Page 18 of Accidental Love

“Jenna—” Candy started.

“Candy, it is fine. I don’t mind. Plus, I want to see what you can do here.” I was slightly tempted in making one myself, but felt like I shouldn’t admit that.

“Okay fine, but, Sky, don’t go overboard,” Candy said, looking at her daughter. Sky was not paying attention to her at all.

“We’ll be fine. You and Sophia can go to another store, if you’d like.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, go. Me and Sky will be fine.” I waved her and Sophia off. Once they had left I turned back to Sky, only to find her over at another bin filled with un-stuffed animals. Smiling softly, I went over to her. I moved along with her as she tried to figure out what she wanted to do. While she looked, I looked myself. From the corner of my eye, I saw something I liked.

I pulled out a cheetah animal. Of course it wasn’t stuffed, but it looked exactly like one. Running my fingers over it, I felt the soft fur. I had always loved cheetahs. Something about them was just so cool and pretty.

“Wenna, I want this one!” Sky said. Looking at her, I saw she had a pink pig in her arms.

“Are you sure?” I asked. She had already said that three times.

“Wes!”

“Okay, let’s get started!” I said excitedly. Not caring that I was too old to be building one, I held onto my cheetah. At least I didn’t have to worry about embarrassing myself with no one in here.

Sky and I got went over to the stuffing machine to get started. For the next few minutes, I helped her put everything she wanted in her animal. She wanted to put four hearts in the side of it, along with the stuffing, four for the people she loved, she said: her, Candy, me, and Liam. With her help I did the same, and we went to the next station; washing.

I was so busy having fun with Sky I hadn’t noticed a few more people had come into the store. I was looking for something to dress my cheetah in when I heard a voice I didn’t want to hear again in my life. Turning around, I almost dropped my stuffed animal. Standing only a few feet away from me was my mother.

She was turned so I could only see her side, and standing in front of her was a girl that looked to be about thirteen. She had dirty blonde hair and was grinning up at my mother. I couldn’t really hear what they were saying exactly, and I couldn’t help but stare at them. Even from here I could make out the girl’s features. She looked like my mom. She is my half-sister, I thought, shocked. I stumbled back a little, hurt blooming in my chest.

I moved so I was slightly hidden, and watched as a boy that looked the same age as the girl coming up to them. The kid had dark brown hair just like Martin Brotherson, his father. The kid seemed annoyed to be here, and it was clear it was his sister’s idea. My mother grinned at both of them, gesturing around at everything. She was probably telling them they could get whatever they wanted. I didn’t want to see my mother again after the gala, but it seemed fate had other ideas. Of course she had to be in the same mall that I was, in the same store, and with her other children. The children she didn’t leave. What I really wanted to do was go up to her and yell, but I stayed where I was, frozen. The thought of ever forgiving her was not even allowed in my head. How could I forgive a woman as despicable as her?

“Wenna?” Sky asked. Jerking my gaze away from my so-called mother, I looked down at Sky. She was looking up at me worriedly, clenching her newly dressed pig.

“I’m sorry, sweetie. What did you say?”

“Do you like this?” She held out a small t-shirt that said “Best Friends”. It was the same shirt that her pig had on too.

“I love it!” Squatting down to her level, I put the shirt on my cheetah and showed it to her.

“How does it look?”

“Pwetty!” Sky grinned. I grinned back softly, but my mind was elsewhere. I was still aware of my mother behind me.

“Do you have everything you need for your pig?” I asked. I wanted to get out of here as soon as possible, hopefully before my mother saw me. I didn’t think she would recognize me from the gala, but I didn’t want to take that chance. She still probably didn’t know I was her daughter.

“Wes.”

“Okay, let’s go check out.” With her little hand in mine, I made my way to the cashier. I kept my eyes open for my mom. She was on the other side of these store with her other daughter. Seeing as her back was turned, I quickly put our items on the counter.

“Is that all for you guys?” the girl asked, typing something in on the computer.

“Yes, it is,” I tried to reply nicely. She was taking her damn time when I really just wanted to leave.

“Okay that will be an even fifty dollars,” she said. Not even listening to the price I handed over my credit card, still seeing my mother in the corner of my eye. I didn’t want to show it, but on the inside I was slowly crumbling. It was stupid Fate’s decision to bring my mother to the same store I was in with her two other children, acting as if everything was okay. As if she hadn’t given up her kid fourteen years ago.

From the corner of my eye, I saw her smiling fondly down at the girl. It was a smile I had always wanted directed at me; a smile showing so much love and fondness. I couldn’t remember my mother ever giving me that look. In fourteen years I had not once been looked at like that. If I wanted to be honest, that was all I had ever wanted. Ever since the night she left, all I had ever wished for was to see her smiling at me, showing me she loved me and telling me leaving me was a mistake. Every birthday, shooting star I wished that would happen. And of course, like everything in my life, it never happened. Now I had to stand here and see her giving that look to someone else, a look I longed for.

“Ma’am, here is your card,” the girl said. Her tone was impatient, letting me know she had said it more than once.

“Sorry, thank you.” I grabbed it and put it in my wallet. Telling her to only put mine in a bag, she handed Sky hers. I tapped my foot impatiently, glancing around. If anyone was really looking at me, they would think something was wrong; like I was on the run instead of just avoiding the one person I didn’t ever want to see.

“Here you go.” I grabbed my bag, said a quick thank you, and held onto Sky’s free hand.

“Let’s go find your mom.” Just as we were about to leave the store, a person said my name. I instantly froze, knowing the voice. I willed my body to move forward as if I hadn’t heard it, but I couldn’t; I was stuck. My breathing became heavy as I heard footsteps coming closer to me. I wanted to leave so bad, but I couldn’t.

“Jenna?” I heard my name again. Something inside of me knew that she knew who I was. She knew exactly who I was. Turning slowly, I came face-to-face with my mother.

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