Chapter 5

"Where the heck are you Nicole ?"

Nicole heard her mom's voice as soon as she picked up the call, she knew she shouldn't have answered the call, but it had been ringing nonstop and was disturbing her concentration, she couldn't turn it off because she was expecting a call from the art gallery regarding the work she submitted, she had signed and they said she needs to be at alert as they can still call her in anytime before the exhibition day.

"Mom, I am at a studio, where else will I be?"

"Come home right now,"

"Hmm, why should I? Mom, I am not a kid that you can order about, I can make my own decisions,"

"Cut the bullshits, young lady, and come home right now,"

"I am busy mom,"

"So, that stupid stuff you do in the name of art is better than your sister and family?"

"What do you mean?"

"Your sister is bringing her fiancee home today and you are nowhere to be seen,"

"Well that's not my fault though, Natalie doesn't want me to meet him until after they are married, she doesn't want to confuse him, she will introduce us after they get married, and honestly, I don't wanna be there either,"

She replied.

"Now that I think about it, don't come home, I don't want him to meet you, not because he will get confused but because he might see how low class and tacky you are compared to Natalie who is classy, why can't you just be like your sister, you guys look alike but you are so different,"

"Mom, please not today, I am really busy so I am just going to hang up,"

"Busy doing what? Art? That's bullshit, you need to get a life,"

"I have a life mom,"

"No, you don't, if you do you won't still be living off your dad and me, I bet you if you stay on your own that nonsense you do can't get your the basic things you need, so wake up,"

"Don't worry mom, it's won't be long, I am going to stop depending on you sooner than you expect,"

"I can't wait,"

"Mom, I have work to do, I am busy,"

She said and hung up, even though she knew she shouldn't let her mom's words get to her, they did, she wiped off the tears that dropped and went back to her work, she would leave soon.

"Do you have to leave? You can continue another time if you have another engagement to attend to,"

The artist who she was working with said.

"No Lance, I am not leaving, it's just my mom being my mom, let's finish this, you said it's an urgent job,"

Nicole responded going back to work, she was almost done, there was no way she was letting her mom ruin her mood because that will affect her work, she needs to be in her best mood for this work.

"It can wait,"

"Not on my watch, we finish this today,"

"If you say so,"

Lance replied and they went back to work in silence, by the time she was done it was way past six pm, she didn't want to go home, so she took a ride to the part of the city where she knew they did night carnival, she bought herself dinner and are while watching the city, by few minutes past seven the carnival started and she

****

"You are back, I thought you weren't going to show up today,"

Nicole 's heard her mom say as she walked towards her room, she had hoped they would all be asleep but the universe didn't agree.

"Good evening mom,"

She greeted and continued on her way.

"I am still talking young lady,"

"Mom, I don't have the energy for this right now please, not today, I am much too tired,"

She said hoping her mom will take the hint and just leave her alone but the woman didn't take any hint.

"Tired? What were you doing that you are so tired? Let me guess, painting? Such a loser,"

Her mom let out, Nicole willed herself not to respond or react the way her mom wanted her to, she knew she wasn't a loser, she was much more than her mom thought, art was what she loved and no matter what her mom thought of it, it doesn't matter, what matters is her happiness which she got from doing art.

"I will be off to my room mom, good night,"

"Oh shut up please, why can't you just be like your sister? We raised you better than this, your sister is already getting married, she has a good business and doesn't even need to depend on getting an inheritance, I can't say the same for you, you dropped out of school to do what you want, at least do what's right and find a man, ask your sister how she does it, she got everything, a good business, a wealthy handsome man and beauty too on top of that she is smart, you have nothing but looks and the look you can't even maintain, can't you look at your twin and try to do like her, look at the shabby clothes you wore out, no makeup, no jewelry, how do you expect any man to approach you the way you are?"

Nicole just let her talk on, she couldn't give her the chance to see just how much those words hurt even when she tried not to feel hurt, she was still her mom and hearing those words from her no matter how she try not to feel anything, why can't she, why can't they just accept that she can never be Natalie just like Natalie can't be her, why can't they just accept that this was what she chooses, that she wasn't interested in money or being married? How can her happiness mean so little to her parents?

"And as usual, you are cowardly not going to say a word? God a Twenty-six years old woman that is still depending on her parents, aren't you ashamed?"

"Why should I be ashamed?"

"You should be asking yourself that, you are such a waste,"

Her mom replied it hurt, she couldn't deny the fact that it did.

"That's enough mom, why are you doing this to her? She is your child, and I am no better than her, stop doing this or you might regret it,"

Natalie said before she could respond to her mom, she came out of her room, she must have been woken up by their mom's scolding.

“Don’t try to defend her,”

“Then, don't talk bad about Nicole you don't have a job either, you get off by leeching off dad, stop acting like you are independent and Nicole can do things on her own,"

"Oh, you are defending her? What do I expect?"

"I am not defending her mom, I am saying the truth, you do too much, and it's not fair, you and Dad haven't been around, you came back and decided to pick on Nicole , she hasn't done anything wrong, her art is amazing if you can just bring down your pride and check them out, mind you there are a lot of billionaires who made their money through act so stop downgrading it,"

Her sister replied, her sister was the only one who understands her and who defends her but she couldn't let her sister fight with their mother because of her.

"I don't care if there are billionaires, let her do something better with her life, I am leeching off your dad? At least I had the sense to marry rich, she doesn't even have a boyfriend,"

"Mom!!"

Natalie yelled at their mom, Nicole knew she had to stop them if their dad comes out it will just get worse.

"Nat, it's okay, I am okay, you don't need to stand up for me, her words can't get to me, I am just going to go into my room,"

Nicole said and walked into her room, locked the door to make sure no one comes in, she could still hear Natalie and their mom talking, she laid on her bed without taking off her shoes.

"Do I have to be married? Do I have to be a model? Do I have to be super smart? I am human too, I am their daughter too, even if I don't have those things, why can't you just love me the way I am?"

She cried to herself, wishing her parents can just let her be, they have been against her since she was young, can't they just leave her alone?

"Nicole ?"

She heard Natalie call, she didn't want to speak with her twin, she wasn't emotionally fit to do it, she didn't want her twin to see her crying,"

"I am fine Nat, I just want to be alone,"

"Okay, but don't take what she said to heart, she was just being mean, goodnight twinnie, I love you."

"I love you too Natalie Good night,"

She answered she heard her footsteps as she went back to her room,

"I guess it's time to leave after all, independent? I can be independent,"

She whispered to herself wiping the tears off her eyes, she got off the bed and walked into her bathroom, filled up the bathtub, and stepped in, the cool water smoothened her body, she took a deep breath, and closed her eyes enjoying the feel of the water on her skin, she stayed there for a few more minutes before cleaning up and leaving the restroom, going over to her laptop, she opened it and made the first move into moving on with her life independently...