Chapter 11: Dear Mother

The floor of the orphanage was so cold, everything gloomed in a sage sepia tone whenever Edward would try to remember it. One of his first memories that turned off the first light. A priest from Arkham State Hospital watching him with two caregivers.

"Are you sure?" One asked.

The priest replied, "She left a note. The date and gender match."

"Orphans hope to meet their parents one day. They can't help it. Best to rip the band-aid off now. Tell him."

The female caregiver knelt down to Edward as he played with blocks, "Edward? There's a man here to speak to you."

The priest knelt down with him, "Edward, I regret to inform you that your biological mother passed away last night. She was in care of Arkham Asylum when she died."

Edward didn't cry, didn't ask any questions. He looked up to the priest with a pouting lip. Then he started arranging the blocks.

13 1 13 1 ?

The priest looked back to the male caregiver in concern.

"He doesn't speak. We never know what he's trying to tell us."

The priest pulled out some more blocks and spelled 'Mama?' before Edward. Then children started to gather around the windows as the Wayne's drove by in a limo. They awed and spoke of how much they wanted to be him. The luckiest boy in the world. The caregivers herded the children away, all except Edward. He placed his small hands to the glass window fogging it with his breath, watching the limo drive out of view.

Then suddenly, a thunderous, ground-shaking crash.

Edward shot up from bed and fell to the ground at the rambunctious metal clang. He hit the floor, and he was wide awake, struggling to reassemble his current surroundings. It all came back with the smells of essential oils and coffee. The metal crash rang again so loudly it could burst an eardrum. It was accompanied by Tibetan singing bowls and humming on a stereo. He was at Cori's mothers place, who was banging on a large gong in her left hand.

She stretched her stick into the air and called, "Wide awake, children! Your chakras are crumbling down, all negative energy surging from your bodies like the river! A new day has dawned! Awaken, now!"

Cori hissed angrily with a shrill voice, "Jesus Christ, Mom! Not this shit! It's fucking five in the morning!"

"Feel the toxicity pooling from you. Ignite your passion with the rays of the sun! You two are destined lovers kissed by the gods, brought together in union in body and spirit! Today is for you, children! Repent the dark forces that followed you from the city and welcome the rural oasis!"

Edward struggled back on the bed, with Cori angrily groaning and covering her face. Yumi had her arms out wide still chanting.

Cori snapped again, "Mom, get out!"

"It's a new day, baby dolls! I had to clean your chakras because we're about to have a fantastic day!"

"So far it's started pretty bullshit, mom." Cori grumbled, sitting up in bed, "Can you turn off the Tibetan shit, please? It's too early for this."

Yumi turned off her stereo and set down the gong and placed her hands to her hips in pride, "Well? Get up, you two! I got pancakes and bacon downstairs and coffee. You want some eggs we can go grab some from the coop, I'll make em' fresh," she started to clap and jump, "Up! Up! Up!"

Cori groaned drolly, "Why are you the way that you are?"

"Haha! I got something fun planned for us today! There's no time to waste. Let's go, lazy bones!"

Edward was already sitting up, shrugging back to Cori as he went to grab a fresh set of clothes.

"That's a good boy! You see, Cori? He listens to me! Follow Edward's example and let's go! I'll even give you guys ten minutes for morning sex. I gotta weed the garden, anyhow."

Cori snapped, "Mom! You've overstayed your welcome, please get out!"

"Okay! Okay! Sorry." Yumi closed the door behind them and went back downstairs.

Edward looked back, lightly shaking his head trying not to laugh. Cori was visibly upset, but at seeing his smile she curved one, too. She wheezed down to her lap and sighed.

"Wanna go back to Gotham, yet?" She asked.

He chuckled, "No. It's fine. That's, uh, one way to wake up."

"Oh, there's plenty more. Trust me. My mom is very creative."

Yumi was downstairs setting the table for them when Cori came down first after a shower.

Yumi left her coffee pot and clasped Cori's cheeks, giving her a kiss on the nose, "There's my girl. Where's Eddie?"

"Uh, he's just getting dressed he had a shower."

Yumi gasped, "So did you! Got up to some hot shower sex? That's my girl!"

"Nope. Not talking about this with you," she sat down at the table, "So, what's your big plans?"

"Oh, honey. That lake out of town is fucking gorgeous this time of year, you remember?"

"Lake Pach. Yup, know it well."

Yumi sat down with her coffee mug beside Cori. The dawn sun shining in through the tree branches outside felt warm on her seat. She continued, "So! I went out and got us some fishing rods and we're gonna go relax in the cool sun with some beers. Catch a big ass trout for Thanksgiving dinner!"

"Fishing? Your big plan is fishing?"

"Yup! Just like how we used to. Make a new memory with Eddie in tow, has he gone fishing before?"

"Probably not, but… Mom, I really wanted to spend this day with Edward showing him Blue Valley. You know, see the sights. It was bad enough you woke us up with a gong. I don't want to overwhelm him."

Yumi pleaded, "Oh, come on, honey. I just want to know him! It's not fair you comin' here keeping him all to yourself the entire time."

"This is the first day, mom. We have a whole week."

"A week ain't a whole lotta time, Coraline. You forget, I want to see you, too! I missed you! I finally got you back and you don't want to spend time with me?"

Cori sighed dejectedly, "No, mom. That's not it. I'm sorry, I just… you can be a lot. There's no yous in Gotham, you're an entirely different entity to Edward, okay? I'm not trying to be a bitch; I'm just looking out for him."

Yumi swept her hair behind her shoulder and puffed her chest, "Well. How about let's ask him what he'd rather do, and he can decide. Ms. Cruise Director."

His footsteps came down the stairs and Cori was rolling her eyes at her mom's excitement. "Jesus…"

"Eddie?! We're in here." Yumi called.

Edward walked in with damp hair, a grey long sleeve under a short sleeve tee shirt, and jeans. Yumi stretched her hand back and took his hand as he walked behind her, "Can I call you Eddie, honey?"

Edward nodded, "Yeah, sure."

Yumi cracked a laugh and let him sit down before asking, "So, Eddie. We've run into a dilemma."

Cori sighed, "Mom, you kill me."

"What's wrong?" He asked like a deer in headlights.

"Well, it seems me and your girl over here are fightin' over you like vultures. She wants you to do one thing, I wanna do another. So, I'll let you be the judge on what we do today."

Cori looked at her mom deadpan as she asked, "Now what would you rather do? Be dragged all over town with just you and Cori all day? Or all three of us go to a jaw-dropping beautiful lake a little out of town and enjoy the rustic beauty of the fishing sport."

"Not biased advertising at all." Cori grumbled, "She wants to go fishing. I wanted to show you around Blue Valley. Like we talked about last night. That's the gist of it."

Edward cooed, "Oh."

"Your family is on its way here, Cori. There won't be much time for me to bond with y'all while sobo and jiji are here. You know how they are! Come on! It'll be fun, you two! We'll have a blast in a glass! Day drinking and catchin' fish. That's the fuckin' American dream."

Edward asked timidly, "I have a choice?"

"Yes!" Yumi said, then pointed to Cori scoldingly, "Yes, he does."

He flicked his eyes from Yumi's ebullient smile, to Cori's seldom annoyed glare. He muttered, "Well, I've… never been fishing before."

Yumi shot up from the table, "Yes! Hahaha! Oh Eddie, baby! We're gonna get along like pigs in shit!" She grabbed him suddenly by the collar and kissed his cheek, making him tense up and go wide eyed. Cori was already rubbing her temples.

The next thing they knew, they were suited up in fishing gear and packing it out to Yumi's SUV. She was busy bringing out a cooler filled with beer and water. Yumi called, "Alright! Who calls shotgun?"

Cori and Edward glanced to each other as the set the rest of their things in the tailgate. Cori called back, "Edward does."

He tangled for words as Yumi celebrated, "Cool beans! Gives me time to get to know my son-in-law!" She went and hugged him from behind as he stared at Cori like a begging puppy.

"Yeah, figured he wanted to do this fishing thing. Clearly, you two got something in common. Why not chat about it, right? I'll get the back."

Cori winked and haughtily went to the backseat, leaving Edward to awkwardly walk to the passenger with Yumi in driver's.

The last door closed, and Cori sat in the middle of the backseat like proud cock. Her hands folded to her crossed thighs. Edward immediately felt Yumi's hand clasp his shoulder, "We're gonna have a ball, Eddie. Just you wait! You ready for some good ol' family bonding?"

Edward glanced his eyes to her and made a closed-smile nod. Then a shameless slap hit his shoulder from her manicured hand. She erupted in her famous chortle as she started the vehicle and left the driveway, playing AM radio.

The entire drive, Yumi rambled on and on to Edward. Every now and again she'd touch his shoulder, shake or slap his arm in a spurt of laughter. He kept peaking at the rear-view mirror to see Cori with a mischievous smile and a raised brow. He'd shake his head in response.

"So, Eddie. Tell me. What's is like being an accountant? Cori tells me you're a damn genius. Do you know what escrow means? My bank keeps spouting on and on about it, I have no clue what the fuck he's saying to me."

"He's a forensic accountant, mom. Not a mortgage accountant."

Edward explained, "Escrow is a mortgage lender who just pays related expenses to your property on your behalf. Is there an issue with your escrow?"

"Well, my payments got racked up outta nowhere. Wasn't notified, wasn't called, nothin'. They just sprang it on me! I tried to call them and tell them about it, but they just kept saying shit about escrow."

"It's also called an impound account. Do you remember setting something up like that?"

"Impound! Yes!"

"It's possible the mortgage servicer didn't pay a tax. You should contact them about it. If they continue not to do their end of the deal, you'll keep seeing increases to your payments and it could even result in a foreclosure notice. Do you have force-placed insurance on your mortgage, too? That could be another thing on your escrow that isn't getting paid. Those payments are mandatory, unfortunately."

"Aw, shit. Yes, the damn insurance. They wouldn't let me do my own, said it didn't meet A, B and C. Doesn't even protect me, it protects them. Yet, I have to pay it! Isn't that the biggest heap of bullshit you've ever heard, Eddie?"

"It's repulsive," said Edward, "Biggest scam in our world to date is mandated insurance. Especially in real estate. Do you still have all your documents? I can look over them when we get back, make sure they're not screwing you over."

"I do! Oh, thank you! That would be divine, Eddie! Just divine!"

Cori was smiling to herself, listening to the small bonding between Edward and her mom over mortgage and their hate for the system. He was opening up to her slowly like a stray cat, progressively feeling more open to smile and joke with her as their drive went on. Cori was contently left out of the conversations, indulging herself in listening to the two most important people in her life get along.

They reached the dock of Lake Pach before 7am in the morning. It was empty of anyone else, just themselves the only people occupying it. Yumi brought out the cooler first to the docks. She plopped it down and cracked open a beer can.

"Really, mom? Seven in the morning?"

"There ain't no fun to the holidays unless you're day drunk, baby! Take one!"

Cori shook her head, "Nah."

"We used to day drink all the time! Come on! Eddie, do you care if she drinks?"

He came over with the other supplies from the vehicle and asked, "What?"

"Do you care if Cori day drinks?"

"Day drink? Like… get drunk at seven in the morning?"

Cori started, "You see?"

"Exactly, Eddie! Now, do you care if Cori has one little beer?"

He shrugged as he set things down, "She's her own person. She can do what she wants."

Yumi cracked a laugh, "Oh, shit! He's fabulous! This is the one, Cori! I've never liked any of your boyfriends, so that's a lot coming from me!"

"He's awesome, but I'm still not drinking, mom. You go hard." Cori stated, pulling up her fishing rod.

Her mother exasperated a groan then asked Edward, "What about you, Eddie? Wanna beer?"

"Um. It's… pretty early."

"Never too early to have fun, baby! Go on, live it up!" She even cracked it open for him and held it up.

Edward nervously smiled and took it in his hands, not wanting to participate but loving the affirmation Yumi would show. He cheered lazily and she celebrated with claps and laughter.

"Woo! Haha! That's my boy! Alright, I'm gonna grab us some bait and we can get to casting!"

Her footsteps crunched back to the SUV, leaving a sweet silence of the lake's movements, the robins in the trees, the distant call of an elk, and the finches and chickadee's singing. Edward took a sip and immediately wilted in disgust, groaning and grimacing as he shook his head.

Cori was tying her fishhook and teased in a southern accent, "How's your brewski, there, bud?"

"Tastes like… fizzy bread milk."

She chuckled and said, "You know, you can say no to her. It might be good to start boundaries with her early."

Edward set the can ti the ground and explained, "Yeah, I know. I don't know. I… want her to like me."

"She does like you. She likes you already. You don't need to impress or anything. Like I said on the plane, she can be a lot. Boundaries are key with her. She'll respect you for it."

"I don't know how to say no."

"Yes, you do. Practice it with me."

Cori set her fishing rod down by the log and stepped closer to him, making a sultry walk jestingly. He chuckled and looked down to his rod, "What are you doing?"

"Hey, sir."

Edward glanced to her coming closer, setting his rod to the ground and giving his full attention, "Yes, ma'am?"

She encroached on him and her face becoming more mischievous, she crooned, "Can I ask you something?"

"Yes?"

"Can I throw your glasses in the lake?"

Edward snickered, "What?"

"Please?"

"You're strange." He laughed, shaking his head.

Cori then reached her hand up to them, making him jolt back. He held her arm, "Nope."

"What was that?" She giggled, using her other hand to try and grab his glasses.

He held her and backed up, "You're nuts!"

"Come on, let me do it. It'll mean so much to me!" She chased him along the shore, making him laugh.

"Take a hint!"

"Come on!"

"I said no!"

"I didn't hear you!"

Eventually they were wrestling in each other's arms, Cori laughing unbridled. Edward kept his arms around her and pushed her to the shore laughing, "I'll throw you in the lake."

The two playfully engaged in their own world again, much like her apartment. Cori started to squeal as the heels of her boots neared the water. He tickled under her arms, making her loose her footing. He caught her and jostled his lips into her neck, knowing well that was her most ticklish spot. The coolness on their cheeks and fresh air as they spun around and wrestled under a shore of rocks was a first for both of them, and they submerged into the feeling. Both happily celebrating their home within each other. Cori struck her cold hands under his jacket and shirt up his bare stomach making him fly back. She chased him but he held her hands behind her back, still trying to tease her with the lake. She tilted her head back giggling and he took that as his chance to kiss her. The tight hold on each other settled, as did their playful swaying. A slow, sensual and open kiss— tongues meeting together in sync. Cori's hands stayed under Edward's shirt, caressing down to his belt as their lips moved against each other

Then Yumi's voice returned, "Am I interrupting sex?"

Her footsteps crunched closer as Edward and Cori separated suddenly. Cori barked back, "Clearly not."

"Okay, good. Cause' I got bait! I shoulda called up Singh to join, I feel like the fucking third wheel. Haha!" She set the container of bait down and said, "Eddie, my boy! Come on, I'm gonna teach you how to fish!"

Cori went back to her fishing rod and got a piece of bait. Yumi was discussing all the mechanics of fishing with Edward, helping him get his rod ready for cast.

Yumi threw out her line, giving him a representation. He struggled for a bit before finally landing it out to water. Yumi was full of encouragement. Clapping and celebrating when he was trying, and hollering happily when he did finally cast it right. Cori had her line casted the entirety of that time, watching the two banter and cooperate well. It was thirty minutes and Yumi and Edward were sitting by the dock with their lines, with Cori by a log on the shore with her own line out in the lake. The forest was a constant echo of Yumi's southern voice inflating their ears every few moments.

Yumi said happily, "Look at us! Out here in the wilderness, not a care in the world. Just living like every American family should. I mean just smell that fresh air! The sun over us, the birds singing… it's all so magical isn't it, Eddie?"

He went to respond but she interrupted, "Far from the stink of Gotham I'm sure. I've never been a girl for the city, Eddie. My home and my heart is out here in the woods with a coupla cold ones and my favourite people by my side! Imagine how nice it would be if you two moved here! We could do this all the time! Just lounging and livin' life to the fullest! I can just see it, the grand kids running up and down the lake…"

"Mom." Cori said sternly.

"Yes, baby?"

"Did you know the fish can hear us?"

Yumi said, "Of course, I do, honey. I'm the one who taught you that."

"And we haven't gotten a bite in over thirty minutes because the fish, believe it or not, can hear you. Talking. Constantly. Maybe uh… you know, give it a break for a bit."

Her mom said a bit taken back, "Well, they can't hear that good."

"Oh, they can," Cori said, recasting her line, "All creatures can hear you, mom."

Yumi blew a raspberry and sighed, staring out to the lake and going quiet reluctantly. Not even a minute of silence and Yumi sat up, "You know what, I gotta make a call. You kids carry on and I'll be right back!"

Yumi pattered off the deck and back to her car, pulling out her phone and her elated voice fading in the distance.

Edward asked quietly after some time, "Is she okay?"

"She's having chatter withdrawals. Probably… calling up her neighbour or… the last telemarketer that phoned her. You know how it is."

Edward stifled a laugh, looking over to Cori who returned a small smile. There was some sweet silence returned, back to the natural tweets and hoots of the forest. The swaying of the trees. Edward mentioned, "You're a little hard on her. I don't know what it's like to have a mom, so I don't know if I have any ground in saying this but… she's not that bad. The talking doesn't bother me. If anything it's kind of comforting. She's a good mom, too. I'm just saying, give her some credit."

Cori kept her smile, but was thinking it over. She had to agree she had been short with her mother since she arrived in Nebraska. Edward had a different perspective, a perspective she hadn't considered.

Edward continued, "I mean, it's clear all she wants to do is spend time with you. I'm actually a little envious. I wish I had that."

Then the brutal reminder. The thing she solely forgot her time bantering with her mom. Edward didn't have one, and likely seeing her disregard for her mother's antics was seen as ungratefulness. They had spent seven months apart, and she was her only child. All of the guilt was felt at once as Cori sighed looking into the lake.

Edward said remorsefully, "I didn't mean to upset you. I'm sorry."

"No, you're right. You're completely right. She's so eccentric sometimes I do take her for granted. Not having a mom is something I've never considered because I didn't have to. She is who she is, and I do love her, regardless. Sometimes I need to be reminded of that."

Edward replied, "She's got an amazing daughter. So, it's kinda normal for her to be over the moon about it."

Cori looked back to him with a grin, flattered at his comment, but satisfied with how amicable he was. He was unwaveringly kind, saying the most perfect things in her slightest moments of doubt. Reassuring her she was cared for, always.

She replied, "It's pretty hot you're standing up for my mom, not gonna lie. Kind of turning me on a bit."

Edward whispered jokingly pumping his arm, "It worked! Yes!"

Cori tried to stifle her giggle, not wanting to stir the fish. She whispered while looking out to the lake, "You sexually frustrated, too?"

He had a short laugh in his chest, not letting it come out. He bashfully replied, "It's only been two days, you animal."

"Yeah, I know," she whined, "Still… are you?"

There was some silence for a time. Edward shaking his head with a smile at the lake. Cori kept glancing back up at him, waiting for him to break. Suspense was accompanied by the waves of the lake, twitter of the birds and light breeze. He finally uttered in a quiet but darker voice, "I wanna fuck you till you can't walk."

Cori snorted, trying to keep her teeth behind her smile. She joked back, "These aren't the only waters you'll be casting into tonight."

Edward shook his head to the ground, wheezing and bobbing his shoulders. He still held his rod, but nearly dropped it at the comment. He said, "I got a riddle for you. What's something that tastes amazing, but only when it's undressed."

Cori flicked her scolding eyes to Edward, raising a brow. He waited for her to answer but said it anyway, "A banana. What were you thinking, you perve?"

They wheezed into laughter, Cori biting her lip to keep her typical loud laugh inside.

Suddenly Edward's line pulled, sending his reel going in circles. He jolted and held it from going out further. Cori shot up and gasped, "Oh my God!" She ran up excitedly on the deck to him as he panicked on what to do.

"Okay, okay! What do I do?!"

Cori cracked a laugh, "Calm down, it's okay! Just relax." She placed her hand over his on the rod. She encouraged, "Now, reel it back, it's fighting against it. Do it slowly, then bring it in."

Edward tried to pull on the reel but the force was strong. Cori gasped again, "Dude, you got a big one! It's tough! Use your muscles!" Edward pulled on the reel and it slowly began to come back. Cori jumped excitedly on Edward as the line came in closer and closer, ripples of splashing underneath the water with it.

Cori yelled back, "Mom! We got one!"

Edward was exhilarated, his breath heavy and whole body shaking, but he continued to pull the reel steadily against the water. Yumi came running from the lot like a bat out of hell. Her voice screaming encouraging words as she got closer.

Cori praised, "You're doing great, baby! Just keep going!" She knelt down before the dock to catch a look as it was brought up. It was a large trout, about 15 inches in length. It was heavy and pulling on the string.

"Mom, can you get me that thing? In the box? The hook thing!"

Yumi scrambled to the box and sprinted with the tool to Cori. Edward was still struggling to keep the fish up from the water but couldn't bring it over the dock.

Cori stabbed the hook into the side of the trout and pulled it up. She landed over it and it beat her senselessly. It slapped with force, even pushing her up like she was fighting someone on a bar floor.

Yumi yelped, "Holy shit! Cori!"

"I got it!" Cori struggled to say. She whipped the hook into the trouts head a few times till it finally stopped flailing. When it was dead she was heaving in breath, staggering as Edward helped her off the ground.

Yumi exasperated, "Jesus Christ! I wasn't expecting that! Haha! You just beat the living shit out of that fish! Look at it! It's almost as big as you."

"That thing is a beast," Cori sighed but having some excitement in her reserve, "Like damn. Good catch, babe!"

She slapped Edward's arm happily as the sun warmed her face.

"Let's take a picture of your catch, Cori! Hold on, gotta grab my phone…"

As Yumi fussed for her phone, Cori pulled it off the ground and groaned, "Nope. It's all Edward's."

She held it up for him to take and he brought his hands up, "No thanks. You killed it, it's yours."

"You reeled it in."

"Yeah, but I couldn't have done it without you."

"Edward. This thing is gross and heavy as shit, please take it."

He sighed and relented, taking it from her arms. Cori's coat was coated in sparkling scales, even her hands and bits of her neck had scales that were ripped off by the scuffle. Yumi brought her phone up and encouraged, "Hell yeah, Eddie! Look at you, ya badass! Haha! Smile big!"

Edward smiled flatly, looking at Cori giving him a thumbs up from behind the camera.

Cori said to her mom, "Considering that thing can feed a small village, can we go home now?"

Yumi laughed and looked at Cori's earnest glare. She shrugged, "Yeah, whatever."

They put the fish in the cooler, barely able to fit. Packed up the remainder of their supplies and were ready to get going.

"Hey, mom."

"What's up, baby?" Yumi asked spritely.

"I'll sit passenger."

Yumi took a short glance to Cori's scale covered coat and took a whiff, "Oh, in the name of all things holy. Baby, you smell fucked up."

"Thanks for that, really. But seriously, I want to."

Yumi sighed and relented, "Oh well. You're still my little girl. Even if you smell like a… two weeks ripe, unwashed vagina."

Just like many things her mother said, she took it on the chin and sat in front. Yumi asked to the backseat, "You okay back there, Eddie?"

"Yup."

"Fantastic! Seatbelt, honey. Let's ski-dat!"

On their drive home, the car ride was surprisingly quiet. Giving Cori the chance to say what she needed to.

"Hey mom."

"Yes, baby?"

Cori smiled to her, "Thanks for today. It was really fun."

Yumi clasped her chest and asked again, "It was? You guys enjoyed it?"

Edward said in the backseat, "Definitely."

Cori nodded, "Yeah. Better than sightseeing, hands down. I'm sorry I gave you a hard time all day."

Yumi scoffed, "No need to apologize, baby. You were right, I can be a lot. There's only one of me! I'm just… so excited to have you back and meet this wonderful man you got in my backseat. It was a great day. Not even because of the fishin'. But because I got to spend it with you!"

Cori took her mother's hand, smiling up to her. Yumi squeezed her hand back but quickly pulled away, "Oh, honey! I'm sorry, you gotta wash up when you get home, then we can finish this heart to heart," she sniffed her hand and wailed, "Aw, fuck! Smells like a YMCA women's locker room!"

Cori snorted a laugh into her hand then pulled away, "Oh my God, it does!"

Yumi heartily cackled, slapping her steering wheel. Cori looked at the rear-view window to Edward covering his smile, "You wanna smell?"

He shook his head then, "Nope. Hard pass."

Cori flung her hand back to him, and he jolted away, "Okay, I smelt it!"

"Thoughts? Notes?"

He said back drolly, "Smells like shit."

Cori and Yumi both erupted into laughter, shameless and genuine. Like two crows cawing at one another. It filled the car bouncing off the windows and seats. Their laughs sounded so kindred now that they were side by side. Another similarity between Cori and her mother that Edward couldn't help but adore in their company.

As Cori and Yumi continued to joke with each other, his thoughts drifted elsewhere. Back into the pit. Wiping the smile from his face as quick as a blink. A letter to his mother he had written over and over again in his head, but never made alive on paper.

Dear Mother. Why did you leave me? Why did they take you away? They put you with the crazies. With the criminally insane. Were you? You died in there. Did they do it? Or did you? What would you have been like? Would you be like Yumi? Full of laughs and jokes, wearing a smile for no reason at all. Would you have loved me if you kept me? Would I be normal if you had? Or would I be worse? I think about you still, even though you left me. Wishing that there was a part of you that wanted to keep me. Hoping that you didn't suffer when you died. If you wanted to know, I am okay now. I was suffering for the longest time, walking in the dark. Finally, someone answered my screams. If you met her, I wish you'd like her. I wish you'd like her mom. I like to imagine if you were here, you two would be fast friends. Calling the two of us day in and day out, talking to each other about us and your hopes for us. Sharing these types of holidays together. I guess it's because I still want to see you as family. You left me, so I assume it's because you didn't want the same. But it's okay, mother. I found a new family. So far it seems small and chaotic. Unorthodox from what family would typically be. But… it feels right. It feels easy to be around them. I don't know if that's what family should be like, but I'm willing to accept this one. After all these years in the dark, I've found myself here in so much light. And yet, I still find myself missing you.