Running From You

Chapter 29

NORA

The next morning when I tiredly make my way to the kitchen, mom is already there making pancakes while humming something under her breath. With a large smile she trusts a huge stack at me and nudges me to sit down.

I pour some syrup over the deliciousness and glance at her knowingly. "Trying to make me feel better about last night?"

"Huh? " she tries to act as if nothing's wrong. "Oh. Not just that. I just thought you might be hungry and since I'm home..." she trails off and continues humming.

"Right..." I give her a long look but can't help but smile when she starts shaking her hips while flipping a pancake. "You're such a weirdo."

She winks at me over her shoulder. "And you're a part of me, hun, so what does that make you?"

I stuff a large bite in my mouth and shake my head, but can't help but smile a little.

Mads walks into the kitchen, then, dropping her heavy backbag on the floor and eyeing mom warily. "What's going on?"

"Morning, honey," mom says chirpily. "Here, eat," she hands Mads a full plate, which she hesitantly takes.

"Okay," Mads slowly sits down. She'd clearly expected to find mom still angry about last night, not happily making pancakes and humming.

We eat in silence for a while while mom does the dishes. I don't know what to say, and Mads clearly feels the same way.

"You need to hurry if you want to catch the bus," mom dries her hands and looks pointedly at my sister. "Have a good day, both of you!" she smiles at us as she exists the room. "I have some work to do."

"Oh, yeah, right," Mads checks the time and starts shoveling the food in her mouth.

"You can drive with me, you know that, right?" I look up from my own food. "I didn't make you take the bus, that was your own decision. So, you can still drive with me."

"I..." she looks a bit surprised. "I didn't think you'd want me to after the way..." she swallows hard and avoids looking me in the eye, "after the way I've been treating you lately."

I give her a small smile. "You're my little sister. You can annoy me and not talk to me and be angry at me all you want, but you'll always be my sister. So no, I'd never make you take the bus when I have a perfectly good car with enough space in it."

Mads just looks at me for a long time, clearly at a loss for words. "Thank you," she finally says, her voice husky with suppressed emotion.

"Yeah," I feel my own throat constricting and get up to put away my dishes just to have something to do. "Be ready in fifteen." I hurry up the stairs to get dressed and pull my hair up on a bun before going back downstairs. Mads is already ready.

"Let's go, then," I grab my bag and keys by the door and lead the way. The drive is spent in silence as neither of us really know how to talk to each other anymore. But I don't mind the quiet because at least she's driving with me instead of avoiding me. I'll take any small win I can.

We pick up Olive on the way, and a look of surprise crosses her face when she sees Mads in the car. She recovers quickly, though, and greets us with a bright smile.

"Nice seeing you again, Maddy," she smiles at my sister from the back, clearly happy for us. "It's been a while."

"Yeah" Mads turns in her seat to flash her  a smile back. "It's been weird without your running commentary every morning."