A/N: This one's a bit angstier than the first one. Also, just so you know, the first three ficlets I wrote are in chronological order, but I can't guarantee that this will be the case. If I write some out of order, I'll try to let you know where it stands on the timeline.
Carly had been looking forward to this day for so long…the day she could see her mother again. Mrs. Nagisa had given Carly up to foster care when the latter was five; old enough to remember the whole painful incident. But that was in the past now…almost two decades ago! People can change, right? She was more than ready to forgive her mom, especially since she now had a baby daughter of her own.
It had taken a while, but Carly had hired a private detective and had been able to track her mother down. They had arranged to meet at Carly and Jack's apartment in New York. Unfortunately, Jack was smack in the middle of a busy pro-league schedule, so he couldn't be there. More than one time during the visit, Carly fervently wished that he had been around to give her some support. This reunion was not at all like she had hoped.
"Well, I have to say that you're more clever than I thought you'd turn out," Mrs. Nagisa stated as they sat in the living room. "Not only did you sink your claws into Jack Atlas of all men, you pumped out a kid before he could get tired of you." Despite Carly's horrified gasp, she plowed on, "So now when you split up, he'll have to pay you big money."
"N-no, Mom! It's not like that at all! We're in love!" Carly sputtered as she instinctively hugged baby Erika closer to her.
Her mother shook her head and replied, "Honey, there ain't no such thing as love."
She hasn't changed a bit after all, Carly thought in dismay.