Growing Up and Other Tall Tales

Chapter 78

"Mother." I greet with clipped anger. "It's too early."

"I bring breakfast." She raises her bags as peace offerings. I look at her head on. "And coffee." I hear Lyra rustling around in the back. I sigh and push the door a little wider.

"How's living together?" she asks and I shrug noncommittally before looking down at my tie betrayed by its stubbornness

Lyra lets out a snort when she enters the room and sees me. Dumping her books on the counter,

"Give me that, you useless slob." She grumbles and pulls me down by the tie making the breath whoosh out of my lungs startled. She's doing that quite often, actually. Leaving me breathless.

"It's not sitting straight." I complain and she mimics me mockingly and straightens the tie. She looks up at me with raised eyebrows. I sniff in disbelief then mutter something about how the fabric is terrified of her.

She laughs. She does that often too nowadays. Her shaking breath catches my skin. Something chips in my resolve.

"Not bad, I see." A voice speaks amusedly from the kitchen and Lyra immediately jumps, her eyes splitting open into grey skies. My hands go around her immediately, stupidly.

"Hey." Lyra exclaims. "It's you." and then turns to me. "It's her."

"I do not mean to startle you." she says. "But I bought food. And coffee."

"She had coffee." I say defensively

"I—uh, good morning." Lyra says patting my hand that is sitting solidly on her waist. I let go. "Aiden doesn't drink coffee."

"I actually did not know he would still be here." She says apologetically and I shrug leaning over the counter to dig through the pastries in the bag. I grab a bagel and waved it at her.

"Thanks." I say turning around and realize I haven't let go of Lyra's hand yet. I squeeze it, asking. Her thumb drops down on mine after a long second and she lets go. I look at Lyra for another long second before turning my attention to her. "I'm off then. Play nice."

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Aiden always had a grand presence so when he leaves a room a large hole demarcates his absence. And it feels almost unbearable now.

She pats the stool next to her and I smile nervously before sitting at the edge of it.

"I—uh, realized that I did not have the chance to speak to you after you came here with Capo." She says

I wave my hand awkwardly and then looked at the Styrofoam cups she had in bought. She followed my gaze and then smiled before handing me one. She leaned over and picked up the food bag from where Aiden had left it on the counter and gives it to me. I let the warmth radiating from the coffee ground me.

"How are you and him?" she says

"Okay." I say and then watch her face fall a little at my curtness. I roll my eyes quietly and continue. "I mean sometimes I feel like he is going to kill me." She lets out a little chuckle at that

"He is a little—" the doorbell drowns whatever else she said

"Who's that?" she asks

I shrug confusedly before sliding off the stool. "It could be Aiden. He forgets things."

I pull the door open, a reprimand ready to roll off at the tip of my tongue when Nick practically pushes past me with a "What took so fucking long?"

"Nick, wait. I—"

I rush behind Nick who had already made it to the living room with his stupid long legs.

"...so I thought we could study together. And by studying together I mean you study and I fall asleep and—hello, Aiden's mother."

Oh no.

"Lyra's mother actually." She corrects standing up to shake the hand Nick had extended. His hand drops before she could.

"Excuse me?" he asks dangerously. He looks at me confusedly. I turn to face the wall helplessly.

"I'm—you didn't tell him." She looks at me and I glared at her

"You think." I hiss before grabbing Nick's arm. Startled almost, he pulls away. I look at him. "Nick."

"What do you mean she's your mother?" he asks me without looking away from her

I clench my jaw and grind my teeth and suppressing all natural instincts to reach over and bash her head into the counter, I try tentatively reaching out to Nick again. "Can we sit, please?"