fifteen minutes late. No need to keep her waiting any longer.

When Olivia opened the door, Serena was looking straight at her. Olivia assumed that she had realized how late Olivia was, and was watching for any signs of her. Olivia looked away, pretending not to have noticed. She walked to the counter and ordered French fries.

"Olivia?"

Olivia jerked her head around. Serena was standing right behind her. She decided to play dumb. "Um. May I help you?"

"Oh, Liv you look amazing! You're gorgeous!"

"Um. Thanks. People say I have my mother's eyes," Olivia smirked. "She died awhile back, though. But. Yea. We had quite an awkward past."

Olivia saw the hurt flicker through Serena's face, then quickly disappear. "Don't you know who I am, Olivia?"

"Mom."

"Here's your order, miss," the hostess said.

Olivia turned around and took her fries. She held the pack out to Serena. "Want one?"

Serena accepted, taking two out of the pack. "So, uh, what have you been up to?"

"Same ol', same ol'. My job is my life."

"Yea. It's always been like that."

"I know."

Silence interrupted the conversation.

"Want to sit?" Serena asked.

"I'd rather stand."

"Okay."

More silence.

"How have you been, Mom?"

"Okay I suppose. Considering all that's happened. But I am glad to say that I have been sober for four years."

"Congratulations."

Serena could tell that she'd brought up an awkward subject. While she was fully aware of the things she'd done to Olivia, she had always been too drunk to remember the true pain. She reached for Olivia's free hand and held it close to her heart.

"Olivia, the reason I wanted to see you was so that we could catch up. I want to rebuild our relationship. I want to get to know my daughter. Can we just start over?"

Olivia stood in silence for a moment. "No," she answered simply.

"Why?" Serena raised an eyebrow.

"Well, for one thing, there's our past. You really hurt me, Mom. It's great that you're clean and everything, but you should have been clean when you found out that you were pregnant with me."

"But I-"

"And another thing. What's with this WPP thing? In my mind, you've been dead for six years. And now I'm finding out that you're in the WPP? And you didn't even tell me? Honestly, even Alex told me. Even Jay told me."

"I'm sorry, Liv."

Olivia could see tears forming in Serena's eyes, but she didn't care.

"Me too, mom."

She rushed out of the diner.