In Only A Moment

Chapter Five

( Lauryn: )

I know something's up immediately when I find my cousin in the kitchen talking to one of my foster mothers.

His father must have been gone longer than he expected he would be, meaning Jay will stay here for a few days. My uncle is the worst.

"Morning, sweetheart," Cin smiles over Jay's head, as he scarfs down her pancakes. She make the best pancakes! Yum!

I take a seat as he open- mouthed smiles, revealing chewed up strawberries and pancake bits, "Morphing!"

"Charming," Cin says dryly, passing me my very own stack of deliciousness, then she smiles, "Well, Dee went to the store, and I'm off to work, do I'm trusting you two to behave and lock up."

Jay nods, saluting her, "Don't worry Mrs. Cindy; I'll keep my eye on her!"

Cin rolls her eyes before hugging me, patting his head and taking off. "Three teenagers..." I think I hear her mutter, "How did I get so many kids?"

Cari, me, and now Jay. I smile into my food, happy.

We sit in silence for a while as he gathers what he'd like to tell me.

"He went to Atlantic City-"

I interrupt him, "What? Again? I thought he already had his 'business trip' for Atlantic City this year!"

He shrugs, noncommittally, still stuffing his face. "So what? As long as he's not around to play 'good dad' for five minutes before becoming himself until he leaves again... anyway, it doesn't matter, really, I love hanging out with you." He gets this guilty- worried look on his face, "I feel like I'm imposing too much here-"

I roll my eyes. "You're the son my parents never had. They love it when you stay over! The 'guestroom' literally transformed into your room!"

He stops everything, and just stares. He stopped looking guilty- worried, stop talking and most shockingly, stopped eating.

"What?"

He swallows, "I think that's the first time you actually called them your parents. Besides me, you've only considered Cari as your only family."

I sit back. He's completely right. But, to be completely honest, Cari said it wouldn't be hard to fall into the comfort of Cin and Dee. I mean, Cari said it. And Cari is the least trusting person in the world. She only trusts Cin, Dee, Jay, her roommate, and me. There was another person, but even thinking about them fills my heart with rage...

"Hey," Jay snaps his finger in my face, "No, I know that look. Let it go. She wants us to let it go."

I frown, trying to push it aside, and change the subject. "I forgot to tell you, we maybe, might- possibly- be going-"

"Spit it out!" he demands, impatient.

"-To see Cari over Spring Break!"

He drops his fork, "really? Gosh, I miss her so much! Curse her for being smarter than us!"

I laugh, anger melting completely away. "I miss her too1 we grew up with each other!"

"-We were a trio!"

"- And seriously, she's amazing. She saved me countless times, got me here-"

"-And got us back in touch! I have a lot to thank her for as well! She's not only an awesome friend, but basically my cousin, though you..." His excitement dims, "I just wish that she could see how much she means to everyone in her life... if it hadn't been for..."

My mood swings back to sad and slightly mad, "Um, we're gonna be late if we don't leave now."

Later, when I'm almost sprinting to class (why do some people think they own the hallway and that they can walk incredibly slow? Other people do have father to go!), I crash into someone, who rounded the corner.