Later on! Mia and Kate
Mia's circle of support felt a lot wider than Kate's. No one really talked about it. They just didn't. Her family wasn't full of talkers. It was full of 'look good for society'-ers, so that's what she did. She tucked it in, took in a deep breath and was a brave little survivor for her dad and sister. She continued to do charity in memory of her mother, but that hadn't been enough to make a significant difference.
What she had chosen to do in the last few months? What she'd trained to do in order to prepare herself for that step? That was going to make a difference. "It does." Being proactive put a bandaid on a lot of issues, even if they weren't as sturdy as she thought. The night had only made her realize how much focusing on others hadn't helped her deal with herself. She was glad Mia was there to call her out on it.
"Hey," she said quietly. The following words came out awkwardly, but genuinely. "Thank you For tonight. For everything."