Notelet X: In Utero

Petunia Williamson was keeping a dark secret. It had been weighing on her for years. "Can I tell Yvette?", was her self-talk. But she didn't want to put her daughter's life in a mess. She had accepted her lot in life. "No, not Yvette", she screamed in anguish. If she didn't tell someone she'd burst. All these years she had kept the family secret only for it to be triggered by Yvette's recent dismissal from work. She had sold Yvette the story about doing better with another employer quite a few times. Yvette, her career jet-setter daughter would soon be in the Guinness Book of Records at this rate. With 29 dismissals to her name at the age of 25, one could only conclude that Yvette Williamson was allergic to work. At 5'4 with jet black hair, brown eyes and a slim frame Yvette was anything but a lazy employee. She was the first one in and among the last ones out. She couldn't for the life of her give her manager Mr. Cooper any respect. She disdained him without completely knowing why although she thought as her direct line manager she could make a better go at the work than him. And then there was Derick Smythe the VP who was just plain competent. "What do they see in these men to give them a corner office?" "They are utterly useless", she remarked to Sean her desk buddy over their afternoon tea break. "I can certainly do a better job than both combined", she added. She was called out of the blue one day into the VPs office and, fired. But why? She didn't buy their talk of down-sizing as the recent company memo had indicated that Donovan Fabrics would be expanding its offerings. She felt no tears; just anger. This time she would not lay it to rest. She would see them at Tribunal.
As she was telling her mother about the week's events, she noticed tears trickling down her mother's cheeks. "Mother, why are you crying?", she asked. "If it's about the job I will look for another one. You know I always do, please don't cry". The more she pleaded with her mother, the more uncontrollable were her mother's tears. "Yvette, sit down. I needed to have had this conversation with you yesterday". "I am the reason you can't hold the jobs". Yvette's eyes looked like they would fall out of their sockets. "Mother, what do you mean?" "25 years ago, said her mother, when I was working my way up the corporate ladder, I found out I was pregnant - with you. I was young and impressionable then. I knew I wanted kids but the timing was wrong. I wanted to get to HoD first before having a family; that way, I could give my family the best life possible. I was only a year and four months into my new job. I was devastated. I hated the child, I hated you and Charles was to blame for putting me in this mess. You would have been aborted if not for aunt Bianca. She encouraged me you know to keep the bump as children are a gift. I didn't have it easy the last trimester either and deep down I rejected what should have been a joyful experience. But all that changed when I saw you. You were everything I imagined you to be, you are mine. I had created something special - with your father of course. In the joy, my life turned to what it is now. This is through no fault of yours, no fault of yours. I am sorry I rejected you and wished you'd disappear. If I knew then it was you I would have taken all those negative words back".
At that very moment Petunia held Yvette's face cupped in her palms and looking straight into her eyes said, "am so sorry baby". This was too much for Yvette. She didn't know how to react and did only what would come naturally to anyone, cry. "Mama, how do I change this? What do I do?" "You do nothing dearie. Only believe and accept that I love you everyday. That is enough to change things around. That is enough, Petunia said in a loving tone.

You are quintessentially special,
Love Abba