"Did she really say that?" Noah asked as he sat at the bar at Brainfreeze with Gia. He looked down at his smoothie and sighed, "That doesn't sound like her. I'm sure she didn't mean it."
Gia shrugged her shoulders. It had been a few hours since her fight with Emma but it all felt so fresh. She had gone to Mrs. Goodall to see if she could talk to her mother, whom seemed to be caught up in her own thoughts as she stared into the den - Mr. Moran's space. She had walked in on more than she bargained for when she overheard the talk between the two Goodalls. Mrs. Goodall had kindly bought Emma a new album to store her pictures but Emma wanted nothing to do with it or with her. She had rejected the gift and her mother and stormed off. Gia could understand why Emma was hurting. She had been with her from day one and had seen how much her parents had hurt her.
She could also see what Mrs. Goodall was trying to do. She had realized her mistake, she knew how much it had hurt her daughter, and she was trying to make up for it. Gia wanted Emma to know that her mother was trying, but Emma wouldn't hear it and had lashed out, saying things Gia really hoped she didn't mean.
"You need to understand," Gia whispered, "Emma's hurting a lot, but Mrs. Goodall… she's different now. She's been really good with my mother and…"
"To be fair, that is different. Being a good friend and good mother aren't related."
"Yeah, but she's attentive and caring. That's got to count, right? And she's trying, Noah. Mrs. Goodall is always trying to make conversation with Emma and she's always getting shut down. I'm on Emma's side, and I don't want to see her get hurt, but I don't want to see her hurting."
"You think she's hurting herself when she ignores her mother?"
"She just wants parents, Noah," Gia sighed. "She wants parents who care for her."
"She has your parents."
"And she has her mother," Gia whispered. She held her head in her hand, "God, this sucks!"
"It's got to be really hard to put ourselves in her shoes," Noah said as he took a sip of his smoothie. "We had two good parents."
"We did?"
"Your parents seem pretty awesome," Noah nodded his head. "My parents have always been great. I know they love me, I know they care, and when I got home it's a good feeling."
"Yeah, I get that…"
"So, you know, it's hard to know how Emma's really feeling about all this, or how much she's really hurting. Or even if she's scared," Noah took another sip of his drink and then looked over at Gia, "I'm not saying she's right for saying what she did, and I know you're just trying to help, but maybe you've got no idea what you're really messing with."
"She's my best friend, Noah."
"Well, when you were going through what you did with Cliff, Emma stepped aside. You talked to Serena. She knew more about what you were going through than Emma, right?"
"Are you saying I need to call someone who's been abandoned by her parents before?"
"Jake left his mother. He could always try talking to her."
"Jake chose to leave his mother," Gia said. "If we're going this route, that's not good enough. That's a different pain."
"Well, your father left you," Noah said. "You've got be a little mad at him for dying. Maybe if you tapped into that…"
"Don't make me cry."
"What if you find a support group or something? Or suggest she go see a therapist? What if she talks to Serena?"
"Serena's got a new nephew," Gia shook her head. "She just got home. I couldn't take her away again."
"You know she'd come. And she seems to be really good at getting you two girls over whatever you're going through."
"Serena is a big help," Gia said, "But I couldn't call her back. She shouldn't have to put up with all our bullshit."
"So, you're going to deny Emma the help she needs? She's going through something, Gia. It's obviously hard on her having her mother around."
"Maybe I should ask Mrs. Goodall to find her own place?" Gia suggested, "That way Emma doesn't have to see her all the time."
"Would that solve the problem?"
"I don't know," Gia put her head back into her hands, "I just want to help her, Noah. She's got no idea how lucky she is."
"Lucky?"
"Mrs. Goodall came back. She was gone, possibly for good, but she came back. Emma doesn't even want her around."
"Is it possible you're projecting?" Noah asked. Gia looked to him stunned for a moment before she let out a sigh.
"I guess it's possible."
"You're jealous because Emma's mother is back and your dad is still…"
"Dead. He's dead. I want my father more than anything, and Emma's finally got her mother back in her life and trying to be better and she's pushing her away. It's not fair. Why can't we both get what we want? Why can't she just be grateful that she still has her parents?"
Noah put a hand on Gia's back, "I'm sorry, Gia."
"I want to help her, Noah," Gia whispered. "She's got a mother that cares for her, and she wants nothing to do with her. She's got no idea what she's missing."
"She's not missing a mother," Noah said. "Isn't your mother like a mother for her?"
"Well, yeah, but…"
"So, why would she need another one? Why does she have to have another mother, or her own mother?"
"She doesn't, I'm not saying… why are you confusing me, Noah? Stop asking questions, stop twisting things."
"How do you think Emma's feeling?"
"That's another question," Gia sighed. She leaned back in her chair and swirled her smoothie with the straw. She let out a deep breath, "But it's a really good one. I guess I really don't know what it's like."
"We had amazing parents," Noah said, "It's hard to relate. Maybe Emma just needs some space to figure things out for herself."
"In other words, no meddling from me?"
"Not unless you want to hear another Cliff comment," Noah said and he turned to Gia sadly, "I still can't believe she said that."
"Neither can I. I just wish there was more I can do. She's always been there for me."
"Watching isn't fun," Noah said. "We had to go through that with you. You made it."
"Barely."
"She'll make it too. And whatever she decides, you need to support her."
Gia nodded her head and then leaned into Noah. She wrapped her arms around him and sighed, "You're a smart guy, Carver."
"Thanks," Noah chuckled. "I try."
Gia pulled away and smiled at him, "You're also a good friend. It's no wonder Jake's so proud to have you as a friend."
"He's the lucky one," Noah laughed teasingly, "Sometimes, I wonder why I put up with him."
"I hear you," Gia smirked. "Another round? It's on me,"
