by Olivia Janae
Vivian clutched at the kitchen counter, her eyes wide and frozen. “Mother?”
Jacqueline looked annoyed and dropped her hands. “I don’t know very much yet. It has only been a few weeks.”
“She practiced that!” Charlie announced, obviously proud.
“Why didn’t you ever tell me how difficult the language was?”
Kate watched Vivian sway on the spot and almost rushed to her, worried she might fall.
She blinked, shaking her head a little to clear it, her mouth still hanging open.
“Close your mouth, dear.”
Vivian’s mouth snapped shut with an audible click, only for it to open again immediately. “You’re learning Sign Language?” She shifted glances between her mother and Charlie. “How did you... why did you... what?”
“Well, Vivian.” Jacqueline stepped forward and in a very un-Jacqueline move, kissed Vivian’s knuckles. This made Vivian’s eyes boggle and her head snap up to look at Charlie. Charlie’s hands went up as if to say she had nothing to do with that. “I did a lot of thinking, and I decided that Kate was right when she told me it was time. I—” Jacqueline hiccupped, her voice stiff, “I promise I was just trying to help... in my own way. But I never meant... I don’t know.” She let her hands fall, uncomfortable and tense.
Vivian’s wide eyes darted around the room, tears slipping over the brim of her stunned gaze. “Kate? Kate did this?”
“She... she helped me to see a few things I hadn’t seen before. She helped me realize that I could... that things could be different and that they need to be different. I make no promises, Vivian, but I’m here and I want to try.”
“Kate?” The name was a whisper on Vivian’s lips. “Where is she? Kate?”
Kate stuffed her hands into her pockets, flushing deeply as her soon-to-be wife found her in the doorway.
“Kate?” Vivian’s eyes were quizzical, round, full of astonished wonder.
Kate scuffed her shoe a bit, pulling her face into a small sideways grin. “Hi.”
About the Author
While new to publishing, Olivia Janae is not new to writing. It has been her favorite pastime since she was young.
As a child growing up in California, it was always her dream to one day see her name on the cover of a book.
Olivia now lives in the Midwest with her classical musician wife, three cats and, soon, a baby will make six.
Outside of her love of writing, Olivia is an avid movie buff with an obsessive love of cooking, candy making, and Buffy The Vampire Slayer.
Connect with Olivia
www.oliviajanae.com
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