I Will Love Him Anyway

Chapter Six

We slowly walked inside his two-story blue house and I was instantly hit with a homey smell, which my house smelled nothing like. I've always wished to come home and be able to enjoy a warm, cozy smell all around the house, but once I get home I'm always disappointed. 

Walking down the entrance hall, I immediately see family portraits hanging on the walls. Although not fancy, they still had a sense of family even in a photo. We arrived in a small living room that was covered in earth tones where three kids were sitting on the floor and couch watching tv. The oldest was a boy who looked around eleven, with dark brown hair and light green eyes. The middle child was an adorable little girl that looked to be around eight, with black hair and deep green eyes. The youngest girl looked around six, with dark brown hair and blue eyes that looked a lot like Jake's. They were beautiful just like him. If they were this handsome, it's a wonder what their parents looked like. I wish I could have looked more at the pictures on the wall without looking like a creep.

When the children looked up and saw Jake, they all said hey to him and ran to hug him. A hug. Something so small but that I've always missed out on when it came to family. I have always got hugs from close friends, but never from my stuck up family.

We heard an older lady's voice from somewhere down another hall opposite the one we came in. "Jake, is that you?"

Jake looked in the general direction that the voice came from. "Yes, Ma."

Ma? Who says Ma anymore? But it does sound more comfortable and motherly at least more than calling my mom mother. Well, when she's there to call. I never called her mommy like most kids did when they were growing up.

The woman who Jake called Ma stepped out of the small hallway leading to what I presume is the kitchen where the smell of food is coming from.

"Hi, sweetie. How was school?" She asked.

"It was good, Ma. Not much to say; it's just school."

I stepped out from behind Jake to get a good look at who Jake's mom is.

She looked very surprised to see me. "Oh. You brought a friend." She stated to Jake more than asked. "And who might you be?"

"Uh, I'm Lacey, but you can call me Lace." I told her awkwardly. I've never really liked meeting new people.

"It's so nice to meet you!" She exclaimed will running up to hug me. I was startled too much from the hug to reply. "Are you saying for dinner?"

I didn't answer right away. Should I? What if Jake didn't want me to stay?

I glanced toward the cutie in question and realized that I would live to spend a little more time with him.

"Sure. I would love to." I replied. I glanced over to see Jake's shoulders drop. Was it from relief that I stayed or disappointment that I didn't leave?

While thinking this, I looked back at Jake's mom... And she looked ecstatic. Like really ecstatic and I'm not being sarcastic. 

"That's great! I'm making lasagna and we will have more than enough. By the way, my name is Kim. Jake's father will be off work in about twenty minutes." She informed me as she lead me and Jake to the kitchen.

"Jake, it's your turn to set the table. Tommy did it last night."

"Ugh. Okay, Ma."

What surprised me wasn't when he easily walked to the right cabinet. It was when he easily did his chores without complaining and throwing a fit. Every time is was at a friend's house and their parents asked them to do something, they would throw a huge fit and whine about it.

I know I'm rich and have a housemaid, but I'm not so spoiled that I can't do something as simple as laying plates on a table.

I saw Jake start walking to what I believe is the dining room with an armful of plates, so I went over to help him.

I grabbed about half of them out of his hands and followed after him, but not before I saw him tense up and stiffly walk into the dining room. Did he really not want me here? If I hadn't of told Kim that I would stay I would already be gone.

I slowly walked into the brightly lit room and sat the glass plates on the table. After I fixed up a few of the place mats, I glanced up at Jake to see him laying a fork beside the last plate that needed to be fixed.

"Did you not want me to stay?" I asked hesitantly.

He looked at the direction my voice came from. "What? Yeah, it's fine that you stay for dinner. I, uh, just thought that you didn't want to stay and that you had something better to do. I'm sure you are busy and don't want to be here. So if you want to leave I'll have no problem with it, and I'm sure my ma would understand."

"I don't have anything to do. And so far your family is very nice and sweet. Well, your mom is; I haven't officially met your siblings, yet."

"We can introduce you to them when dinner is done. That's the only thing that can pull them away from the tv." Jake informed me.

Kim walked in with the pan of lasagna and smelling the delicious cheesiness, I realized just how hungry I was. I couldn't wait to dig into that. "Jake, sweetie, can you go get the bowl of salad?

Jake ran his fingers against the table towards the door. "Sure, Ma."

I helped Kim get everything settled by making room for the lasagna. Once Jake came in with the salad - he leaned against the wall to find his way - Kim called the children into the dining room.

They came scrambling in to their seats. I sat between Jake and his mother while the oldest boy with the dark brown hair and green eyes sat beside Jake. The girl who looked to be right sat beside an empty chair that was placed beside Kim. The cute little girl with the black hair and blue eyes sat between the little boy and girl. Once they were all settled they looked up at me like they just realized I was here.

"Hi, I'm Lacey." I said politely.

"Hey! I'm Paul, Jake's brother. And these are my little sisters." He exclaimed and pointed to the girls. "This is Jess and that is Elizabeth, but we just call her Liz. Sometimes even lizard, it just depends on how bad she stinks after her gym class." He said while trying to hold back a laugh.

So the younger one is Jess and the older girl is Liz. I'm not good with names so I'll probably get them mixed up.

I looked at Liz, "I never stink! Paul just says that because he's jealous that I never sweat, but he can fill buckets up with it." She glared evilly at Paul and smirked.

"Don't pay any attention to them because that's all they want." Jess told me.

"Okay, I'll try to ignore them." I told her while trying not to laugh. She was just so adorable! When I said that, she giggled and gave her arguing brother and sister a smirk.

Jake turned in my direction, "they always argue so don't mind them." He in formed me.

Once they settled down Kim started grabbing plates and putting lasagne on them and then the salad.

"Oops! I forgot that garlic bread." Kim put everything down and ran towards the kitchen. A second later she was bringing in the garlic bread which smelled like heaven. "I didn't burn it this time!"

Uhh, okayyy.

Everyone grabbed their food and started digging in. "Leave some for your father!" Kim joked.

"Mom, there's still more than half left! We don't eat that much!" Paul looked at her like she was crazy.

"Paul, she was just kidding. Chill out." Jake told him.

Right after Jake said that we heard someone close the front door.

"Tyler, is that you?" Kim asked.

"No, Dear. I'm just a burglar with keys to the house." He answered back.

Well, he sure is sarcastic.

*****

I would love for anyone to make banners and covers for IWLHA!