Comfortable in your shoes

Time and date: 09/01/2022
Place: Primrose home, whereever that is
Weather: It's cold outside!
Outfit: Something comfortable from Primrose's closet, because what else?
Dedicated to: @Primrose xoxo

Enough was enough. Well, only when Michelle said so at least. She didn’t really listen to when others said enough was enough, because most often, enough wasn’t enough for others. They just feared what enough would be. Tricky thought, honestly. Now, what had been enough one might ask? Well, that would be presented whenever her lovely daughter returned to her apartment.

Michelle had been standing in approximately five minutes, simply ringing the doorbell. At first like a normal person but at last, she had continued to push it until she gave up and unlocked the door herself with her magic. She made sure that any security system there might be, wouldn’t be buzzing off about her arrival. Empty apartment. Brilliant. She started inspecting the way her daughter lived. She looked through papers, in the fridge, closet, night table drawers and the bathroom. Michelle had found a lot of interesting things and taken pictures of what she might want a reminder of for later, but for now, she got undressed and borrowed her daughter’s bath, washing her hair and all, and when she exited the bath, she got dressed in her daughter's clothing and some slippers, and wrapped a towel around her head. Balancing it on her head, he moved to the kitchen and pulled out a pizza box in the fridge. She put a couple of slices on a plate and into the microwave to make them heat up a little. While they did so, she walked into her daughter’s room and found some makeup to doll herself up. As soon as she heard the microwave ding, she put a lipstick down and kissed the mirror. Lipstick was always a hassle to get removed.
She moved out to the kitchen and grabbed her plate from the microwave and moved to the couch where she sat down and turned on the television to watch something while getting something to eat, simply waiting for her daughter’s arrival.

Outfit: Link
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From apart from Yesterday she had spent most of the new year here in Aston, and she was driving towards her apartment, or home as one would call it. Primrose killed the engine, and just sat for a moment, eyes closed as she felt her hands running up and down the stirring wheel. She had just dropped Henry off at his place after they had went to see Andrew, well or they had seen him, he hadn't seen them. Because of Andrews mental state and what Maggie had put him through he needed time to recover from that in small doses. Primrose dried away a few tears, thinking about just keeping going, get out of town for a moment. She needed to truly get home, and even picked up her phone opening Austin's contact, debating with herself whether or not it was too late to ask if she could come by. Funny how she was even thinking that, because any other day it had just been a matter of her showing up.

Primrose was just about to press the call when she looked to the side and lights from her apartment made her press her brows together. "What the hell," she mumbled a little bit feeling her heart speed just a little bit up. Now, she knew it couldn't be Maggie coming back for vengeance, they had taken care of Maggie. So, she placed her phone down and got out of her car, making her way closer towards her apartment, but the second she reached the door she realized the built up anxiety and infected trauma was for nothing as she caught her mother's scent rather quickly once in the building. The door was now of course open, so Primrose just opened it and got in. Took her jacket and scarf off, and kicked off her shoes. "Seriously mom?"

She walked further into the small apartment and looked at her mother, "is that my --?" She shook her head and placed her phone on the counter and leaned a little against it while looking towards her mother again. "Enjoying your self-care Sunday or what is going on?" The siphoner crossed her arms a little bit, still with her brows confused pressed together. She should just have kept on driving.

Michelle heard the door open, but she didn’t move from her spot. She only looked up as she heard her daughter. She quickly tried to chew away the pizza piece in her mouth, “Mh… Hello my little Rose!” she said with a wide smile. As her daughter got further into the apartment her daughter didn’t seem very pleased, and Michelle immediately found her pleading, innocent and fast blinking eyes. Mercy. Or something like that, right? As her daughter shook her head and comfortable, Michelle pulled a little wider smile. Victory.
Michelle frowned a little as her daughter talked about a self-care day. Well, everyone needed a selfcare day. “Oh, cool down a little,” she said and rolled her eyes, putting the slightly soggy pizza piece back onto the place and put the plate on the coffee table nearby. She turned herself so she could look at her daughter. She crossed her arms over the back of the couch and rested her head on the top of her hands for a short second taking in her daughter. She clicked her tongue and straightened a bit up. “First of… You never call me, miss busy,” she repositioned her right arm, so her forearm would point up, and her fingers could cup around her chin. “You haven’t even told me your son is alive,” she said with raised brows and licked her lips, narrowing her eyes a little. “And then you ask my brother for help,” she pulled a hurt face forward for her daughter, “And Kieran!” she almost wailed, throwing her head dramatically back. She threw a couple of fake sobs, “Why not me?” she wondered, and tilted her head to look at her daughter with sad puppy eyes. She straightened up drastically, “And don’t even get me started… On these holidays!” she said and actually got up from her seat. “You didn’t even invite me to reunite with dearest Violet for Christmas... You probably haven't even told her about me... So I spent Christmas with a bunch of a-holes!” she pushed her lower lip forwards, making it quiver a little while she approached her daughter. “And New Year’s…” she whispered, “I was all aloooone!” she said dramatically an placed her hands on her daughter’s cheeks. Michelle dragged the drama a little, before she shut it down. “So show a little hospitality, ‘Rose” she said, almost a little sensually before she found her daughters chin. “So I’m going to eat your pizza… Deal with it,” she said with a confident nod. She put her hand out to her side, and the plate spawned in her hand. With her free hand, she grabbed the piece that she had put back on the plate and took a bite of it. Nodded once to set a period in all of her rambling.

Primrose took a deeper breath in when she was told to cool it down a little, not really in the mood to cool down. Then it came, tonight's lesson started. Primrose knew she hadn't called her mother, well they talked - sometimes when they felt like they needed to, but communication came both ways. Okay to be fair she hadn't told her mother that Andrew was alive, or Violet had been found. She had told her father but not her mother, then again her father had helped her deal with the trauma that had followed by losing Andrew - she couldn't say the same about her mother. Okay, it seemed like her mother was just playing the dramatic victim of not being picked first at a game in highschool. Primrose took a longer and deeper breath in letting her mother finish all of her little ranting before she actually wanted to speak, "you done?" Primrose raised her brow a little bit, as her mother had placed a hand on her cheek.

When she was sure her mother was done with her little show, she exhaled. "First of all, I was going to talk to my friend. Who happens to be your brother's girlfriend - and Cass called Kieran. Not that I'm mad about it, it got the things done so," she made a small shrug. "You could as easily have called me, you know? It's how a phone works," she blinked a little bit at her mother. "I was spending the holiday with my daughter and with my hus- former husband," Primrose cleared her throat a little bit, "we haven't spent the holiday's together for at least a hundred years. And I wanted to at least give one of my children a good Christmas without all of your, dramatic flair if I'm being honest -" she made a hand gesture towards her mother, then taking a few steps further to the side and over to open a bottle of wine - god knew she needed it for this conversation. She wasn't going to feel guilty about the company her mother had been in, after all she was old enough to not be needing Primrose to fix her social life right? She took two glasses down and opened the bottle rather quickly and poured up in the glasses. "And it wasn't like I wasn't going to tell you about Andrew, things were just very complicated and a lot - and Violet knows about you for the record, I just don't feel like throwing into her all of the family drama when I finally got some distance from it myself - heaven knows I have enough drama on my own." She magically waved one of the glasses to the coffee table where her mother was, and picked up the other glass and took a larger sip.

Michelle nodded a couple of times, putting the plate and the slice away on the counter where Prim stood and turned her full focus on her daughter. She dusted off her hands from any leftover flour there might have been on her fingers from the pizza. She placed both of her hands on her hips. She raised her brows and nodded slowly. So, her brother had found a new girlfriend, which happened to be Primrose’s friend. Interesting. Cassian never told her anything! Bastard… Michelle couldn’t stop her eyes from rolling as Primrose explained that it had been Cassian who had contacted Kieran. Why not their father? Why was Kieran so much better, huh? She shrugged a little as she defended that she wasn’t mad about it. As long as they achieved what they wanted to achieve.
Michelle raised her brows and crossed her arms as Primrose said she could’ve just have called. A little smile couldn’t stop from curling up on Michelle’s lips as she heard how her daughter was about to fall over her own tongue. She really liked Austin, didn’t she? She rolled her eyes a little as Primrose tried to justify why she had celebrated Christmas with her husband and daughter. That was no excuse for not inviting- Oh…
Michelle pulled a sad pout, as if she had been hurt that her daughter didn’t want Michelle to meet neither husband nor grandchild because she was dramatic. Okay, it might actually have hurt Michelle a little, but she wouldn’t let anything throw her off her throne of confidence. Michelle’s eyes followed her daughter as she went to get wine. Michelle chose to sit up on the counter of Primrose kitchen and simply follow her daughter’s movements. Michelle raised her brows as her daughter explained that she was going to explain that things about Andrew. When? When he was thirty? Primrose had known about her son for quite a while! God… Michelle just wished she could’ve helped getting her grandson out of the crazy lady’s hands. Urgh… Crazy ladies gave her shivers. She turned her front towards her daughter as she said Violet knew about Michelle. Well, why-…. Oh…
She grabbed the wineglass that was given to her and took a big mouthful. “Darling,” she said softly and waved her over. If Primrose got close Michelle would wrap her arms around her child. “I love you,” she would then kiss her daughter’s hair. “But I think you’re pushing me away, munchkins,” she mumbled. “Talk to me,” she continued in the same hush tone.

It felt like she was playing a game, and Primrose didn't know the rules yet, and she was honestly just exhausted from being everywhere at once. So, no she hadn't called her mother, she had talk to her father yes, but it wasn't like she had informed the rest of the family for the sake of putting her mother down, she had avoided everyone, some of them just happened to be in the life of the people she knew. Like Daisy and Cassian, after years of having tried to set the two of them up and they never even had agreed to know about the other person, they had found each other despite that - which made her happy also just seeing them happy. Her mother waved her over. Now she never really knew when to fully trust that, especially given everything that had happened just over the past twenty one years. But she let her mother wrap her arms around her, well she hadn't let her do that for what at least over ten years. "I've been pushing everyone away," she mumbled a little sighing a bit. It was true. After Andrew had been cut right out of her and taken, then found out he had died, everything had been too much and she had shut down. It was a miracle that her father had managed to reach her when it had seem no one else could. But she had just needed time, and she was coming back to herself again.

Then she lifted herself a little bit out of her mother's embrace again, small steps. "It's just been a lot happening at once, you know? But I'm on the right side of things so, it's going to be okay," she nodded a little confirming it to herself as well before taking a sip.

Her daughter agreed that she had been pushing everyone away. Not just her dear mother. Even though Michelle could be such an uncaring person, Primrose did mean so much more to her than anyone else. Okay, she couldn’t replace Atlas spot in her heart, but Prim meant a lot. “I know, my baby” she mumbled softly to her daughter, caressing her gently. Michelle never really made herself available like this, and some part of her believed that she should do this more often, but another part of her also believed that this was way too sentimental.
Michelle looked at her daughter’s eyes as she pulled a bit out of the embrace. “You’re doing so well,” she said and brushed some of her daughter’s hair away from her face. “I’m proud of all of the things you’ve accomplished, darling,” she told her daughter and pulled a soft smile, before she let one of her thumbs slide over Primrose eyebrow. “You need to take breathe a little, mmh?” she said while her daughter took a sip. “Violet is back. Andrew is in better hands. Things are definitely going to be okay,” she assured her daughter. She believed she needed a little bit of a push. Confidence.

Was she doing well? Well, Primrose knew she was on the right track. It had taken a lot to get here, more than she cared to sometimes admit. Because she had lived for so long, she felt like she should somehow had been able to withstand the trauma better than she had. Primrose licked her lips a little bit, "yeah," she replied to the question if she just needed to breath. It meant something to know her mother was proud of her, it did. Primrose took yet another sip. Because her mother was right about what she said, Violet was back, right now Andrew was in better hands than Maggie and everything seemed to be headed the right way. Then again, in Primrose's head things hadn't headed in the right way till now, not till Austin had knocked on her door and said he had found Violet. Till then it had just been a void, so cold and empty - heart breaking. "I hope so," she licked her lips a little bit looking towards the window where she could see the lamppost outside. Well it was true, Primrose needed a confidence boost, it had been far worst than this, but she was slowly getting there a step closer to taking back what she had lost of herself, even through the years where she had been in her own eternal darkness wasn't something she could get back, she could fight to make sure this year, and the next ones were magical. Maybe one placed to start would be how she was truly feeling, a wise person had ones said: the first rule of truly living, was to do the thing you were most afraid off. So what was she waiting for?

Maybe Primrose wasn’t feeling like she was doing well, but she had accomplished so many things – and even though Michelle hadn’t gotten all of the stories, she knew a few of them, and these were enough for Michelle to believe that Primrose did well with how many accomplishments she made. Of course, one could always work on oneself. Or well, it wasn’t an interest for Michelle to work on herself, but everyone else, right?
“No, darling. We know,” she corrected her daughter who seemed to only want to hope. They were stronger than puny hope. They knew things. They were strong. Independent. It didn’t matter if there was a name written or hidden on their collarbone. Michelle took a sip and caressed her daughter’s hair while she looked at a lamppost outside, “So honey. What’s the goal?” she said, only keeping her eyes on her. Sweet, sweet Primrose.

Sometimes she forgot. She forgot just how long she had lived, all the things she had experienced, Primrose had written so many journals over the years about adventures, heart break and everything in between. So, of course they knew things would be alright. This wasn't the first trauma, this wasn't the first time that Primrose had been filled with this rotten dark feeling, it was unlikely the last time either. "Yeah, we know," she cleared her throat a little. What’s the goal? See, that was a good question. "Get back into reality. Spend time with my daughter, make sure my son gets the best care he can. And become a better me than I've been in a while, because I miss her," she moved her eyes back to her mother with a smaller smile. "I need to find out if I want to go back to my old job, or I want to travel a different path," not that she had a plan, but she had been thinking about if it would even be good for her to get back to the force.

Michelle pulled an appreciative smile as her daughter corrected herself. Yes. She knew. It wouldn’t always be night. The sun would come, and they day would go on. Her daughter started to announce the goal that Michelle had asked for. She smiled a genuine smile to her daughter. She was proud that her daughter would seek a better self. It was a healthy decision, and it was a gift to know that one could be doing better. And Michelle might be lacking that gift, or maybe, she just chose to ignore it, since she believed she was thriving. She just simply did what she wished to do. “Sweetheart,” she spoke softly, “You’re three thousand five hundred years old… Which job is it you imagine you might go back to?” she said and let a hand run over her daughter’s hair before she grabbed her glass and took a sip of the wine.

And then they were back to reality. Primrose once again was reminded on how often they could go where they spoke, and then there were years were they almost acted like strangers. She wasn't even sure she had really spoken to her mother in the years she had been with Austin. Well, Primrose was in contact with her family sometimes, but she had always talked more with her father than her mother. "Well I was a criminal detective for the past 30 ish years, I've been on leave since the entire Andrew situation - or you know, I was good friends with my boss, he said I should just say whenever I was ready to get back," she licked her lips a little bit. But yeah, Primrose was old, sometimes she just yeah, once again, she forgot that. Living so much in the present than the future, always moving forward. "But yeah, it's not like I'm enslaved to go back to that, I just know I need to do something and get my life back on track again, otherwise I might go crazy -" She had even started to try running again, well luckily she was half vampire it was rather easy to get back in shape like that, but it was also rather good for her mental health to do something, and a great excuse to sometimes go with Austin on a run, right?

Her daughter talked about how she had been a criminal detective and how she had had a good relationship with her boss, and therefore could get back on whenever she pleased. Michelle smiled kindly by the mention. She was so happy that her daughter had done so well, and she only wished that goodness would continue to be in her sight. Michelle didn’t wish for her daughter to suffer like she had done, even tough Michelle was confident that those who didn’t suffer as much, would have to carry another kind of burden. No one was going to get through life untouched. She corrected a strand of her daughter’s dark hair. She took her looks in. She admired it. She noticed how they had similar features. She tried not to think too much about what of Primrose features that was from Ace, but it didn’t matter that much. She nodded while listening to her daughter. “Do you feel like you’re not getting anywhere?” she spoke softly. For a little moment she wondered whether or not her daughter should be offered a spot at the Jones Cooperation. There was a lot of things her daughter would be able to do there, but maybe, just maybe it would be a little too much to handle?

"Its not as much about not getting anywhere, as finally realizing how stuck I've been," she cleared her throat a little. Sometimes it was just hard realizing how much you had gone through and how it had affected you entirely. But one step at the time. "But I reckon I will try going back to work maybe next month or so, if its even me anymore, but after everything that went down with getting Andrew back, I'm just so happy that it's hopefully over," well those bastards had even kidnapped Katelyn and Violet, nothing had happened to them per say other than the experience, which on its own was enough. It had been a hard month, but at least they had had each other. Daisy had killed Maggie, Maggie was gone, and they had burned down the barn were the girls had been taken. As well she trusted Cassian and Kieran had taken care of the things at the house.

She continued to listen to her daughter, and a little sympathetic smile formed on her lips. Incredible, right? “That’s a process,” she whispered to her daughter keeping her eyes on hers. Her daughter told her how she was going to try and go back to work next month. “One step at the time,” she said with a little curl on the corner of her lip. “If work doesn’t feel suitable for you anymore, I got your back, okay? I’m sure grandpa’ wouldn’t mind helping too,” she assured her daughter. Michelle was positive that no one but Primrose and Ace knew this side of Michelle. Sympathetic, caring, and supportive. Yeah, that wouldn’t be the words that one would describe Michelle with. No, she was self-centered, one hundred percent. Nothing was left for anyone else.
“No matter what, my dearest, I’ll make sure it’s over,” she comforted her darling. She let her hands cup her daughters face. “I am always here for you,” she assured her daughter. There was nothing she wouldn’t do for her sweetheart. “I think you have a great plan for the future. And it’s okay that you’ve felt stuck, there will always be periods of one’s life where one will feel stuck,” she assured her darling.

Primrose gave a small nod. Now she didn't need money, she had plenty and her father had helped her a lot. The only reason why it was hard for Primrose to mention that was she didn't want to start giving her mother fancy ideas for pissing off Ace or act out on the fact that she hadn't been there after the Maggie thing. Her father had been there, and that trip, the years in Australia after her and Henry had split had been just what she needed to get herself back. "I'm going to be fine," she however said with an assuring smile. But Primrose had also always liked handling things herself, not owing anyone anything else. Also, she didn't really like milking the topic too much, nor picking on the emotional level too much. She was going to be fine, it was just a rough path. It wasn't like she didn't appreciate the sympathetic nature her mother could show when she was around, but Primrose also knew who her mother was outside these four walls. Because well Malcolm for one didn't shut up about all the shit Michelle was doing, his words. "I know, but I'm a big girl I can handle things myself. You don't need to handle anything for me, I will be alright," she nodded a bit. It wasn't just being stuck, it was getting past a trauma that had been so huge she had drowned and blamed herself for years. Sabotaged and destroyed herself. "Yeah, I'm sure we do - well now, if you will have me excused. I have to go, I almost forgot I promised Austin and Violet that I would bring dessert over," she got up from the couch with a warmer smile. Okay, she hadn't really promised that but she also really wanted to spent the hours she could with the two. "I'm sorry - you can't stay as long as you'd like... you are after all already making yourself comfortable," she gestured towards the couch where her mother was sitting dressed in Primrose's clothing, eating her leftovers as well.

Michelle narrowed her eyes a little, knowing her daughter. “Okay,” she said, softening her expression. When Primrose then continued to explain that she was grown up and could handle herself, Michelle pulled a sad smile. “Of course,” she said and pulled her hands away, placing them on the edge, grabbing onto it. She nodded when she excused herself and mentioned Austin and Violet. A short chuckle left Michelle as her daughter said that she was already making herself comfortable. “Don’t worry, I’ll be out of your hair,” she said and with a little wiff of her hand, most things were cleaned up. “I’ll let you see your man and your child,” she said and dusted of her hands before she got up and walked after Primrose. “I would really like to meet Violet when she’s ready,” she said with a kind smile and gave her child a little squeeze on the arm before she would move towards the door so she could leave.

Primrose looked towards her mother as she got up and walked with her. Now, it wasn't because she didn't love her mother because she did, it was something about Primrose not being able to anything but. It didn't mean she was blind to the fact that her mother was a tornado always coming in and twirling things up not caring much for the mess she created on her way, so it did feel like a uncomfortable shiver down Primrose' spine when her mother squeezed her arm, and told her that she would like to meet Violet when Violet was ready. Now, it wasn't when Violet was ready that Primrose was most concerned about. "We will see how everything goes," Primrose gave her mother a small nod. Not always knowing if she could trust the kind smile, even when she wanted to more than anything else. Primrose then headed out the door and moved towards her car, getting everything set and gave her mother a small wave with the hand before she drove off. Taking the long road to Moonlight Falls.
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