Chapter Text
My mother never really got along with anyone. They always viewed her as authortative, cruel, and with complete disregard for anyones feelings. All she ever cared about was getting things done.
That's how she'd gotten her job at the ESA in the first place.
It was fun at first, telling friends at school that my mother worked with astronauts and planned space flights and all these things. It helped distract from the many nights where she'd come home from work later than we would expect. Where my dad had made a family roast that had gone cold in the hours we had waited for her to get her arse off her work chair, fold up all the papers and just come home.
But the novelty died quickly.
"Eva." my dad had once said. I was about 14 at the time of this conversation but even though I was listening through the very think and rather soundproof walls from my bedroom I remember it like it was yesterday.
"Friedrich" My mum had responded. She had her normal serious tone on. the one that she always came home with that always just began to fall away right as the day was over and it was time to leave her alone.
"Eva I love you but I don't think there's anything between us anymore."
I furrowed my brow and felt a tightness grow in my chest. I pressed my ear further onto my bedroom door.
My mother was silent for while.
Finally, she said something. It was quiet, I almost couldn't hear.
"Why not?"
my father chuckled. no… I think he cried. Or did that little wimper you do to make tears flow back into your eyes instead of out of them. That got me concerned. I'd only ever heard that whimper at things like funerals.
"Because of this! This seriousness. This distance. This constant need to always be looking at papers about the latest rocket or on the phone doing logistics or arriving back here two hours after the time you told us that morning. I understand how important your work is to you but family should be too. I feel like I miss you yet we live in the same house.
There was another brief silence. I think my mother sighed.
"Hand me the divorce papers."
"What?"
Even behind my bedroom door I gasped. This did feel completely in character for her, finding the quickest solution to a problem and all but it still felt shocking that she would give up so easily.
"You are clearly dissatisfied with our relationship so lets call it off. You and Ida can continue living here and I will move myself and my belongings somewhere that is more convient for my daily commute.
I heard footsteps and a door close. The conversation was over.