Normal People - Strange Encounters Book Two

Chapter 44

Amelia paced the length of the lobby of the Sanitarium, wringing her hands absentmindedly in front of her as Spencer checked in with the front desk. When the nurses all greeted Spencer like a long-lost son she smiled, loving seeing how he interacted with them as if they were family too.

"We can head into the sunroom and wait for my mom. Hey, you okay?" Spencer reached for her hand, pausing when he'd noticed her face.

Amelia was actually very anxious just being in the sanitarium. The last time she'd been in one, her mom was forcefully committed and she'd been there to relay to the doctors what had happened in the weeks leading up to it. She'd had to tell them how she'd found all the full pill-bottles hidden in a drawer, how she'd be talking to angels in the street, how she'd locked Amelia in her room. Stepping into this place was making her re-live all of that, but she didn't want to ruin this day for Spencer.

"Of course. Just nervous to meet your mom, is all." And it wasn't a lie. She gave him a small smile, finding reassurance as his fingers wove through hers and gave a small squeeze. He looked like he was going to say something, but instead started walking towards the sunroom. She settled at a table near large bay windows, the Nevada sun shining brightly through. Spencer grabbed Amelia's hand across the table as she stared out the window.

"She's gonna love you, Lee."

"I sure hope so," she chuckled. "It'll be very awkward otherwise." She was only half joking.

"Spencer!" A chipper voice called out. Amelia turned in her seat toward the voice, glancing back at Spencer as a huge smile broke out on his face.

"Mom! Hi!" He stood up and met her halfway as she pulled him into an embrace. Amelia stood up, running her hands across nonexistent wrinkles in her shirt.

"Let me look at you." She stood back, examining him. "Well, you're far too thin, but I really like this sweater. Brings out the green in your handsome eyes." Spencer chuckled.

"You always say I'm too thin. But thanks, Lee actually got it for me. Speaking of.." Spencer grabbed his mom's hand and pulled her toward the table. "Mom, this is my girlfriend Amelia."

Amelia smiled at the woman, resisting the urge to bite her lip. If she was anywhere near as smart as her son, she'd pick up on the nervous tell immediately. Instead, she stuck her hand out toward her.

"It's so nice to finally meet you Mrs-" Diana swatted Amelia's hand away and wrapped her in a hug, catching her off guard. Spencer resisted the urge to laugh at the surprise on Amelia's face.

She smiled, hugging the woman back.

"Amelia, it is truly so lovely to meet you." She held her at arms length, the way her eyes examined her face reminding her of the way Spencer would look at her when he was trying to read her. "God, you're pretty. Spencer, she's awfully pretty."

"Don't I know it." Amelia chuckled at his shit-eating grin. He was loving this, and that eased her anxiety.

"Well it's easy to see where Spencer gets his good looks from." And she wasn't wrong. While she knew his dad wasn't in the picture, it was hard to mistake the resemblance between the mother and son. They both had the same sharp hazel eyes, with matching crinkles at the corners. Diana had already crinkled her nose absentmindedly in the way Spencer did, a small gesture Amelia had grown to love. Their jaws were both angular, as if hand chiseled. Diana just waved her hand dismissively.

"Oh, you flatter me. Spencer just lucked out." They all laughed, taking seats around the table.

They spent the afternoon at the table, Diana and Spencer catching up on one another's lives while Amelia happily sat back and watched. After a while Diana's attention turned to getting to know her. She brushed over her childhood, and focused on moving to Philadelphia and the work she had done there and her new life in DC. She enjoyed getting to know the older women, hearing her sneak in stories about Spencer's childhood whenever she could. She'd even brought a photo album to show Amelia, who had been overjoyed to see a young Spencer in thick rimmed glasses with a toothy grin.