Insatiable Habits

Josephine

💋Cecily💋

"Ahem" my mother cleared her throat behind me and I shot upright, turning to meet her quizzical glare, I smiled wildly at her and stood up.

"Good morning, mom!" My eyes darted around, I had been caught red handed, doing exactly what she had asked me not to do.

"Lose something on the floor, sweetie?" She crossed her arms.

"Had a cramp!" I lied and she knew it.

She huffed and shook her head. "Leave well enough alone, Cecily! Mr Elias visits his grandparents every morning, although he's late today..." she thought the last part out loud.

I touched my cheek where he had slapped me just 10 minutes ago, if only she knew that he was late due to harassing me.

"I'm leaving well enough alone. Which is why I was hiding, mother!" I countered, with a smirk.

"Mhm, sure sweetie. Now get dressed and help me make breakfast, Mr Reddrick isn't usually up for breakfast so he must be hungry!" She walked passed me, gently rubbing my shoulder as she went.

"Sure thing!" I called out before making haste to my bedroom where I quickly got dressed in a black t-shirt and khaki colored shorts, brushing my fingers through my hair as I took a look at my reflection in the mirror.

How my mother didn't notice the red handprint across my cheek and swollen lip, I have no idea but I put on a rose lip balm to try to cover it up a bit before I headed into the kitchen.

"Here, toast the bread!" Mom turned as I walked through the doorway, a loaf of bread outreached to me, I took it with a nod and popped a few pieces in the toaster.

"I was thinking-"

Mom cut in "Oh no, don't hurt yourself" then snorted with laughter.

I rolled my eyes. "Haha, funny!" I glared "Anyways, that I'd go look around Charleston today, if you don't need my help after a while?" Our eyes met as she stood at the stove, frying eggs.

"I'll give you a list and you can stop by the grocery store for me?" She smiled, happy to have me along side her again.

See, my father left my mother when I was five; luckily my memories of my father are too vague to miss him and apparently he was a real piece of shit, signed over all right to me just because he didn't want to pay child support, so my mother being the bad ass she is, went back to school and graduated with a nursing degree. She's been working her ass off ever since.

She landed this gig, working for Mr Elias when she started working at one of those cream of the crop retirement facilities, she did tell me this bit. Apparently Mr Elias himself scoped out the place and somehow stumbled upon my mother and offered her a full time position here, taking care of his grandparents in the comfort of their home.

After a long moment of staring at her, gathering that she is perfectly happy with her life and position. I pulled the popped toast from the toaster and set it on a plate.

"Yes, of course...No problem-o!" I finally answered.

"You're the best, it's hard for me to get out of here unless for doctors appointments or scheduled outings. It's such a blessing to have you here with me, Cecily!" She beamed, cutting off the stove and plating the eggs on two separated plates.