I’m Your Woman

For https://lindaghill.com/2023/01/20/the-friday-reminder-for-socs-jusjojan-2023-daily-prompt-jan-21st/ and just count on it.

‘I’m your woman, you can just count on it.’

They are the words she wakes up to every morning, just to get out of her bed. A confident, clear message to the sun as is passes her window. Dashing into the shower, getting dressed, having a quick bite to eat before closing the door behind her. Today, a special day, when she is going to meet her birth mother for the first time. It wasn’t clear what events led her to the hospital, wrapped in a warm blanket, with a note attached. ‘Look after my angel, she deserves better.’

There was something else, a card with her name.

Drinking her coffee, in the restaurant she was going to meet her birth mum in, she couldn’t help stare at the door, every time the air in the room dropped. She checked her messages on her mobile, a reason to cancel. There were times she wanted to. Maybe it was better to keep the fantasy in her head, rather than making it real. What if her mum took one look and walked away?

‘Cheryl?’ A young woman, no older than forty touched her on the shoulder.

‘Mum?’

The chair scraped into place, as she stared at her own reflection, the same pinched cheeks, hazel eyes, and dimple in the chin. They were similar, even in the way she gripped the table. So many questions, yet there was only one she could speak out loud. ‘Why Cheryl?’

‘It was my friend’s name, she was so much braver than me, was able to keep her baby, while I couldn’t keep you. I didn’t want you growing up where I did, I wanted you to have more.’

‘Do you still see her?’ It was easier talking about someone else.

‘She passed, a few years ago. You would have liked her, when she got up in the morning, she always gave me confidence to be me. Mary, she said, I’m your woman, you can count on it.’