“Kara, welcome home.” said Therese’s mom as she had done every time she had stepped through the door. Therese’s mom gave them each a hug.

“Oh no, you’re really glowing.” Therese’s mom froze, then sat down. Kara sat down with her, helping her land safely on the couch. “I’m okay.” Therese’s mother told Kara, but did not let go over the girl’s arm. “Oh no.” Therese’s mother said. Therese sat down on the other side.

“Mom. It’s okay. People have sex.” Therese told her with a flat smile, and nodding her head to be convincing.

“Lot’s of it.” said Kara nodding her head in agreement.

“I know, honey, I just always, well I was always looked more forward to your wedding day, than your wedding night.” said her mother.

“People have sex before their wedding nights, lot’s of it.” Kara added. “We know you did.” Kara added defending Therese. The girls long new Therese was born years before her parents’ wedding, and was not premature.

“Just don’t tell your father, let him be ignorant.” Her mother pleaded.

“I want to try living with Peter. I want to try being me on my own.” said Therese.

“People who live on their own have sex, okay, okay, that didn’t help.” said Kara.

“Seriously, we can’t wait ten years for this conversation?” asked Therese’s mother.

“Mom. I want this. I want to know what it is like.” Therese told her mother.

“You, my oldest daughter, you come home after all these years, did you do this?” Therese’s mother asked Kara, “sorry.” she said as she caught herself.

“I should be offended at that, but we’re all being honest here.” said Kara, shrugging her shoulders to show no offense.

“No, I’m sorry, Kara, I didn’t mean that. I’m just a little getting caught up here. My little girls.” said Therese’s mother.

“I am your little girl. I was your little girl when I met Kara (Kara waved). I was your little girl the first time I was restrained at school. I was your little girl every time I was in the hospital. Do you know how it is to be this little girl? Do you remember how hard I fought to go back to school, and now I am going to college. Do you know how hard it is to be me? Well I did it, let me be the person I became.” said Therese.

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

“Probably not any easier to be a daughter than a mother.” said Therese’s mother sadly. Therese was the best part of her long life since she had held her as a baby for the first time, and now her little girl was moving out. She worried what would happen to her when she left.

“Or my friend.” said Therese. She’d been hard on Kara and couldn’t blame her for their separation.

“Or worse, mine.” said Kara. She’d reluctantly left her friendship out of Therese’s own insistence and betrayed her own heart to honor the same friend.

“Stay with him, but don’t move out, keep your room here, keep your garden.” Therese’s mother begged.

“Mom, that’s all I want.” said Therese.

“Only if you girls help me explain this to your father.” asked her mother.

“Tonight, we’ll tell dad, after we close, but you warm him up first.” Kara suggested. Therese nodded.

Later, the girls left to go to work, they worked hard that evening, cleaned the store faster than they ever had, and left before they ever had before. Therese and Kara walked in the door slowly. Kara carefully shut the door. They both walked very carefully and slowly across the tile. They walked into the living room, and Therese’s father was watching TV with her mother. Therese’s knees shook as she walked, she stepped forward to be by her dad. She twisted her foot around so she wouldn’t run. She tried to control her breathing. Therese never feared her father, but now she feared leaving him.

“I’m ok with it. “Therese’s dad said. Therese stared to see if he was teasing her because he always did. “You’ve asked me for three things in your life. That garden, going back to school and this. So far you have been two for two. I don’t like it, you are my little princess, and you always will be, but like your mom said, keep up your garden, the bunnies need you, keep your room here so you know you are always welcome. And one night a week I want three hours with you, even if we just watch Space-Girl Michelle and it is a rerun. We need you too.”

“Damn, your dad’s cool.” said Kara.

“The time is going to come either way. I just want to be here for you when you try. When you learned to walk, we were there for every step to help you get back up. When you went back to school, I took the week off work and spent every day in the parking lot of your school.” said her dad. He knew he wouldn’t last forever and his job was to prepare her for the galaxy.

“I didn’t know that you waited.” Therese said, sitting next to her dad and hugging him.

“I want you to try. I am here to catch you, not to hold you back. You are always welcome here, both of you. How about I call in sick tomorrow, and we stay up late watching some Space-Girl Michelle?” asked Therese’s father. Kara jumped on the other side of Therese’s father.

“I have some reading to do.” said Therese’s mother, excusing herself from the show.