Being Bad

Chapter 45: A Price Family Reunion

Lia James

"Andrew? Is that you?" His mother approaches the living room from the foyer. She seemed a bit sleepy, considering she was wiping her eyes and stretching.

She seems calm. Too calm.

When I first saw Andrew after he came back I got so excited that I lunged for him, and went into his arms. I swear I almost burst into tears. So, why isn't this the same?

If anything there should be more of a reaction because this woman gave birth to him. I'm just the girl he kissed last night.

"I'm so sick and tired of seeing you over and over again!" She raises her voice. "Why can't you be real?"

Oh.

Now I get it.

Andrew's mother thinks she's dreaming about seeing Andrew.

I get this very sad and depressing feeling in the pit of my stomach just watching her react to Andrew, who she thinks is just a product of her dreams. She must be having these all the time, because it almost seems like she's worn out and tired from it.

I would be if something that I wanted to be real so bad was merely a thought in my head.

"Mom," Andrew frowns. "It's me. I'm real. I promise."

"That's what you said all the other times." It almost looked like she was about to cry.

"You've been dreaming about me?" He approached her with caution. "I'm so sorry that I put you through this. I'm never going to do it again."

"I don't want to see you anymore." She sighs, turning away from us. "If I can't be with you in reality, why make it a dream?"

"Mrs. Price. He's real. I can assure you that he's real." I come up to the side of Andrew, and place my palm on his arm, that was covered with his black leather jacket.

She becomes stunned when she sees me. It's like she's seen a ghost, someone from her past that has died. Her face is pale, her eyes are wide, and her jaw is unhinged.

She knows it's real. She knows.

She's on the verge of tears. "My baby, is it really you?"

"It's really me, Mom. I promise." He holds out his arms for his mother.

She runs over quickly to him, hugging him with everything she's got. I could hear her quiet sobs, and sniffles. They were muffled, because her head was against her son's chest.

I was content, and that's because all is well in the world.

"I can't believe you're really here." Her voice was soft, almost breaking as she formed sentences between sniffles.

Andrew cradled his mother softly in his arms, his chin resting against the top of his mother's head, and his arms wrapped around her back securely.

"I love you, Mom." He sighed. "I promise I'm not going anywhere again."

She pulls away abruptly, and smacks the side of his arm. "You know I love you, Andrew, but if you run away again I will put metal bars on your windows and even on your door. Don't make me pull a Harry Potter on you."

"It's not going to happen again. I've realized that going away does more harm than good, not just for me but for everyone, and I won't do it again. I promise."

"You better be." She pauses. "So, when did you come back? I know that today wasn't your first day back."

She is too darn perceptive.