The Phone Call

Instead of being able to show off her smart, successful children, she found herself constantly making excuses for why this one didn't look pretty, why this one didn't understand the homework, or this one never tried hard enough. It was impossible to bear all these years but she did it in the hopes that sometime, before she died, she would be able to show off one of her children. And with each passing day, she became more and more bitter as she realized she was hoping for something that would never happen.

"Mama, I guess I just wanted to tell you I love you and I miss you. Tell Dad and Ryan, too. I'm not sure when I'll get to come home again, what with all the work coming in and all." She laughed.

Rosemary laughed because part of her wished that the reason she wouldn't be coming home was that she was so busy with her successful life. There was a small part of her that still felt hopeful and wished that any of the lies were true. That small part of her was who had decided to call home. To listen and see, for the last time, if Mama really loved and accepted her. That was the part that laughed because it was the last part to realize that it had lost. It was her heart and it had hung in the longest. Longer than her body that gave up any dream of stardom the first night it stripped nude and danced in front of fifty drunk men. Much longer than her head that realized that coming to Los Angeles was a mistake the first day. When it realized that no matter how hard it worked, it would still fail. And certainly longer than her soul, which she wasn't sure had ever been there in the first place. It was her heart that finally found the pistol, the Walther she had purchased three days prior with the last of the money she received from selling the car.

"Rosemary, are you alright? You sound like you're not getting enough sleep. You have to remember to sleep. You don't see any successful TV stars with bags under their eyes, do you? You have to work hard and take care of yourself." With that, Eleanor felt a glimmer a hope. Maybe she would see her daughter up there after all. She did say she was in a commercial, didn't she? That could lead somewhere. Yes, she would just have to keep on the girl now that she had an opportunity. She wasn't going to let this slip away like all the other chances and leave Rosemary to her own resources. She would need her mother to push her along. Yes, there was still hope for her.

She could see it now, her daughter starring in film and TV, winning the Academy Award, taking everyone by surprise. Not everyone though. Eleanor knew it could happen because she was the one to make it happen. She could picture it now, everyone shaking her hand and saying things like, 'You should be so proud! An award and she's only been in the business six months! You must be a great mom and who knows what she can continue to achieve with your backing. It's just too bad that everyone doesn't have a mother like you. But, then again, that's what makes you so special, Eleanor.'

Finally, she would have her moment. Yes, she would keep on the girl with no mistakes this time. Starting tomorrow, she would start calling her at five every morning for training and...