Giselle's POV

"You ready for this?" asked Liam who stood up from his seat at the bus station? He helped me up as our bus had arrived.

"No. I've never felt less ready in my entire life." I'd practically grew up with my mom, but this felt like I was meeting her for the first time. "I hate growing up."

"If it makes you feel any better, all we're doing right now is getting on a bus. And I'll be right at your side."

With that said, we found ourselves walking outside towards the bus. Would my mom be happy to see me? Was she ever happy to see me growing up? I pondered on these questions as we made it outside leaving behind the song on the radio that played inside the bus station.

"If you're lost, you can look and you will find me
Time after time
If you fall I will catch you, I will be waiting
Time after time."

Within a blink of an eye, we found ourselves on the bus with about ten other people. Anderson Town awaited. The sun found itself setting with everyone else but me asleep. Nothing but the sound of the bus and the outside world. That is until an older man found himself awake and singing.

"After my picture fades and darkness has
Turned to gray
Watching through windows
You're wondering if I'm okay
Secrets stolen from deep inside
The drum beats out of time."

"Mommy!" I shouted as my little girl-self ran towards her. Moments later, Lady showed up and sat on the floor crying. "She's sad mommy," I commented while being held by her. She let me down leaving to walk up to her. "Are you OK?"

Her eyes met with mine with no answer. The only nonverbal answer she could provide was her collapse to the ground. She wasn't breathing. I couldn't scream.

"It's better this way," commented my dad. "Lady was an accident."

"No!" I screamed. She wasn't! Bring her back! She's not dead!"

"Giselle! Wake up!" shouted Liam.

"What the hell!" I shouted as I woke up with many heavy breaths and a few tears. All I wanted to do was sit there.

"You OK?"

Was I? I wasn't sure. "I guess. It was this dream I had. I rather not talk about it."

We walked off the bus with the sun starting to rise and collected our suitcases from the side. This was it. We were actually in the town where my mother was living. Was I really doing this? After about half an hour, we found ourselves getting into a taxi and giving the driver directions.

"What if she doesn't like me?"

My question caught Liam off guard. "She's been your mom for the last eighteen years. Why wouldn't she like you now?" He placed his hand on top of mine. "Trust me, Giselle, it's going to be fine."

About another ten seconds later, we drove by a sign that said, "Welcome to Anderson Town. Not all who wander are lost." We were officially here. The town was your ordinary small town. There was mostly open land. Most of the businesses we saw were all located right after the sign which lasted a couple of minutes. After about ten minutes, we were literally in the middle of nowhere. There was nothing but green grass. I began to wonder if our driver was lost. My question was answered when the driver pulled into a driveway which consisted of a two-story house surrounded by nothing but branches and grass. The house looked like something from the early twentieth century. Once Liam paid the driver, we stepped out and the cab drove off leaving us to glare at the door.

"I suppose the door isn't going to knock itself," joked Liam. "Might as well."

With both of us in synch, we both found ourselves at the door. My hand was seconds away from knocking. Only a couple inches away from knocking, my hand froze. My head felt dizzy. The next thing I knew, I found myself laying on the grass with Liam by my side.

"I can't do this. I just can't. Can we go?"

"We can't just go. Tell you what? How about I knock?"

Being completely fine with him knocking, he did the dirty deed. For what felt like an eternity, the door ended up opening. An, sure enough, a thin, worn out, short mix of grey and brown-haired lady was there to greet us. This lady was my mom.

"Giselle? What are you doing here?" Such a puzzled look took over her face. "How did you get my address?"

With every effort I had, I spoke. "Dad told me you got divorced." Those were the only words I could muster up.

She had no idea how to respond with such a confused face. "Yeah. It's true. He must've told you at Thanksgiving." Her eyes were on Liam. "Nice to see you, Liam." He nodded with no verbal response. "Why don't you two come in? You must've traveled a long way. Make yourselves at home. I'll make some tea."

Walking into my mom's house felt like walking into an unknown world. It was as if I were meeting my mom for the first time. Me and Liam found ourselves on the couch waiting on my mom to fix the tea in the kitchen. Liam seemed fine. My eyes were all over the walls.

"OK, I have some tea for all three of us." She walked in with tea poured in small cups on a tray. The tray was placed on the table next to the couch.

"Nice place you got mom," I claimed while being the one to take the first sip.

"Thank you, darling. I had my eye on this house growing up. We used to come to Anderson Town every summer as a child."

Liam was the last one to take a sip. "What exactly did you do in this town during the summer?" he asked.

"Oh, you know. We would spend time in the summer home over on Million Avenue. But we'd spend our summers hiking, swimming, and all the sort. This is such a pleasant town to enjoy the outdoors. Enough about me though. Are you excited about graduating? Did you get into Stanford?"

I was honestly surprised how out of the loop she was. She had no idea what was going on in my life. With a deep breath not wanting to answer the question, I spoke. "No, I wasn't accepted." My tone softened hoping she wouldn't hear me. "I didn't really apply anywhere. Probably won't be going to college."

A silence took over the room. All I could hear was Liam's Breathing. My mom had no idea how to reply.

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry to hear that. I'm sure you'll figure something out." Another sip of her tea was taken. "Life has a funny way of working out." Another silence. "How about we go on a hike after dinner? I know a wonderful trail."

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Next Chapter: Liam and Giselle and her mom go on a hike.

Does it seem like Giselle and her mom are distant?

Should Giselle try and keep a relationship with her mom?