Espresso

(1) Pajamas, Lasagna, and a Diamond ring

"Oh, honey... you're awake," Tracey spoke slowly, glancing resentfully at the pajama clad Louise sitting on the couch.

"Yes, yes I am, and you're," Louise stole a quick glance at the clock illuminated below the television screen, "about three hours late. Well, three hours after you said you would drive me to Maggie's house, and five and a half hours after you said you would be home." She raised her eyebrows at the two adults standing before her but they just stood there, guilty looks plastered across their newly smile-free faces.

"Your mother warned me you would be difficult," Harvey gave a nervous chuckle, glancing back to Tracey, "but not nearly this much," he added.

"Harvey," Louise's mother warned, placing a small hand on his beefy shoulder, but he just shook it off.

Louise instinctively shuffled to the opposite edge of the couch as Harvey's muscular form sank into the cushions right next to where she had been sitting only seconds before. Ignoring her mother's disapproving stares, she brought her bare feet onto the couch and wrapped her arms around her legs.

"What is it this time mom? What did you splurge on - airline tickets? a third burberry coat? a real house?" Louise spat, glaring around at the apartment her mom had bought when she met Harvey only three years ago.

Her mom's face showed no sign of comprehending the question, and instead of answering she gave Harvey a shy glance, as if asking for permission. He didn't say anything, but managed to pick his hefty form up from the couch, place an arm around Tracey, and kiss her lightly on the forehead in response to her silent question.

Giving Harvey one last longing look, Tracey turned towards Louise and opened her mouth as if she was preparing to speak, but then closed it, making her look more like a guppy than a mother telling her daughter big news. Upon realizing she wasn't composed enough to speak, she took her left hand out of its hiding spot in her coat pocket, revealing not a receipt for an expensive purchase, but a ring.

A big fat engagement ring sat on the ring finger of her mother's left hand. Thousands of diamonds were encrusted on the silver band and each shown brilliantly under the soft overhead lights.

Louise knew what it meant. A proposal leads to an engagement, which leads to a marriage. The word was, unfortunately, not foreign on Louise's tongue, nor was it new on her mother's. But she had to ask, just to make sure. To be positive her mother really was attempting to repeat what she had failed at numerous times in the past.

"Y-you guys are getting married?" She managed to choke out, still trying in vain to grasp ahold of any part of the reality she had lived ten minutes ago.

Her mom and Harvey looked at each other lovingly, their heads nodding in unison. The sight made Louise gag and wish she had never introduced Harvey to her mom three years ago, when she had started to babysit for his son Connor.

That was enough for Louise, as she quickly jumped up from their suede couch and sprinted into her room, ignoring her mother and soon to be step-dad's protests. She slid down the wooden door until she was sitting on the carpet, her back still pressed up against the entryway to her room.

* ~ * ~ *

Louise had been sitting there for forty minutes, and she knew she had to come out sometime. Afterall, it was already eleven o'clock and she still had yet to eat dinner.

Scrambling to her feet, she stretched her aching muscles to get rid of the stiffness left from sitting still for so long. She touched her palms to the doorknob, gently applying pressure before opening it, so as to muffle the sound it created. Upon exiting her room, Louise had no choice but to continue on into the kitchen where Tracey was sitting due to the cramped floor plan of their apartment.

Attempting to be as inconspicuous as possible, Louise hugged the wall and tried to breathe in through her mouth slowly to avoid sneezing from the burning scent of her mother's cooking. In, out. In, out. She was doing quite well until she tripped over Harvey's aging bulldog, Bane, fell flat on her face, and let out a startlingly loud sneeze.

"Oh Louise, honey, I knew you would warm up to the idea soon!" Her mother exclaimed upon noticing Louise's presence.

"Mom, what makes you think I agree with your decision in any way? I came into the kitchen for food, as I waited for you to drive me to Maggie's house for dinner for two and a half hours, and if I am remembering correctly... you took my car to meet Harvey!" Louise accused, walking confidently across the kitchen towards the fridge.

Choosing to heat up some leftovers, Louise grabbed a plastic wrapped plate of lasagna from the fridge and brought it over to the microwave. Setting the time to 90 seconds, she pressed the black start button and pulled a stool over to the counter.

Louise rested her chin on her sweaty palms but quickly sat up as she heard a sob fall from her mother's lips.

"Y-your father used to l-love lasagna," Tracey hiccuped, "he ate it at least once every-"

"Which father mom? Was it Aaron? Kyran? Ben? Carlos?" Louise's voice rose with each name. "Was it one of the fathers you thought would be the last? You claimed would be the last? Because they were no fathers mom, they were flings. Flings you thought you could craft into a marriage. But no, you failed. The worst part is, you didn't just fail yourself or those men, mom, you failed me. You gave me false hope I would actually have a male figure who loved me for who I was and then you ripped that hope away as soon as you realized they weren't all you thought they would be. As soon as you realized they wouldn't just hand you over their money for expensive drinks, fancy vacation houses, and limousines."

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Author's Note

So I'll try to refrain from doing too many author's notes, as I know not many people actually read them. But I just wanted to thank all of you for reading my book, it truly does mean a lot to me. I have major plans for this book, and will therefore do my best to post a chapter at least once a week.

A special shoutout to @Fangdrip for proofreading and editing all of the chapters you see posted in this book.

Thanks again, and be sure to comment, vote, and add this book to your library!

~That_Spacey_Girl