MORTALS

/16: Robert Jeffords

A laugh resonated throughout the house.

"Mom?" I called, wandering through the seemingly desolate house. "Dad?"

"I'm in here, sweetie!"

I went to the office to see my mom sitting at her desk, typing away at something, a grin still plastered on her face. She hadn't changed out of her work clothes yet, so I guessed she just got home. Paperwork was spread around her, each page with lots of numbers and equations that my brain was too small to understand.

Sitting across the table was a man.

Mom looked up from her work. "Hi, Everly. How was your first day of school?"

I shrugged. "Meh, it was okay. Seventh grade isn't that bad. At least we didn't get homework on the first day like last year. Oh, and P. E.'s a lot better, too. Last year, the gym teacher made us run fifteen laps!" I shuddered dramatically.

"Uh huh, okay." Mom was back at her work.

"Um, Mom?"

"Yes, honey?"

"Who's this man?"

Mom looked up from her computer.

"Oh. Sweetie, this is Robert. He's a friend from work."

The man gave a wave and offered his hand. "Robert Jeffords. Pleased to meet you."

I took his hand warily. "You work with my mom?" I asked uncertainty.

"Yes, she's a real pleasure to work with." Robert responded, looking at my mom for two seconds too long.

"Okay."

I left the room without another word.

==== ====

"Mom, where are you?" I yelled into the emptiness.

"In the office." I heard.

I trudged up the stairs and to the office room to see Mom working. Sitting at the opposite end of the table was Robert.

"Hi, sweetie." Mom greeted. "How was Trick-or-Treating?"

"It was good. We hit the best houses on the street before anyone else."

"You're home early."

"I ditched the group and came home along Forty-Seventh Street. The others were being babies about it. The houses there aren't even scary."

"Ah, fun." Mom had already gone back to whatever she was typing.

Robert pulled out his phone and started typing something. After a few seconds, he put it away. Not two seconds later my mom's phone chimed. She pulled it out, read whatever text, and immediately burst out laughing. Robert was on the other end of the table and already joining in. They were both cracking up at whatever inside joke.

Finally, Mom sighed as she calmed down, giving Robert a smile. He returned happily returned it.

I glanced at Robert. Then at Mom. Then back at Robert.

What the heck?

"So, Mom. Where's Stephan? Did Oliver and William show up? Oh, and Dad?" I asked, hoping to remind her that she was already married.

"Oh, you're father's still at the station. They caught a few kids egging houses and stuff. I think their just tying things up. No, Oliver texted saying he was going with the people from his university, and William called to say he wasn't going to make it. Something about a date. Stephan should be in his room. He's grounded." She paused. "Actually, he's been rather quiet all night long. Can you please check on him?"