Up To Speed

Runs in the Family

Between the three of us we were able to carry all of Finn's shopping bags in one trip. After dropping what she was carrying in the foyer Rebekah declared we were boring and left to be entertained elsewhere. I didn't fail to catch Finn flinching away from her when she stomped past him.

"Where is the laundry room Finn? This stuff will need washed before you can put it away. Smells like that damn store." My nose was scrunched up as I held out one of the offending bags of stinky clothing.

"I do not know." He shrugged. The panic in eyes took a minute to fade as he focused on the mundane task.

I shook my head and blew out a sigh. "Well let's explore I guess. How hard can it be to find a washer and dryer in a mansion?"

Remembering the library and art studio were towards the left I opted to go to the right of the massive foyer. The first room was a huge formal dining room with a long wooden table big enough to seat at least thirty people. Next was a chef's wet dream of a kitchen complete with state of the art appliances and the nicest granite countertops I had ever seen. There was door in the kitchen that led downstairs to what looks like a basement.

Finn's thick accent broke the quiet of the kitchen. "Hello Mother."

I turned to see a middle aged blonde woman in the doorway. She was beautiful with the same golden hair and blue eyes as Rebekah and Niklaus. I waved to her in an awkward greeting. "Hi Finn's Mom."

She seemed startled as took in the sight of us. "I was unaware you had a friend over Finn." Her voice was actually kind of soothing like warm tea.

"Mindy this is my mother Esther. Mother this is.. my friend Mindy. She is assisting me to change my appearance for your ball." Finn was stiff as a board where he stood slightly in front of me, physically shielding me from his mother's scrutiny.

He seemed upset or unsettled in her presence, his new haircut showcasing the tense line of his jaw. I reached out with my left hand that was hidden behind him to touch his back. The hard muscle tensed even further before relaxing slightly.

"That is a commendable task Mindy. I'm sure my son has not made it an easy one." The condescension in her tone threw me off guard. Her face was blank in a stiff poker face that looked unnatural. Every second in her presence was more eerie than the one before it.

Finn leaned slightly back against my hand as I cautiously replied to her. "Oh no, Finn's pretty great actually. I don't think I've gotten along with someone this quickly ever in my life." I moved my thumb back and forth in a feeble attempt to reassure him.

"Come to dinner tomorrow Mindy. I would like to hear of your progress." What little tension that had eased in Finn was back worse than before. Yeah I'm officially freaked out right now.

"Um... okay. Do you happen to know where the laundry room is? That's what we were looking around for. I'm sure Kol would like his clothes back soon." At the mention of her other son, Esther's gaze sharpened. She stared intensely at me the same way Elijah did before he forced me into doing whatever he said.

Despite being very creeped out by the woman I remained calm. It seemed Elijah's demand controlled my bodies reaction to emotions and dimmed the strong ones that would affect it. I am still scared of Finn's family including Esther now, but my heart wasn't pounding like it should be.

"You have met Kol?" She opened her mouth to presumably ask something else but Finn cut her off.

"The laundry room Mother? It's late and Mindy has work in the morning." One day and he's already copying my excuses. Is it shameful to feel proud?

"I am unsure. Niklaus's friends pick up the dirty linens, I have not washed them myself." She seemed more annoyed at someone else doing her laundry than being interrupted.

I put some pressure on Finn's back pushing to move back in the direction of the foyer. He did not get the hint and stayed put. "Thank you Esther, it was nice meeting you!" I gave her a polite smile as I grabbed Finn's wrist opting to pull him out of the room instead.

"Look let's just load the bags back into my car and take them to my place. We can chill there instead of hunting down one of your brothers." Reaching the discarded bags in the foyer we began to gather them back up. Without Rebekah we had to make two trips back to the car but it was worth it to be away from potential interactions with other freaky members of Finn's family.

I started the car and began the journey to my house. "Are you alright? That was a pretty stiff conversation."

He heaved a heavy sigh turning to look out the window. "Mother has forgiven my siblings for the monstrous things they have done. I do not think I am capable of such grace." His hands were fisted in his lap barely fitting there with how scrunched up he was.

"Finn you know you can adjust the seat right? Your knees are practically touching the windshield." His look of blatant confusion told me that no, he did not know that. I pulled the car into my driveway and left it running. "Don't move I'll show you."

I got out and moved to the passenger side. Opening the door I couldn't help but cackle at him. "Oh my god! How did you even get in?"

He was silent for a second before he began laughing too. It was a lovely sound, almost as lovely as his the way his green eyes shined in the setting sun.

I reached out and grabbed his right hand moving it down to the buttons on the base of the seat. "Most modern cars have these buttons now, older cars have levers under seats so you can move them back. Better?" With the seat moved back his shins weren't pressed up against the dashboard anymore. "Some of the electric seats won't work if the cars turned off so you have to wait until it's started."

Not wanting to walk all the way back around I leaned into the car, pressing against Finn to reach to keys. I was stopped from moving back out of the car by his hand on my side. His fingers were brushing against the tattoo on my left side where my shirt had risen. "I saw red and I thought it was blood. Why are you painted?" His voice was as soft as his touch as he lifted my shirt further to see more of the art.

"It's a tattoo. Kind of like a painting done with a needle to permanently mark the skin." I explained still leaning over his lap.

He had my shirt lifted to the band of my bra able to see two thirds of the trail of colorful flowers that covered my side. "It is beautiful Mindosia." His thumb rubbed against the red tulip that first drawn his attention. "Why do you paint yourself?"

I smiled sadly at him as I finally pulled myself back out of the car, keys in hand. "I paid someone to tattoo me. It's a copy of the bouquet my baby brother bought me for my birthday right before he was killed." I swallowed the lump in my throat before changing the subject. "Come on let's go inside."

I unlocked the door and walked in leaving it open for Finn to follow. I heard his steps stop and he let out a heavy sigh. "Mindosia I cannot enter with invitation." Turning to look at him still standing on my porch hands loaded with shopping bags. "I will wait here if you do not want me inside your home."

My eyebrows must be touching my hairline with how high I raised them. "Seriously?"

"Yes girl. I cannot set foot inside a home I have not been invited into." Finn replied shortly.

"Well okay then. I, Mindosia Stratford invite you Finn Mikaelson inside my home. Good enough?" Just when I thought he couldn't get weirder.

He finally stepped over the threshold following me through the house to the laundry room. He stuck close to me too close actually. If I turned around I would crash right into him, that's how close he was. We set the first round of bags in the hallway outside of the tiny laundry room, right across from the stairs. The setting sun shining through the glass of the backdoor the only light in the hall. I huffed at Finn when I turned to lead us back outside for the rest of his clothes, his broad shoulders took up most of the hallway. Instead of bothering with words I took a hold of his arms pulling one side and pushing the other to make him turn around. A light shove to his back made him finally move on his own and head back out to the car. At least he's good at following directions.