September 11th, 2017

I pull into my moms driveway with a pot of soup. Veggies, chicken, and a whole bunch of pretend love. I only take care of her cause of my belief system. She took care of me, I take care of her.

"Mom?" I knock on the door as I hold onto the pot.

No answer as always. Doing her hair? Entertaining a younger man? What is it? Always something more important than sitting and talking to her daughter. Telling her that she's loved.

"Mom!" I bang on the door and struggle to hold the pot.

"Coming dear!" My mothers perky voice says as she opened the door.

My eyes widen as I see her. The botox fillers, not again. You see, my mother is the equivalent of Kris Jenner. Just without the daughters and fame. She has had lip, nose, and face surgery. No wonder my father left her.

"What you doing here, Christine? Music school not working?" She invites me in.

I roll my eyes and place the pot on the table. "No mom. Just brought soup, checking up on you."

"What's there to check up on? I'm living the life!" She chuckled and pulled a lighter and a cigarette out. "Want one?"

I gasp and grab it. "Mom! No. I told you how bad smoking is. Don't you listen?"

She shrugs and opens the pot. "Veggies. You known how much I hate them."

"Last time I made soup, you said to add veggies. A new kind of health trend?" I ask, annoyed slightly.

She shook her head, flipping her fake extensions. "That was a week ago. The trend is tomato juice and crackers Darling. Keep up."

I bite my lip, refraining myself from any sort of outburst. A simple thanks anyway would be acceptable. Even a nice job! But no, just endless criticism.

"So why are you here?" She sat down at her table. "Shouldn't you be at school? Studying? Hooking up with the boys?"

I mentally throw up. "I texted you my schedule. School's in two days. And no boys for me."

"Girls? Huh. Didn't think of you as that kind of person." She chuckled and poured vodka.

"Mom!"

She snickered and took a sip. "I'm just teasing you! But I did think you were for awhile. Haven't seen you out with anyone in years."

"I'm busy! I have a future to create. Boys will come later."

She only smirked and eyed me. "Or a girl. I bet on a girlfriend in the next five years."

I groaned and crossed my arms in despair. Why care for her? Come every weekend and keep her company? Why?

Then I remember why. Besides my philosophy, mainly cause I think that one day she'll say the four words I've been utterly dreaming about. 'I love you Christine'.

"Have you been in contact with dad lately? Since the divorce?" I place my hair behind my ears.

She rolls her eyes just like me. "Christine, that man is dead to me! I'm a new woman."

"You were married to him for 18 years! There has to be some kind of love there."

She shakes her head, sipping her drink. "Not an ounce."

"You always used to talk about how much you loved him!" I begin to get mad, clenching my fists.

She furrowed her eyebrows and shrugged. "Well, love dies Christine. It doesn't last forever."

"Does your love with those manwhores last forever?"

Her once salty smirk turned into a frown. "Once again, I don't like your father. Not even a ounce of love left."

Not even an ounce. I would think their love would live forever. My perception on love rested on them. Only memories last now, nothing more and nothing less.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Mommy! Hold my hand." I yelled as we walked through the gates of Disney World.

She chuckled and grabbed my hand. "Okay, smile for daddy!"

My young smile was placed upon my face as I posed for my father. The snapshot was taken and we continued on our way.

I saw the amusement park around me. As a child, I couldn't hold my excitement in. I ran around hugging Disney Princesses and Mickey Mouse. Going on all the rides and enjoying myself. The world of Disney helped to keep me distracted over the coming years. Avoiding me from catching on to the rising of my parents divorce. Clever move on their end.

But that's besides the point. As a little child, I didn't care. All I could think of was Disney.

"Look at me mommy!" I yell as the merry-go-round spun me faster.

She chuckled and got her camera out. "I'm watching sweetheart!"

I giggled and played among the children of the park. I was left at a daycare for the remainder of the day as part of my vip package. How could I not notice my father was rich earlier?

Anyway, I played with the toys and mascots that came around every so often. I was in child heaven and I never wanted to leave. Until I was the last child at the daycare.

"We're going to call your parents to see where they're." A worker said as she gave me a kleenex for my tears.

I nod and hug the free Winnie The Pooh toy. "Just bring my mommy and daddy back."

I was left with workers who were on their phones and told to stay where I was. Only tears could fall from my eyes as I waited for my parents to come and get me. They didn't come themselves. I had to search for them.

"Mommy! Daddy!" I snuck out without them noticing. Those darn flipphones.

I ran around the park in the dark, everything closed down. At night the rides seemed scary. The faces gazing, smiling at you in the dark. For a 6 year old, this was horrifying.

"Scary! Scary!" I scream and run away to the nearest washroom.

I ran inside the woman's and begun to cry, scared for my life. First my parents disappear and now I'm alone with dumbos creepy face.

I looked around the washroom and see heels and mens shoes by the sink. Who's there? Would they have known where my parents were.

I crawled from the corner and looked up slightly. My eyes widen when I spot my parents sharing a loving kiss. Their lips meeting together and kept each other close by.

That was the moment I realize what true love looked like...Or what I thought.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Looking down at my phone, I see the time. 6:30. Might as well go home and enjoy the little freedom left before my classes begin soon.

"I'm gonna go mom." I stand up and grab my purse.

She nods and stands up. "You want the number for my plastic surgeon. Those cheeks need lifting. Better hurry though. His deals end after the time change tomorrow."

As I hear my mothers words, I turn around. Tears rush out of my face as I realize how much of a bitch she's been to me.

All these years of mental abuse towards me. I'be suffered so much and she doesn'r give a damn. I thought she would turn around after the divorce. But she's even worse.

"Bye mommy." I take a deep breath. "Never text me again. Okay? Just never! I hate you!" I yell and begin to storm out.

Her heels made movement. "Christine?! Where the hell are you going?"

"To my new home!" I turn back and yell."A place I can spend the next four years without humiliation!"

She growled and tried to grab onto my arm. "You do not get to speak to me that way, young lady! I am your mother."

I take a deep breathe and stare at her as she grabbed onto my arm, holding it tight. She's not my mother, she never was. Never.

"You're not my mother! You never were!" I yelled and yanked my arm away.

Only silence was in the room as I stormed out of my mothers house. A house I would never want to step into again. She's changed, I've changed. I know who I am now.

I'm no longer going to care for my mom. Not unless she cares for me in return. No more. No more.

"Bye Marie." I mumble and walk to my car. "Nice knowing yah."

Climbing into my car, I pull my mirror down and look at my smudged makeup. A era. Christine Daae will become a strong, smart, loveable woman. She's doesn't need her mother. She has herself.

"I'll love you." I mumble and put my key into the ignition. "I'll always love you."