It sparks joy to answer. I think about them a lot. I think Aiyana's mother tried very hard to raise Aiyana. They really did love each other very much, but Aiyana's mom was just raising a severely low functioning girl alone without a support network. She also had her own obsessive tendencies and wanted to avoid Aiyana making the same mistakes she did.

She likely picked and preened at her all the time. She wanted to keep Aiyana well read, keep her safe, clean, and most of all, she wanted her daughter to have some kind of legacy (hence the house stuff). Their relationship was likely defined by the two not wanting to fail the other but while also over relying on each other for any kind of support.

They were both home bodies. Aiyana's mom worked from home due to chronic illness. The two likely had no privacy.. No locked door household. Their life outside of perfectionism and preening was defined by doing normal things with too much closeness while not changing as Aiyana's aged. She probably never stopped bathing Aiyana or cooking for her, and she kept child locks on a lot of things... Aiyana's mother took care of everything that could be an issue leaving Aiyana lacking basic skills. 

Aiyana also likely had to help her mom a lot as her illness progressed. Aiyana's mom wouldn't know about Adelaide because she was so caught up in her stress whether or not Aiyana told her. To Aiyana's mom, anyone at school was 'a little school friend.' Their relationship became defined by the two talking at each other but not really listening.. So Aiyana probably tried to tell her..

When Aiyana realized she was a lesbian, she probably became more tightlipped about Adelaide's existence because she's bad at keeping secrets... But her mom never asked either... I don't think Aiyana's mother ever was outwardly homophobic around Aiyana, but she raised her with a focus on her relationship with men and being safe from them, especially since Aiyana has a neurodevelopmental disorder. I don't think Aiyana knew how her Mom would react to her sexuality deviating from how she'd been raised, so it was something she never shared with her.

Aiyana probably tries hard not to think about her mother extensively. She likely fixated on her way too much in a way that makes her feel shameful, but she also wishes she could've had the chance to grow with her mom and like.. Have a normal relationship. Maybe her mother could've been at her wedding. Maybe she would've recovered if she went to the doctor... She wonders about what could've been.

No! But I am happy you asked. I imagine it's because of her headwrap. Aiyana's headwrap is purely ornamental in nature- likely having religious significance further back in her lineage but becoming ornamental for the youth in her culture. 

For Aiyana in particular, she likely struggled with doing her hair when she was younger. The headscarf acted as an easy way to style her hair while also being culturally significant to her. She likely stopped wearning them at some point after her mother died, but she's not averse to them.. But she has Emma to help her do her hair all the time! 

(That is to say, I do think people in Aiyana's family are still religious, but she was a bit isolated)