"Mum! Mum where are you?" Adalyn called out excitedly as she entered her home. She had just come back from Lorelai's house, and unlike the other days, she found her house unlocked and her mum's car standing outside. Usually her mum would be working at her café until 9.00 pm, but today she came home early. But Adalyn was way happy about it as she got to give the good news to her mum.

"I am in my room Addie!" Came her mum's voice.

Adalyn quickly ran to her mum's room with excitement all over her face.

"Whoa Addie! What are you so happy about?" Laura said, giving a small chuckle.

"You won't believe what happened!" Adalyn screamed.

"Addie, calm down. Sit down with me, and tell me all that happened." Laura said calmly.

Adalyn quickly jumped onto her mum's bed, making Laura chuckle once more.

"So, you know Michelle right? My idol?" Adalyn said, making her mum hum in response. "So, I came across her post on Instagram which said that she is organizing a photography contest! The winner will win a free internship under her for two weeks in London!"

Laura started getting excited as much as her daughter. Adalyn continued, "So, first I had chosen three pictures, but Lorelai said that I can do better and she was right. So she took me to this amazing lake where the sky was so pretty and the sun was setting. I snapped a picture and it is so beautiful mum!" Adalyn showed the picture to Laura who gasped at looking at it.

"Whoa Addie. That is so pretty!" Laura screamed just like her 17 year old daughter.

"So this is my contest entry now. Should I send it?"

"Of course Addie! I am so proud of you!"

"Thank you mum so much!"

Adalyn ran upstairs to her room to get her laptop. She opened the door in a haste and quickly grabbed her laptop. She switched it on and accessed the site. Under the 'submit your picture' option she posted her clicked picture with the following words written with it:

Picture courtesy:
Adalyn Mia Henderson
Age 17 years old
Adelaide, Australia

After typing all of these details out, Adalyn gave one hard look at the picture she clicked. She felt good. She felt as if she had a fair chance as everyone else who was participating in this. Even though she may not win, she won't be completely crestfallen; she will learn from her mistakes and keep going.

After wandering around with her train of thoughts for some time, Adalyn pressed the submit button and after receiving the congrats, your picture is submitted message, she felt at peace.

"Addie! Addie come down for dinner!" Laura's voice came from downstairs, snapping Adalyn out of her daydreams.

"Yes mum coming!" Adalyn replied back. She kept her laptop on her bed and went downstairs.

"What have you made for dinner mum?" Adalyn questioned as she came down the stairs.

"Just some tomato soup with roast chicken." Laura replied with a smile.

"Oh okay."

Adalyn sat down on the chair in the kitchen. Her mum came with a tray with two bowls of tomato soup and two plates of roast chicken along with the cutlery. She set the tray on the table and handed Adalyn her bowl, plate and cutlery. Then she sat down and kept her bowl, plate and cutlery in front of her. Before they could begin eating, a question popped up in Laura's mind.

"Addie did you submit your picture?"

"Yeah I did, I even got the confirmation."

"Okay. Are you excited?"

"Yeah I am. I think I have a fair chance as everyone else."

"Of course you do."

For the next 10 minutes, the mother daughter couple ate their food in silence. The only sound that came was from the gentle scraping of the soup spoon against the ceramic bowl and the forks and knifes against the plates. Once they both had eaten their dinner, Adalyn got up picking up her utensils along with her mum's. She took them in the kitchen to put them in the dishwasher. As Adalyn was keeping them, Laura walked in the kitchen.

"You know Addie," she began, "your dad would have been very proud of you."

"Yeah he would have been. I remember his exact words, 'it's important to participate in competitions to know your strengths and weaknesses. It doesn't matter if you win or lose. Learn from your mistakes and always keep your head held up high.' "Adalyn said, with a single tear trickling from her eye on to her left cheek.

"Aww Addie don't cry." Laura said, while giving her daughter a side hug. Adalyn turned around to hug her mum properly. They stayed in that position for a good 5 minutes, each of them holding each other as both of them sniffled occasionally.

"I miss him so much mum." Adalyn said into her mum's neck which made her voice muffled.

Laura pulled out of the hug and cupped her daughter's face while wiping her tears with the pads of her thumbs.

"I miss him too Addie. But we gotta stay strong for him yeah?" Laura said sweetly while kissing Adalyn's forehead.

"Yes mum." Adalyn said with a soft smile.

"So, finish putting these dishes in the dishwasher and then have a shower and go to sleep. You have school tomorrow and it's getting late." Laura said in her sweet motherly voice.

Adalyn groaned which made Laura let out a small chuckle.

"Tomorrow is Friday, so after that you have two holidays."

At this, Adalyn started jumping around, which made Laura let out yet another chuckle.

"Okay now Addie go upstairs." Laura said in between her laughs.

Adalyn finished keeping the dishes in the dishwasher and went upstairs after giving her mum a soft kiss on her cheek.

As Adalyn plopped on her bed, she opened her phone and saw a notification awaiting for her.

Lori ♡

So have you uploaded your picture?

Yeah I have. Really excited for it!

Okay sis chill. Btw, mum said I can come
to school tomorrow. :)

Omg yay! I will be at your house at the
usual time.

Okay. I am going to sleep.
Gn <3

Gn to you too 💓

After texting Lorelai, Adalyn went to have a shower and changed into her pyjamas. Then she slipped under her warm duvets feeling happy with all that had happened today and hopeful that she does get the opportunity of her lifetime.

______________________________
Author's note
I am really enjoying writing it and hope you are enjoying reading it. I think you all will like the next chapter; it is something new. And don't forget to vote if you enjoyed it.

With love through health and sickness
Keziah