Chapter Text
Natalie dreams of fire and ice. The exhaust of the plane engulfs in flames. There’s an explosion, Van’s fiery red hair matching the smoke that would’ve claimed her. She’s running through the woods, gold necklace choking her as she trudges through the snow. Javi appears, leading her across the frozen lake. It cracks; he falls through. The others claim the Wilderness has chosen its prey as she watches his lifeless, frozen body sink towards the bottom. Shauna pulls his body up to the surface before that happens, except it’s no longer Javi. It’s her. It’s her dau-
Natalie wakes with a scream.
“Mama?” she feels a tiny hand rubbing soothing circles around her chest. “Are you okay?”
Her little girl’s face comes into focus, the six year old’s eyebrows scrunched up in a concerned frown. Dark brown hair is tangled from sleep. She yawns before rubbing her tired emerald eyes.
Nat pulls her into a comforting snuggle, although said comfort is more for Natalie’s sake than her daughter’s.
She shuts her eyelids, attempting to prevent the tears from falling. “Julia,” she whispers. “You’re okay…you’re here.”
Her daughter, Julia, giggles. “Of course I’m here, Mama! I…It’s my first day at the new school.”
Natalie’s eyes open in an instant. She sits up in bed, glancing at her digital alarm clock on her bedside table, which reads 7:29. Shit. They’re going to be late. Nat for her new job, and Julia for her first day at her new school.
Originally, Natalie had left the small town of Wiskayok, New Jersey, far behind her. Once she and her teammates were rescued from the Canadian Wilderness, Nat couldn’t leave her trailer without being bombarded by flash photography, stares, and whispers.
She and Travis fled town, did a bunch of drugs and were on and off for years. Until one day, a little over seven years ago, Natalie contracted a UTI and was prescribed antibiotics for treatment. Perhaps it was the narcotics she had been on or she had simply received a poor high school sex education, but Natalie hadn’t known such medications would conflict with her birth control.
Travis initially stepped up. They married within a month and rented out a duplex in Connecticut.
Things changed the moment Julia was born. Despite being born completely healthy, pink with all ten fingers and toes, she was a baby. The only way she could communicate was cry and Travis was irritated to no end. He would scream at her while she was up at three in the morning warming a bottle for their daughter, Julia’s cries echoing throughout the house.
He’d taunt her, make her feel guilty for not being able to breastfeed, her milk having dried up two weeks after giving birth.
The final straw, however, was coming home from the pediatrician, Julia upset from her one month vaccines. She saw the used needle on the coffee table before seeing Travis, high as a kite on heroin, sprawled out on the couch. Natalie served him divorce papers the very next morning.
Travis rarely sees his daughter. Julia’s lucky if she receives a card on Christmas or her birthday. Natalie feels a twinge of guilt about that. Instead of living paycheck to paycheck, Natalie received a better job offer in her hometown of all places. She knows Travis doesn’t give a shit about his own child, but a part of Natalie wonders if she’s alienating her daughter from her own father even further due to the move. She deserves two parents who dote over her and love her unconditionally.
Natalie rushes out of bed, quickly getting herself and Julia dressed for the day. She fetches her daughter’s winter coat, helping her with the zipper before slipping on her sneakers.
Her cup of black instant coffee in one hand, Nat hands Julia a poptart with her other.
“You’ve got your backpack?” Natalie asks her, fiddling with her keys.
Julia bobs her head up and down. “Uh-huh.”
“Great,” she says, opening up their apartment’s front door. “Let’s go, peanut.”
____
Lottie Matthews most likely broke several traffic laws trying to get to her daughter’s school in time for dismissal. She usually arrives on time, but working for the New Jersey mental health crisis team sometimes has emergencies, this time involving a student in middle school. Whenever her job involves children, Lottie becomes extremely depressed and burnt out. Her mind racing in several places, from her stressful work day to picking up Lisa on time, Lottie slams her breaks in the elementary school parking lot, nearly hitting a woman and her young daughter.
“Jesus!” the woman yells, holding her child back with her arms. “Watch where you’re going. You almost hit me and my kid!”
Lottie gasps as she parks her car in an empty space. She knows that voice. She’s had a crush on the woman with that voice since the ninth grade.
“Natalie?” Lottie says as she exits her car. “Is that you? God…I’m so sorry.”
Lottie’s unaware Natalie had a kid. Since when?
The dark haired woman is speechless. “Lottie? I- Do you always drive like that?”
She shakes her head, locking her car door with the button on her key. “I truly am sorry,” she repeats. “I was held up at work and I didn’t want to be late picking up my daughter.”
The next thing out of her mouth is bold. “I’ll make it up to you,” she says. “Buy you a coffee. We can catch up with each other.” Get to know each other again , Lottie is too apprehensive to say.
Nat smiles. A true smile, one so wide her dimple pops out. She hands Lottie her cellphone. “Quickly, call your number. I don’t want to make you any more late picking up your daughter.”
Calling her cell with Natalie’s phone, Lottie ends the call once Nat’s number is added to her recent call list. “I’ll text you later,” she says. “It was a pleasant surprise running into you, Nat.”
Natalie nods back at her, Lottie smiling as she walks past her. Curiosity getting the best of her, she looks back at the mother daughter duo. Natalie is helping her daughter get buckled into her carseat, attentively listening to the little girl’s chatter. She never imagined Nat as someone’s mom, but from one glimpse Lottie can see how excellent she is at it. Hell…she looked happy.
Lisa is waiting for her in her classroom. She’s the last to be picked up, apparently. Her little girl practically barrels into her, wrapping her arms around Lottie’s waist.
“Mommy!” Lisa exclaims. “You’re finally here. I had the bestest day!”
Lottie ruffles Lisa’s light brown hair. “You did?” she questions. “Well, I want to hear all about it.”
Lisa goes on and on about this new girl in her class while they walk hand in hand back to Lottie’s car. Her mind drifts back to Natalie, wondering if the little girl attached to her hip was her daughter’s new classmate.
“She’s my new friend and she just moved here,” Lisa says happily in the backseat of her car while Lottie drives them home.
“Really?” Lottie says, genuinely intrigued. “What’s her name?”
“Julia,” Lisa says. “I don’t remember her last name but she says her mom is trying to change it anyways.”
Considering Lottie is ninety nine percent sure Lisa is referring to Natalie’s daughter, she frowns. Knowing she’s likely getting no support from whoever fathered Julia angers her, especially since she has a feeling who the little girl’s father is.
Between helping Lisa with her homework and getting dinner prepared, Lottie isn’t able to text Natalie until she’s in bed for the night.
Lottie: Hi Nat. Hope you’re well. Wondering if you’d still like to get coffee sometime this week? My work lunch is from 12-1.
She sets the phone down on her nightstand, only for it to light up with a reply back from Natalie immediately.
Natalie: Sounds great! I work from home on Thursday and Fridays. Would Friday work for you?
Lottie couldn’t help the blush forming on her cheeks as she texts back.
Lottie: Friday is perfect. I know an excellent place where we can stop for coffee and a bite to eat.
She places her phone back down on her nightstand, plugging it into its charger. Lottie cannot help her giddy smile as she closes her eyes. Falling into a deep sleep, she dreams of Natalie Scatorccio, adorable dimples, and striking emerald eyes.