𝕯arlene gingerly follows her mother down the bleachers trying to forget the fragments of the conversation that she was tortured with on the ride there.

"I am apalled at the fact that my daughter intentionally chooses to keep important aspects of her personal life away from me", Kate had declared as soon as they'd pulled into the main road.

Darlene, for her part, had only rolled her eyes at the window refusing to speak.

"What?", Kate had thrown a sidelong glance at her daughter, "You have nothing to say now? Really? Am I such a bad mother that you won't even look at me anymore?".

Ah, the mother card.

Well played, mother dearest.

"Ever realised that maybe the entire world does not revolve around you?", Darlene had finally shot back.

"I just want to know what's going on with my eldest child. I know you're an adult but that doesn't mean that we have to . . . . grow apart. We used to be so close, Dar", Kate sighed defeated.

"Yeah well, people change", the younger blonde grumbled under her breath.

A few minutes later and while pulling into the parking lot, Kate had turned to her daughter with a tiny apologetic smile.

"I like him, just so you know. He's perhaps the cheekiest person I've ever come across but that's what makes him so . . . . charismatic".

Darlene had simply nodded exiting the car right after and now, as she finds herself seated in between her mum and youngest brother with her step father sitting on the right of her mum, she starts thinking how exactly did she let herself blame her mother for the things that were completely out of her control.

"Darlene, nice to see you!", Edward, Kate's husband of six years and Darlene's stepfather leans over the older blonde woman to flash the younger one a wide smile.

Darlene barely smiles quietly extending a nod.

"Hi, Eddie".

"How have you been? You rarely come around the house anymore".

That was not true. In fact, Darlene had visited her mother at 'the house' just two weeks ago.

She always deliberately chooses the most odd times to visit her mum and half brothers which is solely because of the fact that she is very much not fond of her new step-father.

She'd love to say it to his face but obviously, she can't. Courtesy of her mum.

"Been busy", she purses her lips.

"That's unfortunate. We're going to McDonald's after, wanna tag along?", he grinned that stupid infuriating grin that makes Darlene want to barf.

"I'll think about it".

Shrugging, he settles back beginning to chat with Kate instead.

"Are we still going to Hamleys tomorrow?".

Her eyes immediately fall down to her left smiling at the sight of her five year old brother looking up at her with big expectant eyes.

" 'Course we are, Teddy. How could we not? There are so many train sets to buy".

Bear smiles at the nickname, his eyes lighting up at his oldest sister.

"Will we get a penguin too?".

Darlene laughs wrapping an arm around him and pulling him into her side.

"Yes, we'll get the entire store if you want".

The five year old gasps looking up at her, "We can do that?".

"Sure. If you don't tell mum about it", she dramatically widens her eyes putting a finger over her lips.

He mimicks her action, shaking his head as he does so.

"Promise, Derry".

Now, it's her turn to smile at the nickname only her little brother is allowed to call her.

She kisses the top of his head, "Good boy".

instagram stories !

𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁
10 𝗆

***
who wants to run away w me