Growing Up and Other Tall Tales

Chapter 63

My mother comes to visit me.

She comes with a white basket and a worried face. I don't know what disturbs me more.

"I made some stuff," she says and bends down to open up the package, "I don't know if it tastes good but—"

"What are you doing here?"

She doesn't look up from the basket but her hands falter in their rapid movements. I feel Aiden shift next to me, uncomfortable.

Then she sighs resigned, "I'll just leave thi—"

The guilt is instant. It uncoils at the pit of my stomach and slithers its way up my throat and choke out of my mouth in a form of an apology:

"Look, I'm sorry. I'm—I'm a little tired," I wave my hand dismissively, "You can stay,"

The tension leaving her shoulders is too hard to ignore with the way her shoulders slump and then rise again to assume its posture of authority. She collapses on the seat near the bed that Amy had pulled up.

"I went by your apartment," she says nervously, "You friends have moved out for the time being. Diana is staying with Hye-Rin and her parents. Prince volunteered to stay with Kathy."

"They told me."

"What," she swallows and then sits closer to me with her hands clasped in between her closed legs, "What are you going to do?"

I don't have an answer.

"Do you have any suggestions?"

"You can stay with me?" she smiles forlornly with a little shrug of her shoulders

"Or you can stay with me," Aiden butts in and I turn to him confused and also because I don't want to see the crestfallen look on her face. Aiden's is full of grim determination like he senses my instant recoil to the idea of having to live with her. It is hard enough having to look her in the eye.

"Nick also asked me," I tell both of them and then I turn to Aiden, "I've already troubled him for a good part of my life. I can't leach off him anymore."

She looks away as if she had been slapped because it's ultimately because of her that I was put in that circumstance.

Aiden makes a face that suggests that Nick would never perceive my asking for help as a burden or as an obligation, and neither would he.

"Why can't I stay at the apartment?" I think out loud finally and almost cringe at the immediate sounds of protest

"Absolutely not," I hear Nick's loudening voice as he approaches my bed with this creased forehead and his cup of noodles. He then looks up from me to her and then back at me confusedly.

"This is Aiden's mother," I say in a clipped tone but Nick doesn't pick upon it because he beams at her. Setting his food on the table at the foot of my bed, he holds up his hand and shakes hers vigorously. Aiden looks away.

"So nice to meet you, ma'am," he grins toothily and the instinctive smile that settles shocked on her face makes me snort a little. We call it the Nick Effect. By 'we' I mean I, the rotten ass bitch. "Your son should definitely keep his five o'clock shadow,"

Aiden and I roll our eyes.

Blinking as though he recognizes bashfully that he has been distracted by the new visitor, Nick turns to me with a wagging finger.

"You can stay with me,"

I give him a look, "Your mom might come home—"

"Fuck that," he says promptly and then throws a sideways glance at her but I think growing up with multiple teenagers has taught her better than to be a prude, "I don't care—"

"I know you don't. But I'd rather not stay there if your mom doesn't want me there." I tell him but before he can open his potty mouth again, "I don't mind if it's just you,"

Nick shuts his mouth and frowns angrily. He looks distraught, panicked and frustrated.

"I was asking her if she could stay with me?" Aiden says tentatively

His head snaps up to look at Aiden; there's a flash of hostility that scrambles across his face but then it dissipates into suspicion. His eyes narrow, liquid chocolate browns hardening into almonds and bark. He is waiting for my retort and then sighs when he doesn't hear me fight.

"Fine," he lets out reluctantly, "But I've conditions,"

"Nicholas—"I begin hesitantly and then stop short at the look he throws me

"I'm allowed inside your house any time," he looks at Aiden steadily. Aiden shrugs, "I want a key."

Aiden pauses contemplatively and then accepts but with a condition of his own: "Amy can't get her hands on that key. She'll trash my house,"

"What makes you think I won't?" I turn to him, honestly offended

"You are going to have to live in that trash with me," he grins

"I'll just trash your room,"

"Like I'll keep that unlocked when I'm out," he almost hisses at me

"Children, quit it," Nick calls out and we both turn to him horrified and it takes him a moment to realize what just came out of my mouth. He clamps both hands on his mouth and retches.

We laugh at the turn of tables and Aiden offers the deal settler: "You can sleep there if you want."

Nick nods as if that came without saying, smiles tiredly at me and squeezes my leg reassuringly.

"I can take care of myself," I tell them, "I just need someone to help me get around because everything still kind of hurts. But after that, I need you to let me do it alone."

Aiden doesn't look at me and Nick looks down at a shake of his head.

"Boys," she injects and I had forgotten she was sitting there this whole time, "Would you want someone nagging you?"

They look sheepishly at each other and then promptly throw me looks of stubborn acceptance and I'm struck by how much of a high-school boy Aiden can be.

"This is going to sound cliché but," I inhale and I look at both of them as steadily as I can, "I don't need to be treated like I'm fragile and damaged,"

"We just—" Nick trails off drawing circles in his noodles using his fork

"We don't want you to recover on your own. Alone." Aiden clenches his jaw and picks up after Nick

"I want to recover on my own," I shake my head, "But I'm not alone,"