Sylvia Hayward

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Sylvia Hayward, née Dunn,<ref>Verona's family tree, in Keeping Tabs, Kennet</ref> is Verona Hayward's semi-estranged mother. She currently lives in Thunder Bay.

Personality

Sylvia is described by Lucy as having spent a lot of time figuring out her life.<ref>“Exactly, yeah,” Lucy said.  “Verona’s mom is really set on deep introspection and thinking about how to set up her life.  She’s smart and does this, I dunno, calculus?  Figuring out her church community, wine drinking buddies, work…”

“She bailed on the church thing,” Verona said, quiet.  “She paid her dues by showing up and the community was split on backing her up when she divorced my dad, and she didn’t respect the ones who did, as weird as that sounds.”

“I interpret it as her having it figured out as much as Verona’s dad doesn’t,” Lucy said. - Excerpt from Shaking Hands 9.z</ref> She enjoys cosmopolitan living and talking to her sophisticated friends.<ref>She surrounds herself with smart people, and she lives for these, like… they’re one on one dinner parties, almost.  Or one on two, if she invites a married couple.”

Verona collapsed onto her beach towel again, adjusted her bikini top, and then wriggled a bit to get comfortable.

“I like to think I’m smart, like, I can pick up on stuff, usually, or I’ll watch a medical show and I’ll be able to figure out what they’re talking about a step before they find some excuse to give the dumbed-down explanation for the audience.  But the discussions - Excerpt from Shaking Hands 9.z</ref> She described herself as feeling stifled whilst living in Kennet, cut off from all the things she enjoys.<ref>“I couldn’t, I can’t.  None of the things I enjoy, none of the people that make me thrive, I know you’re thinking of Jasmine, and she’s a lovely woman, but- I was dying in Kennet.  I was getting mean, I was frustrated with everyone, your dad included.  The divorce drove home how small people are.  I’m- I have to live in a city.  I would love, at some point, for you to experience that with me.”

- Excerpt from One After Another 10.4</ref>

Relationships

Sylvia was formerly married to Brett Hayward, but they divorced acrimoniously before the beginning of the story. They are no longer in regular contact; Brett blames Sylvia for her failure to pay child support and for his current financial situation.<ref>“It’s just us, Verona.  Your mother left, I’ve got work, I’ve got thirty six thousand dollars of debt from just the expenses of taking care of you and the house.  She doesn’t pay support when she should.  So I work the extra hours,” he said.  “Two jobs.” - Excerpt from Lost for Words 1.8</ref> She also had an affair while the two of them were still together.<ref>“I’m so alone, Verona.  I’m trying so hard and I have nothing to show for it.  No friends, no wife- your mother gave me an STD from someone she cheated on me with and then left.  I can’t convey how alone I am.” - Excerpt from Lost for Words 1.8</ref>

After the divorce, Sylvia's relationship with Verona deteriorated due to her living in Thunder Bay and only visiting occasionally. Sylvia has expressed regret at the rift that's grown between her and her daughter.<ref>“I hate that we go off and do our own things and we don’t cross paths.  And it is entirely my fault as the mom that I let it happen.  A part of me hoped my situation would change or we’d grow into new interests that did have those overlaps… I did with my mom.  It took until I was seventeen or eighteen before I could talk to her, adult to adult.  But I screwed up.” - Excerpt from One After Another 10.4</ref> The two of them appeared to grow closer after their vacation together.

She got on well when talking to Jasmine, Connor and Kelsey.<ref>- Excerpt from Dash to Pieces 11.2</ref>

Apearance

She's short and has long black hair tied up in a half bun, half ponytail.<ref>Verona’s mom was only a handful of inches taller than her, making her about five feet or just under five feet, and if the lines in her face were airbrushed out, would be pretty easy to mistake as an older sister.  Her hair was long, black and a bit coarse, and done up in a half-bun, half-ponytail thing where the ponytail sorta stuck out the side of the bun.  Probably a result of the drive over, so she wouldn’t sit back against her hair or have it in the way while it was over her shoulder.  She was wearing a patterned top, mom jeans, a necklace that went around the neck a few times so it lay in a few different layers, strung with seashells, and a gauzy scarf with a pattern on it.  Her handbag, held with a hand at the strap and a hand at the side, was big enough that the summer suit jacket and what looked like maybe a raincoat all fit inside with room to spare.  It was probably expensive, with the leather, and golden zipper and big embossed brand name, but it had a color that was probably called mustard and would more accurately be termed baby diarrhea yellow. - Excerpt from Leaving a Mark 4.2</ref>

References

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