Wishful Love

chapter 13

The next day arrived, and Chloe was all ready for her mothers arrival. She had left half her hair down, while the rest was curled up in a ponytail behind her head. Chloe's shimmery yellow dress was ironed until not even a wrinkle could be seen. Her black jacket was given the same treatment.

Chloe stared out the window hesitantly as the sun melted down below the horizon. Her mother would be arriving soon, so Chloe hoped very dearly Luka would show up soon. As if reading her thoughts, Chloe heard a familiar voice in the doorway.

"Are you waiting for me?" Luka said charmfully. When Chloe turned around to deny his question, she was shook beyond words. Luka looked perfect, utterly perfect. He was wearing a black tux, and his hair was jelled and swished to the side. When Luka saw Chloe staring, he glanced down at his outfit.

"Did I dress up too fancy or something? I didn't know what to expect." Luka said innocently. Chloe shook her head.

"No, no. You look perfect- I mean you look great!" Chloe pastered on a fake smile. Luke returned it.

When Chloe glanced out the window, she froze in horror. "My moms here." she said as an extravagant limo pulled up.

"Lets go meet her." Luka turned around to go, but Chloe stood glued to the floor. When Luka saw this he turned back around and put a calming hand on Chloe's shoulder.

"Chloe, there's nothing to be afraid of. You can do this."

"What if she hates me?" Chloe suddenly started pouring out all her fear she had held back for years.

"She's never paid any attention to me before, why would she now? She probably doesn't even care about me, because I'm useless!" Chloe was now nearly in tears.

"Chloe, no matter what you've ever done, you are not useless. You are an amazing girl, your a super heroine. Just be true to who you are, and I promise your mother will love you." Luka's words seemed to get through to Chloe, as she found herself wiping away her tears.

💢

"What kind of limo service was that? Your fired. And ugh, when was the last time you repainted the hotel Andre?" Audrey Bourgeois was saying as Chloe and Luka came out.

"I just repainted it last year, my dear, if that comforts you." Mr. Bourgeois was saying to his over-dramatic wife.

"Ugh, whatever I'm famished. You better have exactly what I ordered prepared." Chloe felt her blood stiffen as her mother looked over towards her.

"Hello mother." Chloe tried saying. Her relationship with her mother had somewhat improved, thanks to Marinette Dupen-cheng. But her mother still seemed to overreact to almost anything.

"Chloe what have you done with your hair? It is utterly ridcuous. And much too greasy."

"Um, sorry." when Audrey Bourgeois eyed Luka, she tried handing him her luggage.

"You, carry my bags into the hotel." Luka just stood idly by. Chloe stood forwards.

"Um, mother, this is my friend, Luka Couffaine. He's our guest tonight." Chloe honestly didn't know what her mothers reaction would be. Audrey Bourgeois looked somewhat shocked, but at the same time she was bemused.

"Ugh, whatever. Lets enjoy out family dinner shall we now?" Audrey glared at Luka as she said the word family.

💢

Dinner was just as Chloe expected.

"What kind if meat is this? Where did this salad come from? The cheese on it is so yellow its utterly ridiculous."

Utterly ridiculous. That's what my mom is. Chloe was thinking to herself.

"Audrey, how was New York?" Mr. Bourgeois was asking.

"Ugh, the fashions there are getting utterly ridiculous. You would not believe the trash people are wearing these days."

Chloe just stared blankly at her salad. When the waiter brought in the drinks, he made a mistake. Chloe's mother started to yell at him for being late, and before he could control his shock, he spilled the tray. The drinks fell right onto chloe, as they dripped her dress soaking wet.

Chloe, especially in her mothers presence, would have yelled her head off at the poor waiter, but one glance at Luka made her control her impulse.

"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry!" the waiter was muttering under his embarrassment.

"Its-its alright." Chloe said. She grabbed a napkin and started dabbling it at her dress. Luka leaned over and started picking up the shards of the broken glass cup. Audrey Bourgeois stared in disbelief.

"Alright? Alright?" she was raising her tone higher and higher. "You are a clumsy oaf and there is nothing alright about that! Your fired! Chloe, behavior like his is utterly unacceptable."

The waiter stood back up, and looked disbelieving at chloe, then Audrey. Chloe couldn't find the heart to face her mother, so the waiter soon fled back to the kitchens.

Chloe felt terrible. Someone had just lost his job, all because Chloe hadn't stood up to her mother. She looked in all directions, but only felt a shade of relief looking into Luka's eyes. She felt his hand embrace hers under the table. Chloe couldn't help but smile.

When Audrey saw that, she lost her fuse. "This is utterly unacceptable! My own daughter inviting a peasant over for her family dinner, saying its alright for a waiter to spill a drink all over her, and now letting a peasant hold he hand! Utterly unacceptable!" Audrey was enraged as everyone could tell.

"Audrey, dear, perhaps you need a minute to calm down and-"

"No! Tell that peasant to leave, now Chloe bourgeois." Audrey glared down at her daughter.

Chloe could only take a deep breath. "No mother. Luka isn't a peasant. Has a friend that has taught me how to be a better person. I'm never going to yell or be mean to someone again." Chloe was definitely scared, but when Luka stood up beside her she felt better.

Audrey gave her daughter a death glare. She stood up, and marched out of the room. Mr. Bourgeois followed, as he tried to reason with his wife.

Chloe stood, not sure how to feel. Luka put a comforting arm on her shoulder. "You did the right thing." he said.

Chloe knew that was true, but her stomache was doing flips.