Together Forever

15: YOUR HEAD'S ON FIRE

Currently in the zone. You guys are my whole world, but interrupt me and I will murder you.

Xoxo, Mom

Great, so my brothers and dad are out having a blast and my mom has transported herself to her literary world in her study, working on her latest book—pull her out and she will kill you.

So I'm left more or less alone, with nothing to distract me.

Not like I need distracting. It's not like Jax's drawn curtains or the mere thought of him and Lorraine home alone bothers me. Because it doesn't.

But like, I worry, you know? She was really mean to us as kids. What if she's in there, right now, bullying Jax?

What if she's making him cry?

What if she kills him and frames me for it?

I bury my face in my pillow and let out a loud groan. I hate that Lorraine can still get such a reaction from me.

I hear the sound of a car pull up in the driveway and I bolt off the bed, run to my window and stick my busybody neck out to see who it is.

Nicole's home early. Yes!

Without a single thought, I stuff my feet back into my shoes and rush downstairs and out the door, all the way to the Callahans' driveway, just in time to take Nicole's bag out of her hand as she blinks at me in surprise.

"Liv!" she smiles, letting go of her bag, "this is a surprise"

I smile, back, "welcome home, how was work?"

"Good," she says, reaching into the back to get grocery bags, "but I got really bored and decided to come home early today"

I beam, "I love you, you know that?"

Nicole laughs, "yeah, you're definitely up to something"

I laugh, taking one bag from her and letting her lead the way into the house.

When the door opens, the first thing I hear is the most horrendous sound imaginable-Lorraine giggling.

She sounds like a cat going through a blender.

She and Jax are in the kitchen, their craft supplies spread out around them and the reason for the cat through a blender soundtrack is that Jax has paint on his face and Lorraine has a wet brush in her hand.

Messy fights. That's our thing.

"Ah," Nicole says as she sees the two of them, "there it is"

"There what is?" I look at her. She only smirks and shrugs in reply before making our presence known.
"Hey baby"

Jax looks up and sees his mom first, "mom" he stands up from his seat at the island, taking the grocery bags from her and kissing her cheek, "you're early"

She ruffles his hair, "yep" she moves and he sees me and he falters, "Ollie"

I give him a sharp smile, "just helping out"

He glances briefly at the extra bags I hold up before looking back at me and I can tell he wants to say something but doesn't know what.

"By the way," I say as I walk past him to drop the bags on the kitchen counter, "you have paint on your face"

Lorraine looks like she's about to give birth to a cow.

"Hello" Nicole gives her an impersonal smile, "and you are?"

Jax clears his throat, "Lorraine," he says, "We're working on a project for art class"

Nicole raises a brow, "Lorraine Cassidy?" she turns to me and I nod gravely.