Wishing Pearl by Nicole O'Dell

Author:Nicole O'Dell [O’Dell, Nicole]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
ISBN: 978-1-60742-514-4
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Published: 2011-01-21T20:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

I demand access to my daughter, Olivia Mansfield, this instant.” Mom had her freshly done nails on her Donna Karan hips as she tapped her Louboutin stiletto on the pavement. They’d better watch out. Those things were a deadly weapon—she could poke someone’s eye out with those spikes if she wanted to. Like a ninja.

“Mrs. Whitford, please calm down. You’re causing a scene. Let’s talk over here.” Ben put his hand on her arm and tried to steer her to the van and away from the cars queued to leave the parking lot.

Mom shook off his hand, planted her feet, and pointed her finger at Ben.

Olivia groaned and turned to Tammy and Alicia. “What do I do? I didn’t ask her to do this. Am I going to be in trouble? Will I get sent home?” Because I’m not going.

Alicia pulled Olivia into a tight embrace. “Don’t worry, honey. You’re not in trouble. This isn’t your fault at all. But now we have to deal with it. We have two options for how to handle this. One, you get into my car that’s parked over there.” She pointed to a sedan near the side entrance. “We’ll leave and let Ben handle this and get the girls back to the center. Or, two, you go deal with your mom and try to defuse this situation once and for all. Your call.”

Olivia wanted nothing more than to climb into the back of Alicia’s car, duck down out of view, and return to Diamond Estates without having a big public confrontation with her mom. She could let Ben handle Mom—he dealt with difficult people all the time. But that wasn’t fair to everyone else. Plus all the girls would get to witness even more of her mom’s temper tantrum when she realized that Olivia had left. Ugh! “I’ll go talk to her.”

Alicia bobbed her short brown curls and squeezed Olivia’s shoulder. “Atta girl.”

“Praying for you, sweetie.” Tammy gave Olivia a gentle prod.

“Oh, thank God. There she is.” Mom turned on Olivia, tears filling her eyes. “Where have you been?” She looked back to Ben. “Do you just let these girls run loose?”

“I was with Tammy and Alicia, Ben’s wife, Mom.” Olivia sighed as her heart softened. Mom wasn’t angry after all. She was hurting. Maybe even lonely. “Why did you come here? You know it’s against the rules.”

“There should never be rules that keep me from my daughter. That’s just wrong.” She dabbed a silk handkerchief at the corner of her eye.

Olivia stepped forward and took her mother’s hand. “Listen. The rules are there for a reason. If I follow them, it doesn’t mean I don’t love you or need you. But what I do need is for you to let me do this right, Mom. It’s the best thing for me—for us. Trust the program, and let me make it through the best way I can.” Olivia squeezed her hand. “Please.”

Mom stared at Olivia’s face for a long moment then nodded slowly.

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