Holding On

643 Words2 Pages

Walking out from Albie's, just trying to find a moment if clarity, a moment to herself. A moment where she could just let out all this building up pain, it was unfortunate, that Jess was outside having a cigarette and delayed Serena's need for emotional release.

"Hey" Jess smiled

"Hi" Serena sighed, clutching her glass of wine.

"You okay?"

"Yeah" Serena lied; she then remarked, "Lola is some character"

"Yep, look, are you sure you are okay?"

"I'm fine, I just needed some air, the Wine... it’s going to my head a little"

"Still not enough to put the glass down" Jess smiled

Just then, Adrienne, who had followed Serena out, appeared from around the corner, Jess could sense that maybe this was time for her to head back inside; Adrienne's concerned expression told her so.

"I'm going to head back in; Jacob will eat all that cake if I'm not keeping a close eye on him"

Serena nodded as Jess went back inside; Adrienne came to her daughter’s side, "Sweetheart, what's the matter?

"He's leaving me... Mum..." The tears instantly started to fall from Serena's eyes, and if anyone could manage to see and break through Serena's vulnerability, it was her mother Adrienne.

"'Rena, darling you knew that"

"Did I?

"Yes, you did, you just didn't want to accept it"

"There is really no justice in this world, none at all, Ric is a kind, decent man, he doesn't deserve this.... I don't deserve this" Serena paced, trying to stop herself from crying.

"Life is unfair"

"I spent thirteen years married to a man, that never really loved me, an eloped marriage, cheap and nasty, swept away in a whirlwind romance. I thought that was love, I thought Edward; I thought he was my true love. Yet, Ric, he has taught me so much, about life, about love. I k...

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... she felt exhausted from keeping up appearances. She has cried, when she first heard of Ric's prognosis, but in the long run, she found herself hit with shock, never truly acknowledged what was happening. Not until today, this felt like the millionth time she had found herself in tears.

She could feel this pain ricochet throughout her body; it felt like ten thousand knifes stabbing her bird repeatedly. Struggling Adrienne, crouched down to her daughter's side, they never always had the best if relationships, but she knew in this moment, and her daughter needed a mother. Pulling Serena in, Adrienne held on to her daughter tightly, she could not fix the pain, but at least she could sit through it with her. Adrienne knew exactly what Serena was feeling, her second husband, Serena's stepfather, died shortly after a diagnosis of lung cancer nearly thirty years ago now.

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