One Summer

ONE

I'm still holding on to everything that's dead and gone
I don't wanna say goodbye 'cause this one means forever
Now you're in the stars and six feet's never felt so far

NORA

My mother's gone and she's never coming back I sit here today to celebrate her life I am numbingly zooming out the crying from the others she was all I had all I've ever known to be completely honest

I am her only child I have a father, of course, he just never...never wanted to step up I don't know much about him well up until now he's remarried and has a daughter younger than my 17 and he's a businessman that makes millions a year

Once I turned thirteen he upped and left haven't heard a word from him till now It took my mother to die for him to give a shit, No fuck that he probably wouldn't have cared if he wasn't forced to come here or his business would've been in trouble

Him acting like the caring father for tabloids, Did he just forgot about us...Me and Mom? Why did he leave? Was it worth it on his part? Does he regret anything? Did he ever care for my mother his wife and me his firstborn daughter?

He didn't even properly divorce my mother he sent her a letter with divorce papers in it a year after he left

'Ellie its me Ritchie I know this might surprise you but I am not dead I am alive and well with a daughter...not our...Your Nora I am also to be married in a few months I have been seeing Jules my soon to be wife for two years now. You know I was never a faithful man but for Jules I will change and learn from the mistakes I made to you. I will learn to grow up and be a man for my sweet Rosie our daughter and Jules. I am finally happy and I don't want you and our...your daughter ruining it so I send you these divorce papers I would like you to sign them and within a week I would like them to be sent back to the address on top of this letter don't come looking for me don't try calling me I don't want anything to do with you and YOUR daughter... I have a new family now so you are no longer needed SEND TO ADDRESS ON TOP OF LETTER WITHIN A WEEK or else I hope to never see you again

sincerely Ritchie Allister'

Then he sent the tabloids to our home when he didn't get an answer, I mean can you blame my mother your husband goes missing and a year later you get a letter from him saying he replaced you and your daughter for a new woman like what would you do in that situation

I made it hard for her I mean I wasn't perfect no one is. When my mother had gotten sick I called my so-called father and told him but instead of listening he hung up in my face and now I have to live with this man and his replacements but you can never beat the originals

I just want to have a smooth rest of the year its rocky at the moment but we all go through hard times this one hurts I am basically parentless and my mother was my everything she was all I had in this fucked up world what am I supposed to do now I have no one

When I am stressed out and need someone to talk to who am I supposed to go to my mother was the sweetest woman I've ever met I have to toughen up and not let these tears fall because she wouldn't want me to cry

I zone out remembering what she told me hours before her death 'My sweet Nora this is your chance to restart this is a new chapter in your life don't let my death control your decisions don't sit around and cry have fun take this as a chance for new beginnings and I want you to promise me to not let what I and your father went through control your love life and how you look at love, Love is a beautiful thing but it can be painful at times but don't let that stop you it will all be worth it, in the end, I promise just cause it didn't work out for me doesn't mean it won't for you I love you and I'll always be watching over you' A sigh leaves my lips

I get up since the funeral is over I place roses on her casket say a small prayer wipe the tears from my eyes and begin to walk away

It's time for a new start I am now inside Ritchie's car with his daughter Rosie and his wife Jules who are laughing about who knows what. He looks so happy and that angers me so much but I don't ever speak up when things hurt me I keep it to myself

That's the only thing I don't like about myself I can't defend myself I just shut down and move on but when the sun sets and the dark settles in it all comes back to me the cruel words and my fucked up childhood

I zone out their talking then the car pulls into a huge driveway I almost gasp you can't even call this a house it's huge I bite my tongue taking a deep breath I mean he could've sent money like check up on me he has all this money and couldn't pay child support

I just...you know what never mind it's not like he would care he never did, to begin with, that's why he left I never asked to be here and what makes me feel worse is that he begged my mother to have me

He begged and begged for her to give him a child he stayed thirteen years then decided he was tired of it and wanted something new but again he was barely around when we lived together as a 'family' or whatever you call us

Once he's out of the driving seat he runs to open the door for his replacement Julie or Jules whatever her name is then grabs his daughter Rosie plating her face with kisses she giggles and I am sick to my stomach

If I watch any longer I will break down sobbing full sobbing so saving myself from the embarrassment I grab my packed luggage and make my way into the mansion I would be living in for the next year or so

An old short blonde lady walks up to me "Dear let me take these to your room" her voice sweet "No it's fine I got it, thank you but can you lead me to my room" my voice shallow somewhat audible so I clear my throat

she stands and stare at me for a little before a bright smile touches her skin "Okay this way Ma'am" I cough "Nora...My name is Nora please call me Nora" Her smile brightens

"Okay Nora I am Mary short for Marygold, not the typical name yes a little weird but then again I am old" A small snort escapes me but I cover it up with a cough "You don't look a day over 40 Mary" She lets out a soft laugh which brings a smile to my face

"Okay here it is," she says opening the door to my new bedroom and I am hit with a weird feeling that this is real and I am never gonna see Mom again I will never live with her again see her smile cry or laugh again

I sigh analyzing the room its mostly dark brown and white not much color found in the room but it's okay now all I have to do is unpack instead of doing that I decided to just lay a little but once my head hits the pillow I was out

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(CHAPTER IS UNEDITED SO IF THERE IS ANY MISTAKES PLEASE IGNORE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE PLEASE AND THANK YOU)

Bye👋🏾