Labels || H.S. [#Wattys2020]

N I N E T Y - E I G H T

It was strange coming home and finding her mother in the kitchen making dinner. Her father had been so busy with his new deal, that she hadn't seen her parents in a while. They never used to leave her and Kennedy alone, but for some reason they trusted her now. This was already the second time they had left on an overnight trip in less than two months. Reagan figured it must have been a pretty big client if dad was meeting with them personally.

"Reagan?" Her mother called from downstairs.

"Yeah."

"Can you help me set the table?"

Reagan got up from her chair, and made her way down to the kitchen. Dutifully setting each plate with their respective utensils. From across the room though, she could feel her mother's stare piercing her back.

"What?" She nearly sighed, without even bothering to turn around.

"Oh no, nothing." Her mother muttered, placing a pot roast on a platter, "I was just wondering if Harry had come around while we were out of town."

Reagan stayed silent, she knew there was no point in denying it. Kennedy must have already told her mother everything that had happened the past few days, per usual.

"He did. He visited me and Kennedy."

"Oh, that's nice."

"Yeah."

"So..."

"So?" Reagan asked, scooping mashed potatoes into a large bowl to place on the table.

"Did anything interesting happen while we were gone?"

"No." She answered, a little too quickly.

"Really?"

"Mom," Reagan said, turning to look at her, "If you know what happened, just say so."

Her mother smiled widely and hugged Reagan tightly to her, "I knew he loved you."

"Mom, please." She said, trying to hide her smile.

"We both know that if your sister hadn't told me, I never would've of found out." Her mother chided.

"It's nothing that serious."

"Oh? That's not what Kennedy said. We should invite him over for dinner."

"Mom."

"We should, it's not a crime, Reagan. I want to get to know the boy."

"Boy?" Said a booming voice, that could of course only belong to Reagan's father.

"Yes, James. A boy." Her mother said snarkily. "A real living boy."

"It better not be that pop star I told you to stay away from." He said, obviously more interested in the food on the table than Reagan's answer. Which was actually good, she really didn't want to deal with her father at the moment.

"Honey, just sit down and eat." Reagan's mother said, already starting to quickly serve him, "It's your favorite." She looked at Reagan and asked, "Where's your sister? Is she upstairs?"

"She should be."

"Go get her, please."

Reagan nodded and did as she was told. She knew she was going to have to come up with an excuse as to why the boys didn't take Kennedy out for breakfast that morning, but figured that as long as Louis came next time it would be okay. As soon as she opened Kennedy's door though, she found that she wasn't there.

"Mom?" She called from the top of the stairs.

"Yeah?"

"I totally forgot to tell you that Kennedy was going out with some of her friends tonight." She said, obviously covering for Kennedy like Kennedy had done countless times for her. For now she hoped that she was okay, and not off causing havoc as she tended to do.