Recovery

Chapter 11

I sneak into Brent's room, and whisper his name.

"Mmmm?" He groans.

"No, Brent, it's important!" He just groans again. A plan forms in my mind. "Brent! Your pizza's getting cold!"

He bolts upright, I don't know whether it was my raised voice or the pizza that got him up.

"What about pizza Lex?" He looks around confused. "Lex? What are you doing? Are you okay?" Well, now that he's actually awake...

"Ya, but did you know who mom was going out with?" I was hoping he'd prove me wrong on my theory.

"No..." He looks confused.

"Because I was watching her leave and I saw who she was with, and he looked so familiar, and I couldn't stop thinking about it-"

"Who was it Lex?" Brent laid back on his bed, obviously ready to go back to sleep.

I gulped. "Officer Dowling." I really hoped that I was wrong.

"Could be," Brent drawled, pulling his blankets up to his chin. "G'night Lex." Why was he not surprised? I, personally, am freaking out.

"Brent, she's dating the police officer that is working my case. How is that normal?" My voice starts to raise at the end of my question.

"Lex, what do you want me to do? Play a rebellious song with you? We can do that in the morning, we have all day tomorrow, I don't have university or a job until Monday. Now go back to bed." He rolls over, and after a minute, his breathing turns deep and steady.

I think over what he said. That's true though. What could I do about it now? Nothing. So I walk back to my room, and climb into bed, this time falling asleep amidst my churning thoughts.

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I wake up and feel that something is off. I go through a list in my head of possible things that might be missing, but everything is there. My guitar, my clock, even the piles of clothes are in the same places as I left them. It's not that there is a new pile of school stuff in the corner... So what is it?

Then it hits me.

I run downstairs, still clad in my pyjamas. "Mom!" I call, but only Brent is downstairs.

"Shh," he warns me. "Moms still sleeping after her date last night." He winks at me.

"Brent," I begin again, "I didn't have a nightmare last night!" I jump up and down excitedly. Brent hugs me.

"And for that, I will make you pancakes for breakfast." He looks guilty.

"Is there another reason for making me breakfast?" I ask, and walk towards the pop-tarts cabinet. Brent runs in front of me, blocking my route.

"I may or may not have finished the pop-tarts." He sidesteps out of the way of my slap, and runs out of the door, into the yard. Of course, I follow him, and I realize my pinky-toe isn't bothering me as much anymore. Suddenly I skid to a stop.

"Be right back," I say as I dash up the stairs to my room. I throw on a pair of patterned leggings and a peach coloured tank top. I dash back down the stairs, just as Brent was walking inside, scratching his head. He spots me, and his eyes light up, but he bits out of the sliding door once he sees that I'm barreling toward him. I sprint as fast as I can, having the advantage if not needing to look behind me.

I see my opportunity, and lunge forward, wrapping my arms around Brent's waist. He trips, and crashes to the ground.

"You'll have to apologize to me if you want breakfast." He wiggles his eyebrows at me, and I smack his cheek lightly.

"Hey now, that was for taking my breakfast. Consider us even." I raise my eyebrow at him, sticking out my hand for a shake.

He reaches out and shakes my hand.

"Oh, great," he exclaims. "A grass stain on my shirt." He looks back and forth between me and his cream coloured shirt.

"I'll buy you a new shirt when I go to get you a SnapBack," I extend my hand again. Brent grins goofily, and shakes his head.

"I didn't really like this shirt either. It's from Shirley." That's another one of his exes. By looking at how many clothes he has from girlfriends, you'd think he was a player. He wasn't really, mostly just picking up girls around Christmas and his birthday, which, coincidently, are exactly six months apart. Of course, they always buy him presents, when he tells them that his birthday is coming up. He's been doing that since he was fifteen. And those have been his only girlfriends.

We stand up and walk into the house, closing the glass door behind us.

"I'm taking a shower. Add some chocolate chips in the batter too," I go up the stairs, two at a time.

The shower is uneventful, but as I start to pull on my peach t-shirt, I notice a huge grass stain, probably from when I tackled Brent. So, I throw that shirt in the hamper, and pull on my still clean leggings. I wrap a yellow towel around my top, and make a dash for my room. I glance down the stairs behind me, and I see mom laughing at me. Well, better her than Brent...

In my room, I pull on a black tank top, and French braid my hair.

"Lex! Your pancakes are ready!" Brent calls from downstairs. I tie an elastic around the end of the braid, and skip down the stairs. I sit on a wooden chair and take a huge bite out of the steaming pancake.

"Mmhmmm," I groan in delight, and mom cones walking into the room, looking radiant. Brent and I share a look, similar to the one we shared last night.

"So mom," Brent began as I finish my mouthful of pancakes.

"How was your date?" I finished. Wait. Did I just see that? Did mom... Did she blush? A moment of silence please, for something we'll never see again. Mom. Blushed.

"Well," she started, "it was nice." So. She's gonna play it that way.

"I saw you leave with him last night." I prodded her on gently.

She looks off into the distance, staring out of the kitchen window.

"Ya. He's nicer." Nicer? What in the world does she mean? I think I need to be blunt.

"Mom, did you go out with officer Dowling?" I take another bite of pancakes, and chew slowly.

Mom clears her throat. "Kids, I need to talk to you about officer Dowling."

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A/N.... Shout out to @theluckynumber3 @zebignee and @coldweather for guessing half of who ms Reynolds is dating.... And for @wroterlover5 for editing for me :) random authors note so don't mind ;) also know that something on my wattpad app is glitchy and won't let me comment... I hate it that I can't reply to u guys!!! Btw Benny's cute... Is he named after Ben? ;)