An Unpredictable Year (Completed)

Chapter 25

"Connor?" A guy who looks to be about 34 asked, confused.

"Hey dad..." Hey awkwardly waves.

"What're you doing here? Does your mother know?" His dad asks, looking around, when his eyes fall on me.

"Mom knows." Connor nods.

"Who's this?" His dad asks, looking at me. Connor glances to me with a smile.

"Dad, this is my friend Kyla. Kyla, my father Steve." Connor waves between us in introduction.

"Hello Kyla. It's nice to meet you." He smiles politely at me.

"You too." I flash him a small smile.

"What's for dinner?" Connor asks, pushing past his father to enter the house.

"Lasagna..." His dad answers, confusedly.

"Good. We're hungry." Connor nods.

"Who is it?" A lady walks out of the kitchen with a dish rag in her hand and an apron around her waist. She looks at Connor confused.

"Hello Linda." Connor says with a forced smile.

"Connor." She wraps her arms around Connor in a hug and by his grimace he's not a Linda fan.

"Linda, this is Connor's friend, Kyla." Steve says, catching Linda's attention. A huge smile lights up her face.

"Hello, hello, welcome to my home!" Linda says, excitedly. She wraps me up in a hug and I freeze up.

"Linda, can you please release her. She looks like she's about to have a panic attack." Connor says, worriedly. She instantly releases me and I release a breath of relief. "You okay?"

"Oh honey, I am so sorry." Linda throws her hands over her mouth as a tear falls out of her eye.

"I'm fine." I flash a small smile, trying to convince her.

"How about some food?" Steve asks, breaking the awkward silence that has fallen over us.

"Sounds great." Connor claps. Linda nods and walks off, back to the kitchen.

"Thanks." I whisper as I pass him, following Steve into the dining room. He smiles at me.

"So how's school?" Steve asks as Linda is passing around plates full of food.

"Good." Connor nods.

"That's good." Linda smiles. Connor rolls his eyes.

"This is good, Linda." Steve says, after a few minutes of awkward silence.

"Yeah... My brother does his best, but he's not the best of cooks." I smile at her.

"Does your mom not cook?" She asks, causing me to stiffen.

"Linda." Connor hisses, looking worriedly at me.

"No, she does not cook." I say, stiffly.

"So how's your mom?" Steve asks, looking to Connor for some help.

"Better. She has this new guy, David, in her life. Kira loves him." Connor nods.

"That's great." Steve says, happily.

"Yeah..." Connor nods as my phone starts ringing. I look at them apologetically, before quickly getting it out of my purse. Bryan.

"What's wrong?" I ask, cautiously.

"Ky... I don't know what to do." He sounds bad...

"Shhh... Talk to me... What happened?" I ask in a calm, soothing voice. This has never happened before.