The Unexpected Path

Chapter 9 - Lucas

As soon as I step inside my house it's like all the tension I was feeling evaporates. There's something about the familiarity of home that gives you comfort no other place could. The restlessness your body feels knowing it's not in its usual place leaves and you click back into place. I'm even more grateful to be home because I can see Mom after two weeks.

It's weird. Just as I think of her she steps into the main foyer with an expectant look on her face. It transforms into one of happiness when she spots me.

"I thought I heard you come home." She opens her arms up to me and I fill up the remaining distance between us with my steps until I'm wrapping her up in a hug. My arms lock around her waist and I lift her up, tightening my hold. I outgrew Mom when I was in the seventh grade and have towered over her since. She pretends to hate it but I know she really loves it. She squeezes me back, running a hand through the back of my head. "Oh, my sweet boy."

My chest twists at her words. I'm anything but sweet but it's about the way Mom loves me. Fuck, I don't want to lose her. I have to bite my tongue so I'm distracted by how emotional I feel.

"How are you feeling?" I ask when I set her down.

"I'm fine, baby." She runs a hand down my face, peering up at me. "What about you? How's school?"

"Good." I choose to leave out the fact that I skipped this entire week. "Seriously, how are you holding up?"

"I'm okay," She insists and squeezes my hands. "Same old story with me. I just want to catch up with my son."

"Same old," I repeat her words and wrap an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into my side. We walk down the foyer and head for the kitchen. "You shouldn't have sent me to school this year. I'm up to no good."

"I believe you." Amusement laces her tone. "Are you making unforgettable memories?"

Unforgettable memories? I think of me and Olivia and snort. "Something like that."

"Good. That's exactly what you should be doing."

"I doubt that, Mom. No one is safe from my asshole-ry this year and it's coming out big time."

"That's how you work, Luc," She reminds me and takes a seat on one of the island stools. I take the one beside her as she faces me. "It's the ones you care about most that you try to push away. So if you're being an ass, it just means you're trying to hide how much you care."

"Not true," I mutter and look away. I don't want to believe that for a second. It changes everything I know and I don't fuck with that. "You're just saying that because you're my mom."

"And nobody knows you better than your mother." She ruffles my hair. "Which is why you might as well tell me now what you're doing to poor Olivia."

"What?" My gaze snaps back to her. Don't tell me she went and fucking snitched again.

"So you two are talking again," She grins and I realize Olivia didn't say anything. Mom just wanted the facts. "If you were still avoiding her you wouldn't have blinked twice."

"Does manipulation run in this family or some shit?"

"You think you're the only asshole here? Your father and I made you. You're second best, at most."

"Get out," I chuckle under my breath, grateful that she still feels well enough to joke around and shoot the shit with me. Mom has always been like that. She might coddle me and Landon but she loves giving her sons shit just as much. She's sassy as hell.

"You should go say hi to him," She reminds me gently, talking about Dad. I bristle at the mention.

"Not this again."