The PinUp Coffee Shop

Chapter Thirty-One: Euphemisms

"And where is it exactly that you think you're going?" The voice was curious and high pitched, tight with accusation and interest. Her jeans were black, fitting to her legs and emphasizing her curves, drawing the eye to her hips that she had her hands propped on. She was tapping her toe on the ground like a reprimanding and impatient mother. Her shirt was a ruby red, sweetheart neckline that dipped low enough to show some cleavage but not an inappropriate amount. Her hair was pulled back high with her red and black ribbon hairband, and her red nails were tapping her hip.

"Um, back to my office," Clary muttered nervously. She knew that she had been avoiding Maddie for the last almost two weeks. It wasn't to be mean, but because she didn't want to talk to her about the more serious nature to her and Jace's relationship. And Maddie would read it on her face as if she were an open book, and she would shriek in excitement and beg for all of the dirty details. All of those details that Clary wasn't too comfortable sharing.

"You've been avoiding me, Clary." Her heels tapped as she got closer to the redhead who was currently avoiding making eye contact. She couldn't hide her emotions as well with Maddie, she had known her for a couple of years, and they had grown somewhat close. Not as close as she was with Magnus or Jace, but they were definitely more friends than acquaintances. "Did I do something wrong. I mean, you've texted back, but you keep canceling plans and the second you see me here, you bolt for the door. What did I do?"

Clary looked up, concern sparking in her brilliant eyes. "No, you didn't do anything wrong. I've just been really busy. Ever since I became an official and legal adult, I've had more responsibilities, you know, helping Mr. Nearly now that he can't get into trouble for me working so much. When I was a minor despite the emancipation status I had, we still had to follow rules regarding my working as a minor. Same for the family businesses I own and run, now I have the complete and total authority to run it all. There are no more middlemen, unless I choose to have some. But now, all decisions fall onto me. I'm not complaining, I love it, but I'm still trying to get into the pattern of being an official entrepreneur, running and making colossal decisions, a mother, a friend, and a girlfriend. A lot of this is new for me, and I'm struggling a bit to manage... Everything."

Maddie chewed on her lip for a second before smiling, her soft lips curving at the corners making her eyes crinkle. "I'm so proud of you, you know that. But I thought that you ignored a lot of those rules anyway. I know you always took work home with you, and you've been making huge decisions for the company since you took it over. How much has it really changed? You know, now that you're eighteen?"

Clary sighed and set the folders she was carrying on the counter beside her and began rubbing her temples. "Astronomically. For starters, now that I am a legal adult, my true identity, what I have worked so hard to remain as quite as possible, could be revealed and I would be stalked for pictures and stories. That alone puts Jonny at risk, and it opens up a realm of possibilities that could either bring up the past or bring the past back to me. I can think of quite a few of my old foster families that would recognize me and would try to slander my name and my family, or that would try coming to me and forcing me to pay them among other things. Some people would even make up absurd stories to try and take my son from me; in my experience, most people are not kind and like to ruin the lives of people that they couldn't bring to their knees on the first try. Secondly, now I have partners that come directly to me about issues or decisions, before, to protect my identity and to prevent a loss of a partner from dealing with a 'child' they would go through my middlemen. I had people that were all very trusted running the family company before I was able to take back ownership. Yes, I still made the final decisions, and I would be clued in during these conversations, but now, they can see me. But I have to go through a process that is more thorough and uncomfortable than childbirth, to keep them from revealing my identity to anyone. And there is a lot more on top of that too, but I'll skip all of that boring stuff." She paused for a moment, chewing her cheek in indecision. She didn't know if she should mention it, because she didn't want to give her the nitty gritty details, but now she felt bad and had to explain further.