Wherever You Go [Katy Perry Fan fiction]

Chapter Sixty-Six

"You're not having breakfast?" I hear come from behind me. I hadn't even realised the presence of another person in the room due to my eyes being so fixed on the MacBook screen, my mind in complete concentration.
I peered over the screen, seeing Mary stood just a few meters away from me, arms folded and an arched eyebrow. A sight I was very much familiar with from the years of growing up calling her mother.
My mom and dad, on the other hand, had made up some story of having to go and help Tamra move some furniture into her new apartment, whilst they really had an appointment up at the hospital for my mom to have more tests done. That meant that I was left at home, out of the loop once again, much to my dismay.
I hated that I was unable to sit beside her and offer my support, hold her hand, just do something other than sit here, useless. So I had spent all morning on Google. Searching for answers and finding out as much information as I possibly could about Gastric Cancer. The more I knew, the better help I could be to my mother.
"No, I don't really have much of an appetite in the morning." I mumble, my eyes still focused on the black letters on the screen.
I had thought about taking notes; getting some information written down that could come in useful, but with the two kept in the unknown walking around the house, I couldn't risk them seeing it and wondering why on Earth I was researching about Gastric Cancer. It wasn't like Mary was one to let things drop, either. Once she got an inkling, that was it.
"Well you should. It's almost 12, you should eat."
I look back up at her over my screen, rolling my eyes in the process.
"Okay," I chuckle, "I'll grab a baegel or something in a minute."
"Sammie," she tuts, copying my chuckle. "Off your butt now please and get some food down you."
Knowing that Mary is the same old Mary as she always has been and always will be, I do as she asks. Her main job was being a mother; that was what she loved most. She loved taking care of her family and getting to make sure everyone was okay, even if sometimes she was a little over the top. I guess you could say that's where my mom gets it from.
I pull myself up and make my way into the kitchen, not really feeling eating anything in particular but if it got Mary off of my case then a baegel it was.
I turned to see Louis already in the kitchen, pouring two cups of coffee. One of which I presumed was mine.
He turned, noticing me enter the kitchen and instantly melting my heart with a beautiful smile. A smile that allowed the little dimples in his cheeks to make an appearance, furthermore turning me into a soppy mess.
"Hey," Lou smiles, sliding over the coffee cup so that it stopped just in front of where I was stood. "I heard you up and about last night. I figured you didn't get much sleep."
"I didn't."
He nodded, "which is why I knew you would need the coffee."
"Thanks. Although, I am really more of a-"
"-tea drinker." He finished my sentence, turning his head to flash me a smirk once he had. "I know that, but trust me, you'll thank me for the choice of a coffee in about an hour."
I slowly made my way towards Louis, sliding my arm under his so that I was comfortably able to rest my head on his shoulder, cuddling into his side. He smelt of the Burberry aftershave I had seen him buy just a few weeks ago. It was one of my favorites. 
"I have a lot more than a coffee to thank you for. You've been here for me these past few days. I really appreciate it, Lou. I honestly have no idea what I would do without you."
"No thanks necessary. I'm only doing what any good boyfriend would do. What you did for me with all that stuff with my dad." I felt just the slightest bit of pressure from his lips against my forehead.
"It's like a match made in heaven."
I quickly lift my forehead off of Louis shoulder, turning around so quickly in surprise that I stumbled backwards and allowed the drawer handle to collide right with my back. I wince, before looking up to see a slightly humoured; slightly worried mother stood on the other side of the room. Her Chanel bag sat across her body and her black RayBans still shielded her eyes from whatever sunlight she was expecting there to be in our kitchen.
"You really need to start making your presence known when you walk into a room. That's twice." My voice is almost a huff, which, of course, she just finds even funnier.
"I did call your name when I came through the front door but it seems you were a little..." The smirk reappears on her smug face, "distracted."
I noticed how her mood seemed a lot more positive this morning. She still looked tired, and the color in her cheeks hadn't yet returned, but she was smiling more. She was keeping her fight.
"Everything go okay?" I questioned, lowering my tone just a little so I wasn't overheard.
My mom nods her head. "Everything was fine, Sweets. They just-" as if timing wasn't already her forte, Mary came strolling into the kitchen with bags of shopping in hand that I presumed my mom and dad had brought back on their way back from the hospital. She smiled at me, which I returned, and suddenly became interested in the conversation. "-they needed a hand moving Tams furniture around the apartment. Erika's in New York so I said we'd help her out. We got it sorted though."
"Well that's good." Mary says, setting the bags down onto the kitchen counter. "Now, I was thinking of-" she stopped mid sentence once her eyes set on me, and that same look from earlier on returned to her face. The pursed lips. The arch in the eyebrow. Even the arm fold. "Don't tell me you've managed to eat something appropriate in the past, what?" She looks down at the silver Armani watch on her wrist that mom had gotten her for her birthday last year. "4 and a half minutes."
I rolled my eyes once again, seeing my mom smirk at her words.
"I was just about to,"
"Katheryn, don't you make her eat breakfast?" She glares at my mother, to which it was then my turn to smirk over at her. She noticed, narrowing her eyes once her focus set on me, stood behind Mary and laughing over at her discreetly. Truth was, we were still kids at heart. We loved to tease.
"Mom," she laughs, "she's eighteen years old. What do you want me to do? Force it down her throat."
"A little encouragement would probably help, Katy."
I look over at Mary, nodding with her at her suggestion. "Yeah, mom," I taunt over to my mother. "You need to encourage me to eat breakfast in a morning. If you did, maybe I'd start the day with a more positive attitude." I held my hand in a fist in front of me, sarcastically putting a lot of thought and passion into my words. "No surprise as to who didn't read the parenting books, hmm? Encouraging your eighteen year old to eat breakfast is like rule number two to being a good mother. You're failing. I'm disappointed." 
I heard a chuckle come from Louis behind me, and as much as I tried, I couldn't wipe the grin off of my smug face. My mom didn't say anything though, she just shook her head and continued to do whatever she had come into the kitchen to do.
Still laughing at the sarcasm that just poured out of my mouth, I made my way back to Lou's side.
"I win," I mumble, picking up the coffee in my hands and taking a sip. That was enough to remind me why I don't drink coffee. To me, it tasted like toilet cleaner. Even the smell wasn't something I found very much appealing, but if it woke me up a little then so be it.
Just as I placed the coffee back down onto the kitchen counter, a shadow cast over my mug, turning my porcelain skin a shade darker and my coffee a jet black. I look over my left shoulder to see me mom stood right by my side. I looked at her in question, wondering why on Earth she was stood so close to me. That was until I looked down and saw the opened jar of baby food that she held in one hand; the other hand held a spoon, covered in the vile looking greeny mixture.
"You're right. I should be more encouraging. Open wide."
I go to step back, but forgetting the kitchen counter was right behind me, I get nowhere. She smirks. Her eyes are filled with that mischevious look that she has when she knows she's winning. I was locked, and the mixture that was somehow, unbeknown to me, edible to little children, was getting closer and closer to my face.
"Mom, I swear!" I laugh.
"It's full of all your vitamins and nutrients! It will get you good and ready for the day."
As funny as I was finding it, I did not doubt that she would put that spoon right into my mouth at any point.
"Don't even dare!" I spit out through my giggles, but she just continues.
"Katy, really? Sometimes I forget how old you are. You're supposed to be the parent here." Mary butts in, but all my mom does is shrug.
"Hey, I'm just teaching the girl a very valuable lesson."
"Being?" I ask.
Her face turns back to look at me, and her eyes are fixed with mine as she slowly inches her head closer to mine. She stops just when her nose is about to brush mine, when I can feel her warm breath against my face, and she whispers chillingly, "You don't mess with mom."
"Okay, okay," I give in, "you win, now get that stuff away from me."
"Oh, baby," she tuts, finally giving me back my personal space. Mom does an underarm throw so that the jar of baby food leaves her hand and, after flying across the kitchen, lands, impressively, straight in the trash. She looks at me once again, sending me a wink, "I always win."