The heat from the July's sun was like a physical assault to the young woman who stood out in the balcony of her New York city penthouse and gazed for the last time, at the chaotic yet exquisite lifestyle and periphery of the locales where she lived. Skyscraping buildings didn't do much in shading her from the scorching sun as the heat was able enough to destroy the power of her seventy five pa++ sunscreen. Her ivory cheeks were slightly flushed, and beads of perspiration circled around them. She furrowed her brows fluttering long lashes as she passed a glance to the westside, over honking cars and wailing sirens to get the last view of that ambiance.

She was leaving. But was it for good? She didn't know. But she wished. Anything to move far away from the woman in the other room, she was willing to take the chance. She exhaled firmly, coming to the end of her decision. No one could change her mind, at least, not even her dad in support would. Gathering herself for the last time, she made the last turn and walked back into her master bedroom, pulling close the glass pane doors and then drawing the long white curtains that ended the view of the exterior and the burning sun. 

She walked briskly to the bed in the room now shaded from light and grabbed her newly purchased purse containing her needed vanities. She scanned the area once more to be sure she wasn't leaving anything behind before pulling along her Louis Vuitton travel bag and leaving the space. As she walked down the aisle length to the elevator, the aroma of perfectly sauced bacon and pancakes clouded fresh air and triggered her senses, causing her to hasten her steps to the elevator. She didn't want to meet it. She didn't want to see her. Her aura alone was bad omen. Why? Why? Why? Why was she trying so hard? First, she did her laundry and now she's making breakfast? No way. Before she could hit the elevator button for open, her name spurred out lazily from the arbitrated lips.

"Sarah." 

Sarah bitterly pulled to a stop, as if hearing her name had manipulated her movement. She stayed quiet, clutching the handle of her bag for support and choosing not to look back. 

"Sarah, dear." 

Sarah dear? The words screamed in her head, resonating her back to earlier stimulus. What did she just hear? Sarah, what? 

"Sarah." 

She hated that pathetic pitch in which she called her name and it triggered her even more. Why did she try to act so pitiful? Why was she trying so hard to be sorry? Even if she was, it didn't matter now. She was beginning to seethe; if she turned now, hell will break loose so she remained motionless, and listened carefully to the whining woman. 

"Are you leaving already? I was making breakfast for us." 

"I told you I was leaving early." 

"I wanted us to have breakfast, I told you right?" The woman's voice was low. And apologetic. "We weren't able to talk much last night, I thought we could talk more at breakfast table. You know, just you and I alone. . . please." 

Sarah finally looked back at her, her cold gaze sharply scrutinizing the other woman who stood pathetically at the kitchen counter with an already set countertop. Her white hair was held up and the ponytail cascaded down to her lower back. She never changed. Light brown brows, pale blue eyes and plump lips that seemed like was refilled again. How could she be proving to have changed and was still so obsessed with looking false? She'd give her that, she was pretty but at a time like this looking beautiful should be far off from her reasoning but yet this woman still put in her all. It pissed her off to her bones. It pissed her off that she'd never really changed at all. She sighed bitterly, containing the repulsive thoughts of this woman before raising her lids back to the her while she remained so pitiful. 

"What exactly do you want?" She asked, her voice calm and understanding but flawed signs of hurt. "You show up after nine years and expect us to sit and talk at breakfast table like nothing happened? What are we going to talk about actually? The last time I checked, we're not even close." 

"I know and I'm trying to make up for those lost years--" 

 "If you're trying to make up then start by keeping your distance." She snapped, her chest heaving with agitation. "Sit on the couch and watch me. Learn me. For another nine years. That's not too much to ask right?" 

"Sarah--" 

"I have a plane to catch in the next one hour, talking to you is wasting my time." 

"Please, I don't know when you'll be back, why don't you save the flight for another day?" With the curt cocking of her brow, Carmen knew she had made the wrong remark. Why did she ever think Sarah would cancel a flight to listen to her apology? According to her, they weren't even close, but she knew she had to keep trying and one way or the other, she was going to convince her to stay. She sighed bitterly and moved out of the counter to get a closer glimpse of her estranged daughter and prove how serious she was.  "Sarah dear, I know you're leaving because I'm here, but I don't think you have to. If we talked about this you'll see you don't need to leave." 

"You and I have nothing to talk about--" 

"Sarah--" 

"You're so annoying." She fought back tears, her lips trembling. "Isn't it obvious that I don't want you anywhere around me? You had an enormous capacity to worry about all your lovers and drugs that you forgot about your own family, what makes you think now that you deserve a fair hearing huh?" 

"Sarah, I'm sorry. It's never too late to apologize."  

"It's never too late." She scoffed "You left when I was just fifteen. I had to grow up by myself and with a dad who was barely available. I'm not asking you to leave my house or anything related to that all I want from you is just your absence." 

"Sarah--" 

"Don't expect me home tomorrow or next because I'll be gone for a very long time." 

"Sarah." 

Sarah walked quickly to the elevator, pressed angrily on the open button and got in. While the doors slowly closed she stood rigidly watching the woman across the other room sadly mouthed her name. It wasn't necessary anymore and thanks to the elevator, the doors finally closed. Closing the both of them apart again like nine years ago. 

*****

"You don't have to leave." Fifteen years old Sarah Whitehill looked tearful as she blocked the door to the exit. She had just woken from sleep due to the loud banging and shutting of drawers and cabinets to discover her mom was finally leaving the house after all her promises of it. She didn't want that. Her dad was barely home, she didn't need to lose another parent, much more her mom whom she loved so much although Carmen hardly ever reciprocated it. 

She rolled her eyes nonchalantly as she clutched on the handle of her travel bags. She was deft at this decision and nobody was changing her mind. 

"Please stay." Sarah pleaded. "If you talked with dad about this you'll see you don't need to leave." 

"For the last time leave the door." Carmen warned. "Listen girl, I won't regret whatever happens to you if I push you out of the way." 

"You can't be any serious!" She cried. "What do you expect me to do all by myself, stay here alone? You're all that I have left." 

"You're mistaken, your father is still alive." 

"But he's never here?" 

"So you know he's not here and you want me to keep on living like a housewife? Me? Belle of New Orleans? He married me and brought me into this dejected ho-hum and expect me to live like one of his expensive furniture. But I say enough is enough. I'm going back to my old self and not you or anyone will stop me, now get the hell out of my way." 

"Mom." Carmen shot her a sharp stare before Sarah slowly moved from the doorway. "Why are you doing this?" 

"Go ask your daddy, I'm sure he has all the answers." As she walked down the aisle length, she continued to whine as Sarah followed up behind her. "He thinks because he's general of some devaluated colony he thinks he's the only one who has a life?" 

"He's only doing his job and trying to make ends meet and make us the best comfortable that we can be, don't you like as you're living in one of the most expensive penthouses in the city? Aren't you happy with getting new fillers and buying new designers every launch? He knows the life you want that's why he's doing he's best--" 

"Then stay and enjoy the best, listen girly, I'm past this stage of sitting at home like a brick and doing nothing--" 

"But you run a ysl shop. Isn't that enough?" 

Carmen stopped in her tracks, and glanced at her. "Since when did you start outlining my achievements? If you focused on your studies like you paid attention to my life I'm sure your school must have granted you a scholarship by now but no, you choose to meddle in everyone's life and act like a therapist." 

"If you walked out that door, God will forgive you but I won't." 

As if it was enough to stop her, Carmen hissed matter-of-factly and walked to the elevator. "Tell your dad not to expect me home tomorrow or next because I'll be gone for a very long time." 

Tears spilled down her cheeks as Sarah bitterly watched her mom get into the elevator. "Mom." 

While the doors slowly closed, Carmen stood rigidly watching the younger woman across the other room sadly mouthed her name. But It wasn't necessary anymore and thanks to the elevator, the doors finally closed. Closing the both of them apart for a time unknown to them. But for how long?