lydia nearly dropped the cigarette from her hand at the sudden presence of suze howard. there was a bottle of wine in the woman's hand, a comforting smile forming on her lips as the jacobs girl sent her a nod.
"i should be telling you to drop this habit." suze let out a sigh, taking a seat beside lydia on the front porch of the howard's residents. "not good for you, lyds."
"neither is the wine, su." lydia cupped the end of the cigarette, lighting it easily before glancing up to the woman. "you up for sharing?"
suze shook her head as a chuckle tumbled from her lips, allowing the teenager to take the bottle of wine in hand. "you made lexi's night with that text."
"i know." lydia glanced up to the sky where the stars shined above their heads. "i'm sorry it took so long."
"it's okay." suze wrapped her arm around the jacobs girl, a gentle motherly kiss pressed against lydia's temple. "our home is yours too, lyds. you know that."
"i know." lydia repeated, taking multiple sips of the wine before passing it back to the owner. the cigarette was back between her lips, a sign to the howard woman that lydia was at a loss of words.
"everything gets better." suze tightened her grip on the teenager, her gaze lost in the darkness surrounding the homes in the dollhouse neighborhood. "i promise you things get better. it doesn't always hurt, lyds."
lydia basked in the moment with the woman, for the howard's mother had always been more of a mother to her than her own. suze's arms remained until another kiss was pressed against lydia's forehead.
"you know where i'll be if you need me."
and with that, lydia was left alone on the front porch of the howard's home with nothing but her thoughts and a burning cigarette. it wasn't long, however, did mckay's car come to a halt in the street feet away.
"lydia?" cassie hadn't noticed the girl's presence until she was stepping out of the car. "what're you doing here?"
lydia hadn't missed the kisses the couple exchanged or the smile upon mckay's face as the two spoke to one another. lydia waved towards her brother's best friend, tossing the cigarette bud to the ground before stepping upon it with more force than necessary.
