“Mom.” That’s all she can really say right now, because while she knew her mom’s self esteem wasn’t the best, this was horrible to hear. “You have to know that you’re more successful than any of those other assholes that graduated and eventually dropped out of college, right? And probably ten times happier than those that only have their work and nobody to go home to.”
She knows she can’t fix this in one conversation, but she can at least try. Nobody deserved to feel like this - especially her mom, who was the best person in the world in Dani’s eyes.
But after that, she drops it. She doesn’t want to have this conversation on a day they’re supposed to be celebrating, and she knows Jess doesn’t want to have it either. She’s more than content to head to the diner like her mom suggested, and bring this up further on a later date.
“Yeah, okay. I’m pretty damn hungry too.” Dani decided, bumping her hip into Jess’s in an act of comfort. It’s the least she can do, after starting this conversation in the first place. “We’re almost there, I think.“
Pause. Glance back. Slight eyebrow raise. She doesn’t – know how to respond to that. Nope. Words just – don’t connect and she twitches her mouth. Pressed tighter. Tenser. Everything is tense in her body – but she pushes off this cool exterior but she can feel her body just – TENSE.
( And probably ten-times happier. )
Hm. Funny that. She’s – INDIFFERENT. Save faced happy, she thinks. A mask. She doesn’t know who she is in this moment. A mother – a caretaker – possibly a person, but she does not feel like HERSELF. She doesn’t. Plain and simple there is not way to get around that.
She does not say that, though, and instead shrugs off the comment as Dani continues. Dani bumps into her and Jessica flinches – twitches like she expects to be hit – shoved down and –
( DANI WOULD HATE THE PERSON YOU ACTUALLY ARE. DANI WOULD HATE YOU. DANI DOES HATE YOU – )
“Right.” She says, abruptly, maybe in agreement to thoughts, maybe. “Okay.” Okay, she’s okay with that. “Lead the way.” Head nod to Dani ahead of her. Continue onward. nothing to see here.