SPEAK

Chapter 10: Moments of Normalcy

I hadn't slept a wink, so by nine in the morning, I found myself in the kitchen, pouring a cup of coffee. I hadn't exactly leaped out of bed early, but the need for caffeine was undeniable. I took a sip, wincing as the memories of this morning came flooding back. Shit! What would Hale think of me now? And why did I even care?

I heard Ivor barreling towards me and instinctively poured the coffee into the sink, saving us both from a confrontation. Super smart—Ivor didn't get to snatch it, and I didn't get to drink it.

"Jerk," he muttered under his breath. I rolled my eyes, turning to see my mom in her best red dress—, her only best dress—stuffing a few dollars into her purse.

"Where are you going?" Ivor asked, eyebrow raised. Mom turned around with an uncharacteristic smile. Normally, she'd snap, "None of your business," but today she seemed different. "Out for breakfast with a friend," she replied, her smile growing cheekier by the second.

"Which friend?" Ivor pressed. I wasn’t particularly interested, but I was curious since Mom never mentioned friends.

"His name is Victor. We work together," she answered. Victor? Seriously, what a lame name, I thought as I started making another cup of coffee.

"You're going on a date," Ivor declared, hand raised triumphantly like he'd discovered a new element. Mom looked surprised. "It's not a date. I don’t think it’s a date," she said, sounding defensive.

"Your dress thinks it's a date," Ivor shot back, sitting on the kitchen counter with a frozen pizza slice poised for a bite. Mom looked flustered, clearly distressed.

"Oh my God, it is a date. I'm going on a date. Why am I going on a date?" she muttered, almost in a daze. This wasn't her first date in recent weeks, but she seemed genuinely anxious. The word "date" hung heavily in the air, repeated so many times it started to lose meaning in my head.

"Can we stop saying 'date' now? Thanks," Ivor quipped sarcastically, mouth full of frozen pizza. I cringed at the sound of his chewing and handed Mom the freshly made cup of coffee. She smiled, mouthing a thank you as she took it, and I felt a wave of relief as the hot cup left my fingertips.

"Let's talk about this,"

"Goodness! No!" Ivor exclaimed, heading for the living room. Mom followed him, looking even more worried. "We should've talked about this. I don't know how to do this. Let’s talk about it now!" Why was she so nervous? We weren't little kids anymore; she deserved to live her life.

Mom’s phone rang, signaling her departure. "It's time for you to go," Ivor muttered with an exaggerated eye roll and my mom headed to the door.

"Mom, wait!" Ivor called as she reached the door. "What?" she asked, sounding anxious. "Turn around," he said, stepping closer, zipping up her dress all the way. "Make good choices, okay?" She smiled, reassured, and walked out the door.

One of the rare moments when we behaved like a typical family, I felt a surge of happiness, like a warm yellow glow enveloping me. Is this what a typical family is? Why ask me, I have no idea.

Ivor looked at me, his eyes clouded with worry. "He doesn't matter, does he?" None of them did, I thought as I handed him the half-empty cup of coffee Mom had just drunk. Ivor was dealing with a lot, and I wished I could help him, but I couldn't.

***

Oh shit!

I found myself at a convenience store, definitely not the one Hale's mom owned. I was there to buy... well, that didn't matter now. As I walked up to the cashier's counter, I heard the beep of items being scanned.