"Ooo, are we playing hide and seek?" Jade asked excitedly. "I love that game!"
"We're not playing, J!" Lea shot back quickly. "Evelyn's at the door looking for answers that I can't give her and she can't see you! I'm going to try and get rid of her as quickly as possible, but until I can--"
"Enough said," Dylan interjected. He stood up, grabbed Jade by the arm and pulled her to her feet as well. "Do what you have to do Darling, we'll make ourselves scarce." He kissed Lea on the cheek before dragging Jade down the hall and out of sight.
Lea took a deep breath, then turned around and pulled the front door open. Evelyn still stood there. Her arms were folded across her chest and she looked much angrier than before. "We meet again," she spat sarcastically.
Lea brushed off her jab and smiled. "Sorry about that. There was something on the stove...burning...uhm, come on in."
She opened the door wider and Evelyn stepped into the apartment. They both settled at the kitchen table and Lea braced herself for the questions that would soon be flying in her direction.
"Do you want some hot chocolate?" Lea asked, trying in vain to lighten the mood.
"What I want is an explanation," Evelyn shot back quickly. "You've been avoiding me for over a month, Lea. What did I do wrong?"
...
Jade and Dylan listened in on the conversation from behind the door of the guest bedroom.
"I feel bad," Jade said with a pout. "We're the reason Lea and Evelyn are having problems."
"I know," Dylan sighed in agreement. "But it's not like we can tell Lay to forget about us now. She's in too deep. Plus with ths whole Mason thing--"
"I know, I know," Jade interjected. "She needs us now just as much as we need her. It just sucks knowing this is hurting her," she looked down sadly.
Eventually, Jade got bored as she often did after periods of time with little stimulation. Her family had her tested for ADD, but the results were inconclusive. So, her natural ansiness taking over, she stopped listening to Lea and Evelyn's heated conversation and instead made her way over to the closet to explore.
...
"You haven't done anything wrong," Lea sighed and reached up to rub her forehead in distress. How was she going to explain herself out of this one? Sure, Evelyn was spacy at times...but she wouldn't take just any bullshit answer. "I'm sorry if I made you feel like you did. I'm just...really really busy lately."
"You were never too busy for me before" Evelyn pointed out.
"Yea, well my dad has been piling on the hours at the restaurant lately and--"
"That's a bullshit lie and you know it," Evelyn sneered. "I've been to the restaurant and your dad told me he gave you a nice, long vacation...What's going on with you? And when are you going to clue me in?"
"I'm sorry, okay!?" Lea exclaimed, throwing up her hands. "Is that what you want to hear!? I'm sorry I've been shutting you out, it's just--!"
"It's just what!?" Evelyn demanded.
"It's just Mason!" Lea shouted. At the sound of Mason's name, Evelyn's eyes grew wide. The emotion on her face was hard to read. It wasn't anger...it was empathy...mixed with something else that Lea couldn't place. She stared at Lea as tears began to trickle down her face. "I didn't tell you because I was ashamed of feeling this way. I miss Mason, Evie. That's what's wrong."
