Bound in Blood

Chapter 10: A Semblance of Normality

Drake awoke to the smell of bacon sizzling. The aroma filled his bedroom and was like a gentle hand drawing him from his warm bed. The sun still wasn't up and his room was quite chilly due to the window he had left open last night. He got up and threw on a shirt and slipped on his Ohio State slippers. His eyes were just coming into focus when he looked at the clock. It was 5:26 in the morning. His parents were never up this early. He went downstairs and found his mom in the kitchen humming and cooking like a chef in the zone.

"What's the occasion?" Drake asked, and his mother jumped. She clearly didn't hear him come down the stairs.

"Damn it boy, you better start making some noise before you walk up behind me." His mother said clutching her chest.

"I'm sorry mom." Drake said laughing.

"You think it's funny?" She snapped.

"A little." Drake shrugged sitting down.

"You're a damned heathen you know that?" His mother said turning back around to the stove.

"You raised me this way." Drake quipped.

"Shut up boy," His mother started. "How do you want your eggs scrambled, or over easy."

"Over easy mama." Drake said stretching, and yawning.

"Okay, grab you a plate, they will be done in a second."

"Okay, but you still didn't answer my question." Drake said getting a plate down from the cupboard.

"What was that?" She asked flipping an egg with one hand and placing strips of bacon on his plate with the other.

"What's the occasion?"

"I'm just cooking breakfast. Why does their have to be special occasion?"

"Because it's not normal..." Drake argued. His mother dropped two eggs on his plate.

"Boy, why must you look the gift horse in the mouth?"

"All right mom, I'll just say thank you and shut up." Drake said sitting down, after kissing her on the cheek. His mother grabbed a plate and sat across from him. She got him a glass of grape juice and herself a cup of coffee.

"This is nice." Drake's mom said taking a sip of coffee.

"Yea it is." He replied.

"When's the last time we went out, just you and me?" She asked. Drake looked confused.

"I was like thirteen and you made me take you on dates so I knew how to treat a lady." He said with a chuckle.

"Yea that was fun!" His mom said with enthusiasm.

"Maybe for you, I felt like I was in gentleman boot camp."

"And it did you some good, I saw how you interacted with that Melanie girl." She commented.

"So what do you say, me and you go and do something on Saturday, or are you too old, and cool to hang out with your mom?" Drake laughed and shook his head.

"I'll never be too old to spend time with you mom, but me and Mel have a thing on Saturday." Drake explained. His mother had the ever so slightest sag in her shoulders, but he noticed.

"Okay honey." She said sounding a bit disappointed.

"Oh, mom don't be that way." He said.