Leo wakes up when he hears a knock at the door. He stands up like he just got electrocuted and rushes to the door knowing well who is there and not wanting to keep her waiting. He opens the door and is met with a hug from his mother that smiles sweetly at him.
"Were you sleeping? I'm so happy you're getting some rest-" His mother enters the living room and raises an eyebrow.
Her finger points towards Naomi and Nicholas who are sleeping on the couch. Leo's lips form a thin line and he suddenly feels like he can't speak anymore.
"Ah forget it. They can stay here until they wake up" she rushes to the kitchen and Leo follows her relieved.
Part of his relief comes from the fact that his mother didn't say anything about Nicholas and Naomi getting drunk. She understands them because she knows what it's like to be young and carefree. The other part of his relief comes from the fact that he actually managed to fall asleep and get some hours of sleep.
"Have you talked to your father this week?" His mother asks.
"Yes. Twice actually. I think I'm gonna visit him on Tuesday"
Leo's parents divorced when he was eighteen. His mother doesn't hate his father but she doesn't adore him either. They're staying in touch now and Leo sometimes visits him. This happens rarely though because his mother thinks that he's a bad influence on Leo. His chaotic lifestyle without any worries or boundaries is somewhat admired by Leo.
He can't understand how his father doesn't worry about tomorrow or cares about what's going to happen next. Sometimes he wishes he was like that and that he didn't over think every single thing that happens.
Leo likes to visit his father when he thinks that everything is just too much. The little apartment that smells like cigarette smoke strangely gives him the reassurance that his father isn't gonna judge him. When he's with his father he feels like he can try to do the craziest things ever. But he doesn't. He doesn't do anything stupid because he knows his mother trusts him enough to let him visit his father.
Even though his father seems careless and drunk most of the time, he actually loves Leo more than anything and was willing to quit drinking to see him regularly. That's how Emma, Leo's mother, agreed to let Arthur see his own son. He's been sober for over a year now but he still seems drunk to other people because of his silly personality. He just can't stop himself and gets in trouble almost every time he goes out of the house.
"What do you want for breakfast?"
"Pancakes please"
One of his favorite foods. Though he only likes them when they're cooked by his mother. During high school he used to go out with Naomi and Nicholas and order pancakes at restaurants but they were not even close to how his mother makes them. He tried to cook them himself when Nicholas came over but they almost burned the whole house down.
His mother cooks the pancakes in a rush almost burning them and Leo grabs the strawberry syrup from the shelf above the stove.
"How was work?" He asks while slowly dripping the syrup all over his warm pancakes.
"I just got home and you already want to gossip?" Emma laughs and takes off her heels while sitting at the kitchen table across from Leo who eats the pancakes hungrily.
"You know I always love when you brag about work"
"Well.... Remember that new woman who works as a receptionist now? There are rumours around the hospital that she's dating one of the doctors. I heard it from Maria so I don't know if it's true or not"
Leo's mother loves her job as a nurse and doesn't really has time to sit around and chat that much with other coworkers. The only close friend she made, in all these years working at the hospital, is Maria. Sometimes they grab lunch or drink coffee together in the mornings when they're not so busy but other than that they don't have time for gossiping or fooling around.
"Well what do you think?"
"What?"
"Do you think that it's true?" Leo asks looking up from his plate to analyze his mother's expressions.
"I don't know. It's not really something that concerns me. I don't care who other people fuck or kiss" She shrugs and pours some coffee in her cup while Leo smiles at her.
"Thank you for this delicious breakfast my dear mother. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go and wake up my friends that aren't actually drunk. They're just exhausted from being amazing friends"
Emma raises an eyebrow at her son and bites her lip to prevent a laugh from coming out of her lips.
"Why are you talking like that?"
"What do you mean? I'm just talking like every well behaved son should. You, my dear mother, are the one that said I should work on my manners yesterday"
"Well.... I didn't mean it like this but.... It's interesting to see you like this"
"Or maybe you would prefer the old me who would hide waffles under his bed"
"You little- do you know how hard it is to clean up the carpet under the bed when it's full of Nutella and strawberry syrup?"
Emma puts her cup of coffee down and takes a few steps towards Leo who immediately runs to the living room.
"Hey guys... I think you need to leave or my mother will kick us all out" He grabs Nicholas' shoulders and shakes him causing Naomi to wake up and look at him with her eyes almost closed.
"Morning" Emma takes a sip out of her coffee and rests against the wall next to the couch.
"G-good morning Leo's mo- I mean! Mr. Leo's mother! Good morning!" Naomi smiles awkwardly at her and then slaps Nicholas across the face.
"I'm awake! I'm awake!" He stands up with wide eyes and looks around the room almost swearing when he sees Leo's mother in front of him.
"Well it's good that you finally woke up! What about some pancakes for breakfast?" Emma smiles at them and Naomi shakes her head.
"No thank you! I have to get home soon!"
"Come on! At least eat something! Look how skinny you are!" She shakes her head and runs to the kitchen coming back with two plates of pancakes.
"You really didn't had to bother and do this for us" Nicholas says with his mouth already full of pancakes.
"You know that once you enter this apartment you can't leave without eating until you drop" Leo sits down between them on the couch.
"These are actually amazing" Naomi says while stealing a pancake from Nicholas' plate after she finished hers.
"Hey! That was mine!"
YOU ARE READING
Pumpkin Spice Mocha
General FictionLeo doesn't need much except a good book and a coffee to relax. He always puts his family and friends first no matter what and he never had trouble getting close to new people. That was until an anxious boy, Aaron, that has trouble opening up, appea...
