𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝖣𝖺𝗒⎯⎯  𝗉𝖺𝗋𝗍 𝗈𝗇𝖾

( 𝗅𝗎𝖼𝖺𝗌 <3 , 𝗃𝗎𝗇𝗂𝖾 )

𝗹𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘀 <𝟯
ready to talk to jack today?

𝕵une sighs as the screen of her phone lights up, stuffing it back into the pockets of her loose-fitted pants snuggling her hands in the sleeves of her oversized jumper, and descends the staircase of her childhood home.

When June arrived at her mother's doorstep two hours ago, full of caffeine induced cheeriness and her assortment of shopping bags full of all the stuff she'd ordered online while at her grandpa's, all Maureen had to do was take one look at her daughter and announce that she would be staying home today and let her assistant handle her showings.

June had tried and failed to convince her mother that it wasn't a life crisis that had driven her out of the house on such short notice and forced her to descend into a shopping frenzy while lying awake sleepless in the bed of the room that solely belonged to June in her grandfather's house.

Maureen now awaits in the kitchen with a full plate of hash browns, toast and some chocolate milk she'd stocked the previous day in preparation for her daughter's arrival back home.

"Okay . . . . ", June laughs, examining all the food laid out in front of her at the table.

"Sit", Maureen's feet nudges the opposite chair out, "Eat. And talk".

June levels her mother with a careful glance and obliges, immediately grabbing a slice of lightly buttered toast and biting into it with a crunch.

She chews comfortably taking her time and eyeing her mom just the way her mom eyes her, narrow-eyed and suspicious.

"Are you trying to bribe me?", the younger woman speaks through a mouthful of bread and Maureen tilts her head.

"Yes", she simply states and June nods trying to come off as nonchalant but she ends up grimacing instead.

"Too much butter'.

"Eat. And talk".

June tsks, "It's worse than cheese, y'know. Very bad for cardiac health".

"You know what else is bad for cardiac health? Keeping secrets from the woman who birthed you".

"Hmm", her brown eyes flick up to meet the inquisitive grey gaze from the opposite side of the table, "I told you it's nothing".

"You said you'd explain when you got back. Well, you're here. So, explain". 

Slowly, June places the piece of bread on the plate and still looking down at the food, mumbles, "I slept with Jack".

"What?".

"I", she looks up and meets her mother's eyes, "slept with Jack. Like, not once. It was multiple times, over the summer. We had a friends with benefits thing going. No one knew. Well, except Emma and Chelsea".

Maureen stays rooted, expressionless.

"You hooked up with Jack? Luke's brother?".

"Yes, mom. I had sex with him and . . . . well, do you want the details? I don't know what to tell you besides that it was obviously stupid then Luke walked in on us and there was this whole 'how long has this been going on' and I freaked out because apparently Jack thinks that me sleeping around with him without putting a label on us is "no big deal" and since I am pathetically obsessed with him, I ran out. Then left with Gramps to get away from him disappointing me because I would honestly stab myself. Like even that would hurt less".

June sits back, breathless and suddenly, so so tired.

She doesn't want to talk about this, doesn't want to explain to her mother how big a fool she has been, to have her mother sit there and stare at her sympathetically patting her hand and telling her that it's okay, men are made to disappoint us.

Worst of all, she's afraid of what her mom, her fiercely independent mom who gave up on everything but her own dreams and her daughter to survive and be happy with herself, look at her and see what she had always feared her deeply wounded yet deeply idealistic hopeless romantic of a daughter would become.

A lovesick fool, incapable of seeing what is right in front of her eyes and giving her heart out, full and complete and rich and cherishing to the people who would never love her the way she loves them.

"Never put all your eggs in someone's basket", her cynical mother has told her since she was a child who came home complaining about Josh Hartman, the boy she had ever so generously helped with his origami flowers only a month ago, taking credit for the origami birds she had made for their project together as a pair.

June had yelled and the teacher had yelled back then Maureen had very graciously set up a meeting with her teacher and Josh's mom the next day to explain the situation.

Josh never again swore that June's origami birds were his creation. 

But this time, Maureen cannot simply slide in with all her well composed poise and fix the problem.

"Oh, my sweet sweet baby".

June looks up just as her mother rounds the table and sits beside her, wrapping a protective arm around her and her pulling her into the familiar warmth and woody scent of her mom's signature perfume.

June sags in Maureen's tight embrace and allows herself to om's still there to hug her then what could possibly go wrong?

Maureen kisses the top of her daughter's head, "I wish you'd told me before".

"I was embarrassed", June mumbles into the fabric of her mother's shirt.

"Embarrassed? About what? I've seen you heartbroken before".

"This is worse. I've been in love with him since literally forever. It's embarrassing".

"Hey", Maureen pulls back, June tipping up her face in response, "Never be embarrassed about something as beautiful as love. I wish I had the ability to love and care for people the way you do, how optimistic you are. I had one horrible experience in life and decided that maybe love just isn't for me but you, my child", her hands come up to tenderly hold June's face, "were also hurt yet you still never gave up on it. Never ran from it like me. I wish I were like you".

June's throat constricts, eyes blinking rapidly to keep the tears at bay.

"I was also scared that you'd think I had failed you or something. Because I let myself love", she exhales shakily, "a man so much, to the point where it could destroy me".

"You could never fail me. You're my perfect little girl, nothing you do could ever disappoint me. Annoy? Yes. Frustrate? Yes. But disappoint?", Maureen shakes her head, swiping her thumbs under her daughter's eyes to catch the escaping tears, "You saved me, June. I don't know what I would do without you, you made my life everything I could ever want. I've never needed or wanted anyone other than you".

'You", she presses a kiss to June's forehead, "are my life. You're my sun".

She smiles down at June, both of them chuckling softly as they wound their arms around each other and hold on for sweet precious life.

"He wants to talk to me today", June sighs into her mother's shoulder making her nod.

"Then talk to him".

"I'm scared".

"It means you care and that's not a bad thing. Trust me, honey, I saw him when he showed up that morning. That boy was broken. He looked like he would start sobbing right there on my doorstep because he found out you had run from him".

June swallows, speaking past the growing lump in her throat.

"You really think it's worth it?".

"Yes".

She closes her eyes, laying her head down on her mom's shoulder and lets herself be held.

"Okay".

( 𝗅𝗎𝖼𝖺𝗌 <3 , 𝗃𝗎𝗇𝗂𝖾 )

3 𝗆

𝗷𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗲
yes, tell him to come over
whenever he can. i'm home
all day

𝗹𝘂𝗰𝗮𝘀 <𝟯
you got it :)

***
hi favs i've missed you all so much but life's just gotten unnecessarily busy lately, i'm not complaining i'm happy and pretty much in a good place since quite some time now but still 😔