Chapter 8
CHAPTER EIGHT
“He said five o’clock, right?” Mom asks me for the third time in ten minutes.
“Yes,” I reply as calmly as I can.
“I wonder what could be keeping him,” she murmurs.
It’s only ten past five and she seems to think we’re being stood up.
“There he is,” I say as I raise an arm and wave at Lake who’s crossing the street toward us.
He gives Mom a sheepish grin when he walks up to us and shoves his hands into his pockets, “Sorry, Mrs. Driscoll. Time got away from me.”
“Audrey,” she says as she leans forward and gives him an awkward hug. “My, you’ve grown into a handsome young man, Lake!”
His face turns red as he glances at me.
“Let’s go inside and grab our table. Mom made our reservation for five and they’re expecting us,” I say as I turn around and lead the way.
The hostess immediately takes us to a booth located in the back of the restaurant and I slide in, then glance up at Lake as he stands idly by waiting to see where Mom is going to sit.
As soon as she slides in across from me, he shrugs off his jacket and sits next to me.
“You can both have whatever you want. Warner is paying.”
I glance up at her curiously and she gives me a smirk.
“So, how have you been, Lake?” Mom asks after we place our drink orders.
“Getting by,” he replies with a shrug.
Mom and I exchange a glance as he sets his menu down and looks away for a moment. When he starts to fiddle with the paper around his straw, Mom tries again.
“That’s good to hear. I’m very happy.”
“Thanks,” he mumbles.
“I’m going to Lake’s after we leave here,” I tell her.
“Oh?” she asks.
“He’s going to help me with my Algebra homework.”
“Try not to get home too late,” Mom finally says.
Lake looks over at me and grins when I look at him, then he looks at Mom.
She immediately tries to engage him in small talk about school, life, and everything in between.
And it works.
Two hours later, when our meals are finished and the check is paid, I find myself feeling better that at the very least, he had a good evening for once in his life.
___
“Wait, how do you have your own apartment already?”
“I work at the school. I assist the janitor after everyone leaves,” he explains with a smile. As soon as the lock clicks, Lake clears his throat and lets go of the doorknob.
“Okay, you have to listen to me for a second before we go inside,” he mumbles nervously.
I look up him, giving him my full attention.
With a sigh, he rakes a hand back through his hair, “Alright. You obviously remember all of that stuff that happened with Madison and her friends, right?”
I nod.
“Well, it happened one too many times.”
He scuffs the floor in front of his apartment door, and I put a hand on his arm.
“And?” I press softly.
I watch as he swallows the lump in his throat, looks me in the eye for a few seconds, then puts his hand on the doorknob and pushes the door open.
“I’m back!” he calls out.
Suddenly, a girl maybe a couple of years younger than us appears with a smile on her face and pulling on a jacket.
“Hey Lake!” she greets him brightly.
I watch curiously as he reaches into his back pocket and pulls out his wallet, peels out a couple of twenty dollar bills, and hands them to her.
“Thanks for the short notice cover, Mabel,” he says with a smile.
“Any time. Just call whenever you need me. Bye!”
I glance over my shoulder as the young blonde girl bounces out of the apartment and closes the door securely behind her.
“Who was that?” I ask.
“Um …” he rubs the back of his neck nervously. “Mabel.”
“I gathered that much. But who is she?”
Lake looks at me apprehensively. Almost as if he’s trying to decide to make this introduction or kick me out. But when his eyes soften, I know it’s the former.
“Give me a sec,” he says quietly as he shrugs off his jacket.
I glance around his place.
It’s small, but I don’t imagine he would need much more.
“Hey.”
I turn to look at him and my eyes widen.
“This is Eden,” he says, as he kisses the baby he’s holding gently on the side of the head.