Page 26 of Searching for Sadie (Mystic Falls #5)

SADIE

Her mom wasn’t a bad person. She'd been a good mother. But she was also certain her mom was here to have her keep the peace and make up with her sister. And Sadie wasn’t sure she could do that.

She wasn't even sure she wanted to do that.

Keeping the peace without actually talking about their problems was driving invisible wedges into her family.

Sometimes she thought she was the only person who could see it that way.

Which is probably why they usually accused her of being too sensitive, or dramatic, or whatever else they would say.

They didn't want to face their fault and feel uncomfortable for even a moment.

She was done with that. She was more than ready to leave that toxic behavior in the past.

The door opened and she looked up to see her mom entering the diner. She scanned the restaurant until she spotted Sadie. The genuine smile on her mother's face was apparent as she walked over to join her.

"Sorry I'm a few minutes late. Did you order yet, sweetheart?"

"Nope, not yet," she said as her mom picked up the menu.

"Are you guys ready to order?" asked Mae, as she came and stood next to the table.

"You go, I'll be ready."

"I'll have the club sandwich with fries," Sadie said.

"Oh, that sounds good, make it two," her mother said, shutting the menu and handing it to the waitress.

"Fries?" Sadie said to her calorie counting mom a little surprised.

"Oh, I'm trying something new."

"Oh yeah?" Sadie said bracing herself for the latest diet trend her mother was talking about. While her mom never commented on her body or tried to get her to diet, she herself was a full participant in diet culture and always had been.

"Yeah, it's called not giving a fuck."

Sadie nearly spit out her soda as she sputtered and wiped at her face with a napkin.

"Excuse me. Who are you and what have you done with my mother? I don't think I've ever heard you swear before."

"Well, I've decided something around here needs to change."

Sadie's brow scrunched as she took a sip from her soda.

She had thought she knew what was going to happen.

She had thought her mother would come and tell her to accept her sister's apology and encourage her to keep the peace, but she was starting to get the feeling that something else was about to happen.

They were getting into uncharted territory.

Territory where her mother said fuck.

"So why did you join dad on his road trip?" Sadie asked.

"You wouldn’t answer your phone, so I needed to some searching. I needed to talk to you."

"Well, to be fair, I've been avoiding everyone's calls."

"I've noticed."

Her mom's phone rang, and she took a peek at the screen but dismissed it and turned back to Sadie.

"Can you tell me what happened? The truth."

Sadie nodded and took another sip of her soda. "Okay. I'll tell you. The show was an awful experience, but you know that much."

Her mom nodded and waited for her to continue.

"You also know that I got Tricia a job at the label."

Her mom nodded again waiting for her to continue.

"Well, when the people at the label found out the way my story line ended, they were worried about bad publicity. Even with all the NDA’s the entertainment business is small.

Especially in a city like Nashville. So first they put me back into a PA role, so I was just running to get coffee and not actually working in the studio at all. "

"Well, that doesn't seem very fair."

"It wasn't."

Mae brought them their food and Sadie reached for the ketchup.

"Okay, can you tell me the rest. What happened with Tricia?"

"Well, the label decided to just fire me completely, but they needed someone to take my job, and she took it."

Her mother just hummed and looked down at her plate.

"I told her I was deeply hurt by it. I was working in my dream field, and I was working my way up the ladder. She never even cared about music like that. She asked me if I wanted her to quit, I told her I wouldn't ask her to do that but that I was hurt."

Her mom's eyebrows drew together as she just listened. Sadie guessed it was now or never.

"That night she told me that she had my old job. Not only was she covering for me as a PA, but now she's an assistant producer."

There was one main difference about her and her sister. While Sadie was short and round, Tricia was tall, thin and conventionally beautiful.

"I was livid when she told me. She told me I put them in a hard spot, and they needed to replace me and that it really wasn't a big deal."

"But it was a big deal to you," her mother said.

"Yes. That job was everything to me. You know how much making music means to me.

That job meant getting my songs to artists to record.

It meant making music with people I respect.

And instead of having my back, my sister sold me out and took my dream that was never even hers. She's just so selfish."

She waited for her mom to protest and defend her sister. "Your sister has never been as strong as you. And I wouldn't call her selfish, she just doesn't think about how her actions affect other people."

"Mom, that's the same thing."

Her mom nodded. "You're right."

Sadie's head snapped back, she was not expecting that. "I'm sorry, what did you just say?"

Her mom smiled and laughed a little. "I said you're right.

I know I haven't always made the right decision with you girls.

It's just hard when you have two daughters who are so different.

I tried to treat you each the same, but I don't think I took into account the fact that you both had different needs. "

"I don't hold it against you. You and dad were good parents, but I just can't pretend like this didn't happen. I supported her dream for years and then when hers didn't pan out she took mine."

Her mom opened her mouth like she was going to disagree, but then just nodded and said you're right.

Her sister had been on a traveling dance team when they were growing up.

Her dad was always busy with work, so she and her mom and sister traveled most weekends to her dance competitions.

And let's just say being an overweight ten-year-old at dance competitions all the time was her own brand of hell.

"Sometimes I don't think I should have made you travel with her as much as I did."

Sadie chuckled. "I hated it" Her mom deflated. "But it wasn’t all bad. I think part of the reason I love music so much is all the time we spend in the car. I remember driving and she would be sleeping but we would be up front singing Reba."

Her mom smiled, but her eyes were filled with tears. "Those are some of my favorite memories."

"Mine too."

"I'm sorry, Sadie. I know I should have done things differently. And just so you know, I told your sister she should have supported you."

Sadie nodded.

"Will you come back to Nashville?"

"I don’t know…"

When she first moved to Mystic Falls, she wasn't sure how long she would stay here, she was just looking for a safe place to land and lick her wounds.

But the more time she spends here the more it's starting to feel like home.

She had friends. She was about to jam with Liam James.

And she had Lucas, and while things were still new with him, they were incredible.

"Does this have anything to do with the man the saw in your kitchen yesterday?"

Sadie tried to bite back the smile that was about to spread across her face.

"I thought so," her mother said with a raised eyebrow.

"He's part of it, but I really like it here. But I'm wondering if I could maybe do music here."

"Here?" her mother asked in surprise.

"I know it's weird, but do you know who lives here?"

Her mother shook her head.

"Liam James!"

"Like Liam James, Liam James? The pop star?"

"That's the one."

"Wow. I had no idea. So, you're going to devise a plan to try and get him some of your songs?"

"No. I'm friends with his girlfriend. I was at his house last night. We are going to get together to jam sometime."

"Holy shit!"

And a genuine belly laugh bubbled up out of Sadie for what felt like the first time in a long time. "First you say fuck then you say shit. Language mom!"

Her mom took a deep breath. "I'm sorry Sadie. I should have handled things differently, but I'm so glad you seem to be landing on your feet here."

"Thank you."

“I just hope you and your sister can work it out. I want nothing more than you both to be happy and settled. But I want you guys to get along. I want both of you at Christmas.”

“That’s kind of up to her. I would love that, but I can’t just let this one go.”

Her mom let out a long slow breath before looking up at Sadie with pleading eyes.

"But maybe you can answer the phone when I call... or at least text back."

"Yeah. I will. I'm sorry I went radio silent."

"I get it," her mother said with a sigh. "I was so worried about you."

"I would love to tell you I'm fine, but sadly with the show airing that would be a big lie."

A sympathetic expression fell across her mother's face as she reached out and took her hand. "I'm so sorry baby. I wish I could fix it."

Sadie shrugged. "It's okay. Sometimes things suck and you just have to make it through them, and they will suck less someday."

"You are wise beyond your years, Sadie Lynn."

"I don't know about all that, but I will be home for the reunion show in 3 weeks."

"Would you like to get dinner?"

"I would love that."

When they finished their meal, her mom paid the bill, and they headed out the door.

"Ya know mom, if you want to get real crazy, we could walk down the block to Twistees for ice cream."

"Lead the way," her mother said.