All Of Your Flaws

Part Six

The Willis' lived in a relatively large turn of the century house only three roads away from Addison. The house was a lot like Addison's own house apart from the fact that the Willis house didn't fill her with a sense of foreboding like her own home. It was also a lot smaller but Addison preferred that. Her own house always felt too big. Dylan parked up on the driveway behind a nondescript silver hatchback. Addison assumed it belonged to Dylan and Leo's mother.

Both Dylan and Leo piled out the car without a care in the world. After breathing in carefully for a few moments, Addison followed because it would have looked strange to just continue sitting in the car. Dylan strolled up to the front door and opened it before calling out "Hey Mom, we're home!"

"Hi honey, I'm in the kitchen!" came a voice from inside the house and Dylan motioned for Addison to follow him.

"Are you sure your mother will be ok with me being here?" Addison asked again because she knew from experience that unexpected guests could send people into a world of panic, or maybe that was just Eric and really he should have been ok with Brigid dropping in whenever she wanted by now as she had lived next door since Addison was five years old. Dylan scoffed loudly before he actually chuckled slightly.

"It's fine Addi. My Mom really won't mind you being here. Don't worry so much." Dylan said laughing.

Addison watched in mild fascination as she observed Dylan walk into the large kitchen and hug a smiling blonde woman. She had to be his mother as they had the exact same green eyes. Even though the Willis' hadn't been in the house for long, the kitchen was already full of appliances, cooking equipment, and cookery books.

"Mom, this is Addison. She's at the sixth form with me. We're in the same English and Art classes." Dylan said nodding over towards Addison. She braced herself as Dylan's mother looked over at her and was amazed to see her smile was just as bright as when she looked at her son.

"Well hello, Addison. It's a pleasure to meet you" Mrs Willis said walking over and actually hugging Addison tightly. It caught her completely off guard. The only parents she ever interacted with were Brigid's or her own father and none of them were huggers. Mrs Willis was also a lot stronger than she looked as her hug could have easily crushed bones or at least cause some serious bruising.

"Hello, it's nice to meet you Mrs Willis." Addison said in the politest voice she possessed as Mrs Willis finally let her go. Politeness didn't really come naturally to her anymore but Dylan's mother seemed so damn cheerful and pleasant that it was impossible to not be polite towards her.

"Please Addison, call me Eleanor. The only people to ever call me Mrs Willis are people from the bank and things like that." Mrs Willis said chuckling slightly and Addison noticed just how much her laugh was like Dylan's "I've just finished a batch of cookies if you're hungry." Eleanor added nodding towards the top of her large range cooker. A huge plate of what smelt like peanut butter cookies rested on the top and Dylan was already hovering by them ready to pounce by the look of it.

"I heard cookies!" Leo called from the hall.

"They're in the kitchen Leo!" Eleanor called out with a warm chuckle. "Can I get you a drink or anything Addison?" Eleanor then asked Addison as Leo raced into the kitchen and grabbed a handful of cookies off the plate before Dylan could. "Leo, you're worse than Dylan if that was possible." Eleanor chastised her son.

"No thank you, I'm ok." Addison said politely and she couldn't help but smile when Eleanor gave her a warm grin.

"Well if you need anything then don't be afraid to ask at all." Eleanor said before turning to Dylan. "Niamh rang me earlier on saying she was going to some comic store in town, will you be ok to fetch her when she's finished? I'm not too keen on her getting the bus back when we've only just moved here." Eleanor said and Dylan gave her an absentminded shrug of his shoulders. "Thank you, I suppose" Eleanor said shaking her head slightly before turning back to Addison. "So Dylan says you have a few classes together."