Intertwined

Part 10: Shots

When Logan and Lauren arrived home, they found his mother curled up in bed staring at the wall with bloodshot eyes.

It was much like yesterday when they came home and it honestly wrecked them.

"Mum?" Logan asks.

"Helen? Babe? You doing okay?" Sitting up, she looks at them and puts her hand out for Logan. He looks so worried, but he slowly comes over and takes her hand. Helen pulls him down into her lap- as though he's still a small little boy and presses a long kiss to his temple

"Mum..."

"Where's Lukas? What happened?" Lauren feels unnerved by her friend's silence and clomps down the hallway to Lukas' room. She knocks on the door and he opens it much to her relief.

"Aunt Lauren?"

"What happened? Why is your mother like that?" She asks and Lukas looks out of his room at his mum holding his kid brother and stroking a hand through his hair as she rocks them back and forth on the bed.

"I told her some things she didn't want to hear." He states without remorse and Lauren grabs his shoulder and backs him into his room- shutting the door behind her.

"What did you say?"

"The truth."

"Stop playing games, Lukas Za'hir and tell me what the fuck you told her?!" She growls at him and he looks deep into her eyes before sighing and allowing his shoulders to drop.

"I told her about how worried Logan is and I told her that Max isn't going to be sticking around as anything more than a friend."

"What is the fucking matter with you?! Are you trying to give your mother a fucking heart attack?!" She quietly yells and he just shifts his eyes downward a bit.

"I'm not letting her end up with another arsehole who's only gonna hurt her."

"News flash, Little Boy—they weren't all assholes. And you know that. You don't need to protect your mother from every man who comes around. She's fairly good at determining who stays and who doesn't. Don't you think she is capable of that?"

"She'll let anyone in and..." Lauren gently taps his face and he steps back- a bit stunned that she did that. It didn't hurt in the slightest, but it just startled him that she did that.

"Listen here ya little brat- your mother may have a new heart, but she isn't a fucking fool and she isn't fucking weak! If she seems depressed and weak it isn't. Cause of the heart in her chest but the mere fact she is an adult trapped in a life where she can't even seem to make friends and proper relationships because her two very sweet yet very overbearing sons refuse to let her try and be happy!" Lauren fumes and backs Lukas up to the points he is forced to sit down right on his History book that's open on his bed. She gets a finger in his face and it honestly scares him more than his own mother. "So here's what's gonna happy and God help you if you or your brother fuck with it—you both will allow her to meet and go without with any man she fancies. You will allow her to have a Goddamn adult life and you won't argue or fight or intervene because that woman fucking well deserves that. And if I hear that you intervene with her personal life- So help me God, I will strike you both down and hang you by your toes. Do you hear me?"

He swallows hard and nods his head.

He's never seen his aunt this angry before.

She's always so fun and cool.

Never verbally aggressive like this.

"Now- I get it. She's your Mum and it's natural to worry and hate the men she's with—but Lukas, she is a very brave, strong, and intelligent woman. She's not going to put herself in another situation with a bad egg. Besides, if she has someone else to focus on for a bit- don't you think that'll mean she'll lay off of you and your brother a bit more. You're seventeen- don't you want a life outside basketball and school? She wouldn't even let you walk home alone tonight and you live three blocks. So...let her have a life so you can have one too."